<p>Hi there! I'm new to the site, although i have seen the big list and used it quite a bit..
Anyways, i'm going into my freshman year of high school. I was just wondering if anyone out there had advice for me- what i could do now and for the next four years, things that will help me down the road. Thing you wish you or your son.daughter had done in high school. Just trying to get a head start! Thanks, it's much appriciated (:
-xo.emmie.</p>
<p>I wish my D had taken more piano lessons. She played another instrument, so she could read music, but piano would be so much more useful to her now.</p>
<p>Agree with musicmom about piano. If you don’t dance yet, start now! Read lots of plays and listen to lots of musicals. Enjoy your freshman year emmie!!</p>
<p>I think the best thing my D did was study voice seriously and consistently for many years with a wonderful teacher. Her strong foundation in vocal technique gave her a lot of confidence going into auditions.</p>
<p>See as many musicals and plays as you can. Having a knowledge of the field you are hoping to study will be very beneficial to you - in selecting audition material and for beyond that as well.</p>
<p>Ditto on everything else that has been mentioned as well!</p>
<p>Keep your grades up and challange yourself with your course selection. Contrary to what many think grades can make a difference in MT program admissions, and certainly in scholarship decisions.</p>
<p>Dance lessons!</p>
<p>If there are any colleges close by that you might be interested in, try and go and see some of their productions.</p>
<p>Some of this may have been said already, but listen to as many Broadway cast recordings as you can, expand your knowledge. Start taking voice lessons if you haven’t already. Create the foundation for good relationships with your arts teachers as they will be writing you recommendations in a few years! But don’t get overly concerned about too many things yet, make sure you enjoy your freshman year!</p>
<p>Audition, Audition, Audition…
Training and preparation for auditions are key as everyone suggests. But the audition process is stressful and daunting to kids who haven’t had much experience beyond their high school show auditions.
Look for opportunities to audition locally. The experience of singing/dancing and acting in front of casting folks helps to strengthen young actors. </p>
<p>But mostly, relax and have fun. Get comfortable putting your best out there.
Have fun choosing material, working on the material and most of all have fun performing in front of your auditors…</p>
<p>I agree with mamalu. My D had been through numerous auditions over the years for community theatre. The more she auditioned, the better she handled the stress - notice I didn’t say the easier it became! </p>
<p>But one of the most helpful things she did was she had a couple private sessions with a french horn player about how to audition. We are good friends with the principal horn player for a major city’s opera and ballet. He is a Juilliard grad and the winner of many competitions, so he knows what he’s talking about. He did two sessions with my D teaching her about preparing mentally and physically; about breathing exercises to get nerves under control. And he had her do a mock audition for him. He also suggested she do mock auditions for friends which she did. This really helped her feel prepared.</p>