I’m a 17 year-old soprano auditioning for classical VP at NYU Steinhardt in February. I haven’t taken a voice lesson in years (though I’ve been plenty involved in performance and theory study on my own time), and was wondering if anyone here had input on my potential song list.
I must have three contrasting pieces, none longer than 4 minutes, and at least one in English and one in French, Italian or German. This is what I’ve come up with:
Nel cor più non mi sento
O can ye sew cushions? arr. Benjamin Britten
Massenet's Elegie
they’re all short, have fairly simple accompaniment, are straightforward and easy on my range, and have text/melody I enjoy and am happy to sing. My concerns are: a. that they are too short, b. that they are too simple/easy, and c. that they are not “contrasting”. they all have different meter and keys, and in my opinion fairly different tones. However, they’re all something of apostrophes and rather similar apostrophe at that (nel cor and o can ye sew? both at absent lovers (and occasionally children), and elegie at springtime, although it might as well be an absent lover). they’re more or less the same messageg all directed to the same object, but with different tone. is this contrasting enough in meaning?
Any thoughts?
The fact that you have no teacher may be a big hinderance when it comes to reccomendations, not to mention technique. Are you audtioning at other schools? I most often hear the pieces you’ve selected sung by young mezzos, but that’s fine in this case so go right ahead.
@“Mezzo’sMama” Steinhardt does not require additional recommendations beyond the NYU requirements, so that should not be an issue, but I agree that technique may be an issue, and I’m a bit concerned. I am not auditioning at other schools–like I said, I have been very involved in music and especially vocal performance throughout high school (I am in a very well-known conservatory-associated children’s choir and have been a soloist as well as a member of select small groups to perform with our major symphony orchestra, have performed in school and local legit musical theatre roles such as Hope Harcourt and Alice Beineke (who is admittedly not written as legit soprano but who I performed as legit soprano lol), and have attended summer opera/classical voice programs, beyond being very very involved with my school choir and piano/composition). However, I haven’t been at all responsible about keeping up with lessons. I misled in my original post–I do have a teacher, but I have not taken lessons with her regularly since my sophomore year.
For that reason and that reason alone, I decided in the fall that I was not going to go for conservatory or audition at any schools, but pursue humanities at a LAC.
I had a sudden change of heart around Christmas, but because I did apply to majority LACs, the only university which I had already sent transcripts and recommendations to and would receive them on time, and which also offers a vocal program, is NYU. So, basically, it’s Steinhardt or nothing.
I’m taking lessons again in preparation for the audition, so I will discuss repertoire more extensively with my voice teacher soon, but yes. Technique is a concern. Thank you so much for your input–I used mezzo rep in my prescreening and so put that on my resume (though I do believe I’m a soprano/soubrette) so that’s actually ideal.