<p>In L.A. some schools like Boco, CMU and Emerson actually had 2 days of auditions (Sunday & Monday) so we scheduled any that had Monday auditions on Monday and we did 5 on Sunday. Once she was on a roll, she wanted to keep on going. Not all of them had a dance audition, so it was very doable.</p>
<p>wct:</p>
<p>I'll be at the Hilton, along with the rest of the Unified schools. (We wanted to be there last year, but couldn't arrange it.) Thanks for asking.</p>
<p>I owe you and B. an e-mail--I'll try to get it written tomorrow.</p>
<p>doctorjohn, for unifides, is there a difference in schools that go to LA vs. San Francisco? (Is one location better than the other?) I don't know anything about it really besides the dates and locations and the several schools that go to all the loactions. Can you give me any more information? (Like how many are reasonable for one day, what to expect, etc.) Thanks! :)</p>
<p>be-a-star:</p>
<p>I don't yet have the list of schools which will be in LA and SF this year, but I do have last year's list. Here are the schools (from the Unified group) which held auditions in Los Angeles:</p>
<p>College of Santa Fe
Cornish College of the Arts
Emerson College
Ithaca College
Otterbein College
Penn State University
Roosevelt University
Southern Methodist University
The Boston Conservatory
University of Cincinnati
University of Evansville
University of Hartford
University of Miami
University of Michigan
University of Oklahoma
University of the Arts
University of Utah
Webster University</p>
<p>There were only two of these schools (Santa Fe and Oklahoma) that did not also hold auditions in San Francisco. So on that criterion, there's not a significant difference.</p>
<p>As in Chicago, however, there are schools which are not formally part of the Unified group which hold auditions in the same cities on the same days. My impression is that LA attracts more of these schools than SF does. Last year, for example, Carnegie-Mellon (CMU) held auditions in LA but not in SF. Although they haven't yet posted their dates for 2006, I have heard that they are trying to be back with us at the LAX Hilton next year.</p>
<p>As for what to expect and how many auditions you can do in a day, there has been considerable discussion about those issues on this thread and others. A number of students last year did five or more auditions in LA, with good results, as I remember. (See catsmom's post from yesterday, for example.) Most auditions are brief--10 to 20 minutes--so it's not impossible. Some schools do have an hour-long dance audition, and/or a required information session, however, and they want you to block out two hours or more. You just need to know that up front and schedule yourself carefully.</p>
<p>Hope this helps.</p>
<p>Hopefully someone who has attended the unifieds can answer this. Most auditions require 32 bar uptempo and 16 ballad. Do you tape the whole song. If so, do you reset for second song. If you do not tape whole song and just the measures, what if they want to hear more.</p>
<p>thank you,
Lexie</p>
<p>My child did not do unifieds but the NYU/Tisch audition involved taped accompaniment. She just had the pianist record the portion of the song she was singing.....though come to think of it, NYU allows the whole song or maybe two minutes per song (I'd have to look it up) and so she got to sing more than 16 bars but she left out repeats and such. In any case, no matter what they required, she had the pianist record the length she planned to sing. As far as "resetting"....she put it onto a CD so you therefore can set it to each song, unlike a cassette. With a cassette, I guess you could either have two cassettes, two sides, a pause between songs (using the counter to set it), but if you have a choice, burn it to a CD. </p>
<p>I think when they ask for 32 bars or 16 bars, they tend to keep to it (was the case at every audition my child went to) and do not then say, ok, let's hear the entire song. The kid might redo the song a different way or something but not all of a sudden be asked to sing the whole song instead of 32 bars or such. If you think that is a possibility, you could bring two CDs or tapes, one with the section lengths required and another with the entire song. With sheet music (not taped auditions), it never hurts to have along with you the entire song on top of the section you planned to use. I found that they kept to what they asked for. The additional stuff was never doing the entire song but more redoing it a different way or being asked to sing additional songs or being vocalized with scales. But it never hurts to have the entire song with you with sheet music or taped for taped auditions. However, for my kid's taped accompaniment, it truly was the length asked for, which admittedly at NYU is longer than some other schools allow. </p>
<p>With regular auditions involving sheet music, it is good to bring along additional songs beyond the two required. </p>
<p>Susan</p>
<p>Doctorjohn: Perhaps if you get a minute you can answer the question regarding taped accompaniment for unifieds. My daughter will be auditioning at the L.A. unifieds and we were wondering if she should tape her 32/16 bar or the whole song. Most colleges from our research seem to want the 32/16. Should she just pause between two and should she also tape a few extra songs. I was wondering if more songs are requested how is the recorder handled as far as finding mark.</p>
<p>Thank you for any information. I know she wants to be as prepared as possible.</p>
<p>Lexismom</p>
<p>Lexismom: Sorry for the delayed reply--I've been out of the office for a couple of weeks.</p>
<p>My first recommendation is to lay down the ballad and up-tempo in their cut versions as one track with a brief delay--perhaps around 5 seconds but no longer--on both a CD and on a tape. The pieces should be in the order the actor wants to perform them. The only rule I would suggest about the order is that actors should lead with their best work. </p>
<p>I suggest laying the two pieces as one track so that there isn't an awkward pause between the two, where we're all waiting for the next song to begin, or watching the actor run to the CD or tape player to get to the next piece. The space should be long enough for the actor and us to breathe (and for us to write down some notes) and prepare for the next song, but not so long as to kill the momentum. In no case should the actor go straight from one piece to another; it's disrespectful to both pieces of music and feels like a gimmick--"See how quickly I can switch?"--which has nothing to do with artistry. </p>
<p>I would, if I were auditioning, have full length versions of my audition songs, plus two or three others, as separate tracks on a CD and as separate tapes. This way, finding the piece the auditors wants and cuing it up correctly would never be an issue. </p>
<p>Finally, it might be worth preparing different CD's for different schools (although one could serve for many, if the requirements were the same.) The technology is so simple these days, and the media is cheap.</p>
<p>Hope this helps.</p>
<p>DoctorJohn:</p>
<p>Thank you, you have been very helpful.</p>
<p>My d plans to do 5 auditions at Chicago Unifieds. If you just request a date when you submit an audition request at each school, how do you ever make sure times don't overlap?...especially when CM says to allow 4 hours for the audition?</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>DoctorJohn: Should one be making their appointments now for unified? (I'm speaking of NYC specifically.)
I'm assuming some schools might require you have you application in first, but is that the norm? What does Otterbein do?</p>
<p>We have been visiting schools this summer for our daughter-only 3 more left to go! I believe all of the schools that we have been to so far have said that the application will be on line around Sept. 1, then you schedule the auditions. I am also worried about the scheduling of the unifieds! My D is also auditioning 4 schools in NY, and 2 on campus! They highly reccomend not to audition more than 2 schools a day. I hope they list specific days....One more question to ask at these visits!!</p>
<p>Does anyone who was there remember exactly which schools were allowing for walk in auditions at the unifieds last year for MT or acting? I know some seniors from my school did them for Hartt, Cornish and Rutgers but I don't know about the rest.</p>
<p>My D walked-in in NY unifieds for Webster and Oklahoma State (I think). There were some spots at Otterbein and some Colorado school available. Just make sure to have extra resumes and headshots available. There was a main information desk and the student assisting there was able to inform you which school had possible available openings.</p>
<p>I know you sent your message awhile ago, but I just read it and was curious: Why did you apply to Boston U. and Purchase? Do they have BFA programs? I didn't think they had a musical theater program. We are really looking for good MT programs based in a music dept. mostly in the New York area where we live. We would appreciate your thoughts!</p>
<p>BU and Purchase have excellent BFA Acting programs...</p>
<p>ilbamom asked, "My d plans to do 5 auditions at Chicago Unifieds. If you just request a date when you submit an audition request at each school, how do you ever make sure times don't overlap?...especially when CM says to allow 4 hours for the audition?" and bwdreamsmom added, "I am also worried about the scheduling of the unifieds! My D is also auditioning 4 schools in NY... They highly recommend not to audition more than 2 schools a day."</p>
<p>Although I've heard of students who've done five or six or more auditions in a day, I would think for sanity's sake that two in a morning and two in an afternoon was as much as most actors could handle. (Of course, if one of the colleges wants a 4-hour block, then that one school will take either a morning or afternoon.) As for avoiding conflicts, there's probably no easy way to prevent them in advance. I can't speak for other schools, but we will work with you. Because we schedule our auditions in 20-minute blocks, we can usually move a student earlier or later in the day. You need to call us as soon as you encounter the conflict.</p>
<p>nytheatremom asked, "Should one be making their appointments now for unified? (I'm speaking of NYC specifically.) I'm assuming some schools might require you have you application in first, but is that the norm? What does Otterbein do?"</p>
<p>Almost all schools want you to submit an application for admission at least simultaneously with a request for an audition. So as soon as you are allowed to apply for admission--and that will differ from school to school--you should also apply for an audition slot. In our case, however, we are accepting requests for auditions now. We would like students to apply for admission by January 1 (or by November 15 for the December 2 audition). There's no reason to put it off, however, since our application is available online. Review of applications for admission to the College (not to the Theatre & Dance programs) will begin October 15.</p>
<p>Let me know if any of this needs clarification.</p>
<p>I can vouch for Otterbein's flexibility in re-scheduling an audition slot when there was a conflict. My D had two very close auditions and the person handling the arrangements was very gracious and patient about changing my D's slot so that the other inflexible school's audition could be accomodated. In fact, neither of us ever had an interaction with Otterbein that was not gracious, patient and kind. It must be a great place to work/study.</p>
<p>Thanks, Dr. John. Aren't unifieds 2 or 3 days, so couldn't auditions be spread out over two or three days? Do all of us CC's have such a high "need to know"!!!</p>
<p>chrism, thanks for the kind words. We do try.</p>
<p>Yes, ilbamom, unifieds in NY are 2 days, and 3 days in Chicago, but only 1 day in San Francisco and 1 day in LA. It's a bit tougher out there. But as catsmom pointed out, lots of kids schedule several auditions and even do walk-ins in LA and SF, as most of the colleges have space on the west coast. But yes, in NY and Chicago, it would be wise to stay the extra day or two, and space out the auditions as much as you can.</p>
<p>As for your other question, I haven't encountered many parents of talented children who don't care deeply about their kids. We care about them too, or we wouldn't be doing this. So don't feel guilty about asking questions. Just remember to breathe!</p>