No lead sheets are not okay in a MT audition
The easier you make things for the accompanist the better they will play for you:)
You can use little post-it colored arrows to put on your sheet music to help with cuts. UMIch for instance used to say no sheet protectors specifically- you can now buy anti glare ones so use those as well. Tape pages back to back (staples are a no no as they can cut).
Another tip is so make sure they can turn the pages easier by folding the bottom right corner up a bit. Have your first page of your music on the left side of your binder and the second page on the right to avoid a page turn at the top of your song (hope this makes sense).
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Yes, thanks so much for this advice @dramamama2424
I have not found but two songs (so far) that I cannot locate music for. If you will DM me the song, composer, artist, etc I am happy to look for it.
In terms of preparing for using an accompanist, @rickle1 is correct. Not only should the music be marked up correct (including tempo. any instructions (slower, faster, tempo change, wait for…, etc.) but take a few moments to speak to the accompanist in a quiet way prior to your audition to explain anything they need to know. I suggest tapping out the tempo and showing them how the song starts. If you are using a “bell tone” start, explain that as well. You cannot spend 2 min doing this but it is very expected to spend 20 seconds or so to communicate.
In order to make things EASY, I have my students tape their songs and fold like an accordion so they will unfold without having to turn pages (unless you have 5+ pages…then that will make it harder, not easier). But if it is 2-4 pages, this works well. I also have them organize all their cuts by length (16-bar, 32-bar, full song), so cuts for each do not have to appear on one piece of sheet music. I also have them list in the front all of the cuts (because some songs may not have a 16-bar cut, for example…some songs just don’t work for 16 bars) by length. And use dividers to clearly separate and organize the music. Make sure it is a binder or notebook that can lay flat on the piano.
Before Unifieds, I get an accompanist (usually from the local college) who has never seen the music before to work with them and do a run-through. They communicate with them and explain and after we are done, the accompanist will give them suggestions for mark-up or communicating better.
Most importantly – do not include ANYTHING in your book you are not prepared to sing. Not something you did three years ago that you haven’t looked at since. They are not looking for volume. Bare minimum, you should have 2-3 golden age (uptempo and ballad), 2-3 contemporary (uptempo and ballad) and at least 1 pop/rock song NOT from a musical (it used to be ok, but lately I have heard they are looking for songs that have not been used in a musical previously). Likely music from jukebox musicals would be exempt from that. One of my students had a French aria stuck in the back of her book in the pocket (left over from a voice lesson). In her Otterbein audition, one of the adjudicators was flipping through the golden age/contemp sections and spotted it. She handed it to the accompanist and asked my student if she would sing it – that it was one of her favorite classical pieces. The student was taken aback but completely prepared to do it. She figured they would stop her after 30 seconds or so, but they let her sing the entire song!!
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So much terrific info @onette. Thank you!
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My S went through the virtual process for Acting for Class of 2025, no dance. His acting coach were advising her MT students, if at all possible, clear a space of all or most furniture, or shove furniture to one end of the room, to create an ample space for dance audition. After, going through this Virtual Audition process, these performing arts students come out more determined than ever! Best of Luck to your daughter. Even though it seems overwhelming, once the process starts, enjoy it, stay focused and have fun!
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S said some of his peers are cancelling unifieds and scheduling virtual auditions. There could be many reasons for this: covid fears, assumptions unifieds will get cancelled anyway, some thoughts it’s better to get in virtual auditions now rather then after unifieds are cancelled later?
For our part we were super looking forward to non-zoom auditions but feel like the inevitable is closing in.
Anyone else cancelling unifieds in advance?
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It’ll be a big disappointment if that could happen 
D n friends r all set for Chicago unified, together with Juilliard, Pace, …
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I know Texas State pulled out of Unifieds because students must wear a mask and they want to be able to see the performers faces. My D has 2 schools at Chicago Unifieds and we are watching carefully to see if they cancel and go virtual. I think my D likes the virtual option but we will see. It is a crazy time.
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Several of my kid’s schools have gone 100% virtual, so at some point we’re going to have to make the calculation of whether or not it is worth it ($, risk of getting sick, time away) to make the trip for a few schools.
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Yeah it’s a pretty interesting decision to either go zoom and be able to see the face of the kid who is acting/singing or do it in person and get the whole in-person thing but with the face covered.
For my S I think it’s an easy choice since the more zoom he did over the past couple of years the less he enjoyed it. Of course his preferences aren’t the only thing that will contribute to this decision!
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Another consideration would be if they prescreened at the school then they already have videos of their face and the in person audition, if masked, would be okay (my ds was accepted at a school where this was case). If not prescreened and they don’t have videos of your child maybe zoom is the way to go? Just another thought:)
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So should we be distracted by this nonsense. My S21 was not at all amused
Probs beside your point but was he auditioning for the grad school? He mentions in a video doing an accent and choosing material late in the game so yeah I guess it makes a mockery a little of the whole process for our kids but on the other hand with a julliard audition on this Saturday it kind of lightens the mood a bit so that could be an advantage? I’m conflicted.
He says BFA. It is hard to tell from the whole thing if it is a joke or not but he makes it out like he is serious. The thing that is so disturbing is the huge outcry by his followers spamming Julliard on Yelp and other places that they should accept him.
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But it didn’t make any difference with Juilliard, it’s not like they decided to let him in, so basically it’s just a whole lot of noise that I’d think would die down quickly when the next stupid viral story gets big? My two cents 
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Point Park just went virtual 10 minutes ago for those who haven’t seen it yet.
Hopefully!
@superhumangirls71 - just wanted to say I love your username 
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same for Juilliard, virtual 
Does anyone know when Marymount Manhattan results will be released? I “auditioned” through the digital portfolio back in the fall
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