<p>NOTE FROM MODERATOR: I HAVE SPLIT THIS CONVERSATION THAT WAS STARTED ON THE THREAD FOR THOSE NEW TO THE MUSICAL THEATER FORUM AS IT DOESN'T BELONG THERE AND MOVED IT HERE. CARRY ON!</p>
<p>Well here I go. My d wants to a MT major. She is a wonderful dancer, Jazz, Modern, Ballet and some Tap. She is a wonderful actor,and sings(ok). She has been choreographing her schools musicals for two years.The shows have been amazing since she has taken over(they had a paid teacher do it before her). The head of the Theater Department loves her. Are there schools that look at the whole person? Or is it all audition driven admissions?</p>
<p>Well here I go. My d wants to a MT major. She is a wonderful dancer, Jazz, Modern, Ballet and some Tap. She is a wonderful actor,and sings(ok). She has been choreographing her schools musicals for two years.The shows have been amazing since she has taken over(they had a paid teacher do it before her). The head of the Theater Department loves her. Are there schools that look at the whole person? Or is it all audition driven admissions?</p>
<p>LocoMom- congrats to you and your d. You must be very proud. In my experience the audition is very important, and is the most important factor for many schools. Some schools, like NYU wiegh academics and the audition almost equally. It sounds like your d will have very good recommendations, and that is good. Unfortunately, the competition out there is very strong. You might want to start by reading the threads at the top of the page devoted to individual schools. There will be discussions of the audition process, how many students they take and what a school is looking for. Many of these schools are taking 8- 12 kids, half of whom are boys. The schools at the top of this page are the best known for their programs, and there are many kids applying for the MT spots.</p>
<p>Look at lesser known schools too. There are some undiscovered gems out there. And it is important when considering the competition to apply to a range of schools. There are no safeties in MT.</p>
<p>There are definitely schools which look at "the whole person," but most BFA programs really do focus a great deal of weight on the audition, as another-mom-with-q said. As a rule, BFA performance programs use the "whole person" as a determinant in further narrowing the numbers of those who have given outstanding auditions. </p>
<p>I responded to your post because you seem to be expressing come concern about how your daughter's singing will impact her audition. Keep in mind that your D doesn't have to a "lovely" or "powerhouse" singer to be a great singing ACTOR - think Better Midler, or even Bernadette Peters! By choosing song repertoire that highlights her specific ACTING abilities, your D can really strengthen her SINGING audition. You can't "fool" a group of auditors into hearing great legit singing technique or a natural, healthy belt when those things are not in place - I don't know your D, of course, so I'm just kind of spinning a general "ok singing" scenario - but she sounds like she has wonderful presence, and her choreographic/directoral experience makes it likely that she can be a smart "song stylist" and present a fully-realized acting performance of songs, to show schools how much she can captivate an audience. Many schools will take a weaker (again, sorry for the choice of term, just trying to be general) singer if she really nails both her dance and acting auditions. What the auditors will listen for in that case is potential in the voice and connection to the text of the song.</p>
<p>That having been said - there is no question that many MT programs will be iffy about someone who isn't a strong singer - but again, a performer can choose her audition material to highlight strengths instead of weaknesses (vocal strengths, too) - and that combined with top ratings in acting and dance auditions can add up to admission, dependent on the makeup of the audition pool (which NO auditionee can control). Your D should focus on picking her song rep in this way, guided by a professional who can really weigh on the effectiveness of the choices in "selling" her unique abilities. Most importantly, she should keep up her voice training, because huge amounts of progress can be made in a short time with the right teacher! It's often difficult for great dancers to settle in to singing, because they are used to pulling everything up and in, and singing breath support often requires the opposite physicality - but encourage her to keep going! I have seen many, many voice students improve radically with guided, focused hard work.</p>
<p>Wow CoachC, you really read my message right...I know it must be easy to find a great voice coach in the L.A.area. She loves the woman she sees now but I don't see a great improvment in the two years she has been seeing her. My daughter got into InnerSpark a program at Cal Arts this summer. She will be dancing 6 days a week, and living on campus. Unfortantally no singing. I'll need to find someone to get her ready for the auditions in Aug. Thanks so much CoachC. for your insite</p>
<p>LocoMom - I tried to write you an e-mail, but you don't have it turned on, and my PM's stay full. You an write me an e-mail by clicking on my screen name and choosing e-mail under the pull-down menu.</p>
<p>CoachC should be listened to!</p>
<p>It sounds like you should have your daughter change singing / voice teachers and concentrate on singing over the next few months. A summer program might also help if it is not too late. OCU has a one week and a 3 week program for HS students and has great vocal training. Maybe the one week program still has openings.</p>
<p>My observation is that the singing may be more important than dance at some of the schools, and yes, I think the audition is key; however, many of them will offer acting if you don't get into MT, and often dance training can be combined with the acting in a program.</p>
<p>We got into this the opposite way from you and started singing first along with many years of acting. My son added dance late and has taken many hours of dance in recent months. Now he loves it, and that is about all he is doing lately!</p>
<p>Ericsmom, As of now I feel my D needs to apply both in MT programs and other schools that would love to have someone with all her unique talents. She is anything but ordinary. If there are any other suggestions out there for schools that will want someone like her. Thanks</p>
<p>LocoMoom-
Your D sounds like mine. My D is a dancer at heart. She loves MT and acting has done a fair amount of both, but she really wants to do MT dance. If we had to list her strengths in order they are dance on top, and acting and voice are hard to separate. She is a good to very good singer, whose strengths are holding harmony and a very big range- not things that come across easily in an audition. I think, as I have heard her in other kiddie auditions (and now adult) she does not have the vocal quality that the leads typically have.</p>
<p>I know programs look for the triple threat, but does that mean they are looking for the folks who will be leads in shows (leads can frequently get by with 'movement' rather than dance.) D really wants to be a dancer who sings very well! So my husband and I are constantly wondering do, MT programs want kids whose desire is to fill the ensemble? or are they all looking for the kids who want to the leads? (D has had leads, particularly in small ensemble shows, Charlie Brown, School house...type things) so she can do them, but in her mind the leads don't dance enough.</p>
<p>I do appreciate coachC's comments about selecting songs that show strengths, now if we could just figure out what those are for D.</p>
<p>Ahhhh - I wish I could meet both of your daughters, LocoMom and keepingcalm! :) I'd strongly suggest looking for a coach who really really really REALLY knows MT rep well, and is also a skilled coach of that rep (from both an acting and vocal perspective) - and this will probably have to be someone who is separate from their voice teachers - which is OK!!! (well, provided it doesn't become financially prohibitive). Some voice teachers may not think it IS ok because they feel finding someone else to pick and work rep is insulting to them. As a longtime teacher in many settings, both public school and private studio/conservatory, I feel strongly about being cautious of ANY teacher who is too territorial. A great teacher should be looking out for the best interests of her students, and unless that teacher has VERIFIED success helping students (more than one or two) gain admission to MT programs (MT, not voice programs - TOTALLY different animal!), then that teacher should understand the need to find someone who can augment her vocal technique work with rep work. I am so fortunate to have a great colleague with whom I share many students, an opera-trained voice teacher with MM and BFA degrees from CMU's School of Music, in addition to having a coaching partner/music director who, although he is an MT BFA, has received excellent classical training and is therefore a skilled "voice builder." This is the combo you both need for your daughters - a skilled vocal technique teacher and a skilled rep coach - and if you CAN find them in one person, fantastic!!! But even at many top collegiate programs, those roles are divided. </p>
<p>Can students do really well at MT auditions without a coach? For sure, and many do!!! But usually, those students have some type of really strong experience in their backgrounds, either training or and environment that leads them to absorb rep and song performance ideas by osmosis (like have older friends or sibiling who are training). I meet so many talented students AFTER they have gone through the entire college audition process who say, "I didn't know I needed a coach! I felt like everyone else knew so much that I didn't!" That situation is rough - again, it's not that a coach is needed, it's that a certain skill level is needed, and although many high school and extracurricular training programs provide that experience, many do not - and it has to come from somewhere - sometimes singing in church under the direction of an inspiring music director, sometimes from watching old movie musicals, etc. But if you hear or read enough stories of performers who have "made it," you realize that most of them weren't just "born" with their skill - talent, yes, but that skill was DEVELOPED somehow - and kids who are auditioning for BFA programs need to be more and more and more developed every year and competitive on a national level - in other words, being the very best in your hometown, no matter how big a city that is, is often not a good indicator of success! </p>
<p>I realize I haven't provided any concrete help - how to FIND a coach. LocoMom, since you are in LA, I'd pm or email wct from this board - I believe she teaches at the Orange County High School for the Arts, a GREAT place from what I know of it! (I apologize if I am mixing her up with someone else here!) Keepingcalm, you and I have talked and I'm still working on it for your area! :) Another good general idea is to go to professional regional productions in your area and approach performers who really strike your D afterward and ask if they coach (their bios may give some hint as to whether they do or not).</p>
<p>Hi CoachC-
Well we made it through the summer and did find a vocal teacher. She made it very clear that she is a vocal teacher, who will work on technique so her students can sing any style until they are 70 or more. So was very upfront and since my D is still young this is really what she needs now. D also likes her because as she said "she takls about things and its not just singing all the time" which makes me wonder what went on in other lessons. She really won my D over when the week she went back to ballet (after 6 weeks of no ballet and pilates, just theatre dance) she was VERY sore, even in some small muscle under her chin. Well her voice teacher showed her some exercise to relax, went through how she can hold her head correctly without straining ...</p>
<p>Aida auditions are in two weeks or so, but they haven't set the audition piece yet. The school uses standard pieces typically from the show, whcih is supposed to equalize (I guess) things. It probably makes it faster since they are only given a 16 bar section. D learned most of the music via the CD over the summer and feels sort of confident. She will have to fight the problem of being a freshman when there are few other very talented older girls who will also be vieing for Aida. So we will see.</p>
<p>But right now she is happy with her voice teacher and we can worry about a vocal coach in a year or two.</p>
<p>Please Note That I Have Moved This Conversation Started By Locomom To Its Own Thread Because It Was Started On The Thread Meant To Provide Information And Directions For Those New To The Musical Theater Forum And It Doesn't Belong There. Please Continue The Discussion Started There, Here. Enjoy....</p>
<p>My d has spent the summer working with an amazing voice coach who has worked wonders. Wow this has been a great summer. Thanks for everyones input.</p>
<p>My daughter just got accepted to Innerspark for music/voice - 2008 program. She is very excited. She received a nice scholarship. Will keep you posted on how it goes.</p>
<p>My d did Innerspark 2006 She had a ball. The California States Arts Award looks great on a college resume. She will be starting her second year at Syracuse University BFA acting and couldn't be happier. She got a main stage lead for the fall. I can't wait for opening night.</p>