Basics.......in and out

I know this many seem rudimentary, and perhaps for some of you, it in fact is, but.....
Do review your entrance (I mean into the room, not musically), your intros, and your exit.
I know it seems a cliche, but it is in fact true, that we as adjudicators and potential employers start judging you the second you walk into the room.

So, walk with confidence, showing who you are. When you speak, speak clearly. When you introduce your aria, make sure you can pronounce the title and the composer's name correctly (I know that really sounds rudimentary, but you would be surprised how often this is not done well!). When you have completed your audition, thank your panel, and walk out with the same confidence that you walked in with, no matter how you think you just did.

These small things can have a BIG impact on how your audition is received.

Extra!! Extra!!

We are about to start the second day of our Studio Artist Auditions, and something has come up that I don't think I've discussed before here.
Our auditions call for two contrasting arias. In a couple of instances, I have been interested in hearing something else - in a few cases, the auditionee brought extra rep, and in other cases, the auditionee didn't. Let me first say that it is no way a negative for the people who didn't have extra rep with them - I asked for two, and that is all that is required.
My point is really that if you have extra audition repertoire ready, it will never hurt to take it along too, just in case someone like me, goes and asks if you have something extra - whether or not that particular audition calls for it.

Susannah, Carlisle Floyd, and taking risks

We open Susannah tomorrow, and it has been a real joy having Carlisle Floyd here for production week. Apropos to auditioning, we have a great cast, who sing and act equally well, but perhaps the thing that strikes me the most about this cast that all singers preparing to auditon should take note of is - RISK TAKING!
By this I mean, within the context of the right blocking and respecting what your colleagues are doing on stage, these singing actors are exploring character by trying different inflection, body language, vocal color, etc.
To parapahrase Olin Blitch in the opera, when it comes to auditioning, and taking risks - showing who you are, and who the character is - tonight's not too soon, and tomorrow might be too late!