<p>So, I have completed my taxes and have a moment.
I was recently at some auditions and it became very obvious to me that a lot of students do not understand what is being asked for when certain phases are offered. For example, if you are asked for "something in a more classic musical theater vain" - they want to hear a song pretty firmly rooted in the BMI school of writing for MT. If you do not know what that means - let's just say you would be pretty safe do a HIT song from a musical written before 1968 - and yes, do a hit song - if they have asked you that question - they do not want to hear an obscure song. Another example, if you are asked for a contemporary pop/rock song - they want to hear a pop or rock song at least written in this millennium - not Elvis, not country western, not the Beatles. By the way, if they ask for pop/rock, they do not want to hear something from a show (even if the show is a rock show, and definitely not "Spring Awakening").
I found these questions to come primarily after auditioners had presented two selections from contemporary MT composers. I believe they were requests made to see greater contrast in the vocal stylings of the auditioner. </p>
<p>So, what's the point. One, make sure your audition book has songs from varying time periods and varying composers - including classic and contemporary MT, but also, pop/rock from various times and some CW. Two, LISTEN to what is being asked of you....</p>
<p>mtdog knows his stuff, but as a song coach primarily for college auditions, I want to clarify that you don’t need pop/rock from various eras and CW for COLLEGE auditions. This clarification is important b/c I know that many students will want to do exactly what is instructed here. A fully prepared college audition book has:</p>
<ul>
<li>4-6 contrasting MT songs (contrasting vocally, musically, in era of composition, and in acting content).<br>
<ul>
<li>At least one pop-rock song (A few schools have shared that they will likely require one pop-rock for next year in addition to an MT song).<br></li>
<li>An art song or aria IF you have solid classical training (and of course some MT schools require these)</li>
</ul></li>
</ul>
<p>If you have time to add a few more pop-rock or a country song to your book, that’s great - but focus on the essentials first. Your professional book and your college audition book won’t be identical - and you don’t NEED a professional book yet unless you are auditioning professionally, so don’t stress about that! </p>
<p>One final tip: most schools are very kind and will help guide you with specifics when they want to hear additional material - and it’s perfectly ok to ask for clarification! For example, if you are asked, “Do you have something more contemporary?” or “More poppy?”, ask “Would you prefer contemporary MT or actual pop?” Often schools do mean contemporary MT - some schools actually don’t want to hear non-MT songs. (This is of course a big difference between college auditions and the current professional MT audition world.) As mtdog said, listen to what is asked, know the categories each song in your book falls under, but don’t think you have to guess what the auditors are thinking if you’re unsure. Remember, it’s almost always a very good thing when they ask to hear additional pieces, so they won’t be mad at your for clarifying exactly what they’re looking for.</p>
<p>Just wondering - our older son is finally graduated and doing a lot of professional auditioning with success and we now have our younger son starting the college audition process. I know the older son has been asked on occasion questions such as above - “Do you have…?” and he has actually given the folks a choice, mentioning the titles of actual songs. He has a large book and they seem to like being given the choice and definitely respond with a specific title. I don’t think this ever happened to him in college auditions. Given the time constraints of college auditions, if the question is given to our younger son - do you think the same approach is appropriate? Could he mention a few songs and let the auditors choose which they want to hear? I agree with you professionals in that they’re not trying to test the student on MT rep knowledge as much as they don’t know what your book includes and can’t just start asking for specific songs. Thanks for all of your guidance!</p>
<p>Coach C is right. The auditions I was sitting on where for students leaving college, auditioning for a series of casting directors, agents, and such. For students trying to enter college programs, the coach is right on the money.
Regarding abparent, yes, if the question is asked - then you respond with any titles of songs appropriate to the question. Finally, to reiterate, yes - it is nearly always a good sign if you are asked to do more - it means they are interested in you.</p>
<p>And if your younger son, in college auditions, CAN make his decision quickly about what to present when asked for a 3rd songs, that’s great. I write with the audition stories of all of my students from this year (but many past years too) fresh in my head, knowing how much students stress themselves about factors that really aren’t that important, and just wanting to calm those anxieties for juniors now - and frankly, I was anticipating having to repeat over and over for my new junior students, “I know what mtdog said on CC, but he was talking about professional auditions.” (Yes, CC is widely known and students and parents really trust the info here!!) But if your son - or any college auditioner - just isn’t sure which of 2 choices is better, it is ok to ask - so the process would be: I am asked for a song “like…” or “of this style” - I IMMEDIATELY know which 2 choices in my book may fit but am not sure about some specific distinction between the two songs (as in pop MT vs. actual pop) - so THEN I ask. That would be my advice based upon prepping and then debriefing with many college auditionees over many years.</p>
<p>DD recently had a professional audition (she’s 14) where, after she sang her song, they just generically asked “Do you have something else?” She had a song in her book from the show she was auditioning for, and offered that up and they wanted to hear it. Then they asked if she had a big, belty song. Which she did. Afterwards, she was a little shell-shocked, but so glad she had a good variety in her book. She did get a callback, so I guess it is a good sign to be asked for more and more songs!</p>
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