<p>Senior daughter competed and placed second and is going to Chicago. I think it was a great experience as she got to audition for the faculty of one of her top schools. That and she received their comments at the end of the competition that day. She found that helpful - particularly since two of the songs she sang she will be using for auditions in January and March! And she is most defintely feeling the soprano pinch - she is an emerging spinto.</p>
<p>My daughter's a spinto also. We've been having discussions with my daughter's voice teacher and choral director about what the final outcome of a college audition depends upon. Let's say she nails the actual vocal audition, but does so-so on the piano placement and theory test. Another girl nails the vocal, piano and theory. They only have one slot left. Do you think the theory and piano (or interview, if available) will tip the scales? Or, will they look at experience, achievement, SAT, GPA? What gives the advantage for two equal singers when there's only one slot to fill?</p>
<p>I do not think you can simplify the process to that extent. Even within the same fach, there are likely to be at least minor differences between any two voices. The advantage would go along the lines of the needs of the school (based on who will be graduating and what roles need to be filled in upcoming productions), how the faculty evaluate the minor differences in the voices and their educated guesses as to the future potential of the voice and how teachable the student might be. Experience, achievement (both musical and scholastic) and the interview can all play into those decisions, depending on what an individual teacher tends to value and look for in their students.</p>
<p>Forgive me for chiming in on this....but no voice faculty will make a prediction about roles for an incoming freshman voice, and there is no telling in which Fach an 17 or 18 year old singer will eventually sing. Teaching a young singer is a voyage of discovery, hopefully not one of repair and caution, and there is no telling how the voice will evolve and mature. When your young singers make application, they really should not, must not, refer to themselves as "spinto" voices.....a voice faculty is more likely to be concerned that the singer is pushing or being pushed vocally than to eagerly admit them. A young singer should present repertory in a range which suits and is within his/her capabilities technically and dramatically, and leave the defining of voice type as TBA.....describing oneself as a generic soprano, mezzo-soprano, or even "female protagonist" is NEVER inappropriate. FWIW and IMHO</p>
<p>Lorelei,
Thank you for your advice! As a non-singer, I appreciate all the knowledge that anyone can share. My daughter lists herself as a soprano on everything - and not more defined that that.</p>
<p>Thank you again for your insight.</p>