Preparation and Before the Audition:
1. Of course we have coached our arias to within an inch of their lives, so that kind of preparation is understood, but on the night before you leave for an audition, do you have a ritual for last minute preparation? Other than your music, clothing and toiletries, what do you bring with you on your check-bag?
2. Unfortunately, la voce is a delicate and fickle mistress, and due to travel, or lack of rest, or dehydration, or other un-forseeable reasons, you will inevitably wake up with a dry throat, and immediately panic. Has your teacher given you the recipe for a secret cure for the dry throat, or clogged sinuses, or other common symptoms of too much stress, or travel?
3. What clothes do you wear to the audition? How formal is too formal? How casual is too casual? What do you think of color vs. the traditional and professional black and white?
4. How soon do you arrive to the audition location?
Audition Hell- The Waiting Room:
5. Assuming that you have 15 or 20 minutes to kill before your scheduled audition, what do you do while forced to be silent in the waiting room? Do you try and make friends? Do you listen to music, if so, is it the music that you will be singing in your audition?
6. What things do you think about to calm yourself down for the audition that is about to take place?
Inside the Audition Room:
7. How do you greet the panel of judges sitting at the front of the room? Once again, how casual is too casual, how austere is too much?
8. When announcing the pieces that are being performed, what format do you prefer to use to introduce your pieces?
9. Interpretation and feeling "in the zone" are both good things, but where is the line drawn for you that turns acting and interpretation into presentation?
10. What are some techniques that you use to cope with the stress of having to sing for notable judges, such as the Merola program, or other YAPs?
The Aftermath:
11. When exiting the room, what farewell salutation do you use? How do you deal with addressing the accompanist after an audition?
12. Concerning colleagues waiting outside the door: When asked how it was, or how you did, what do you typically respond?
13. In the follow-up do you send email, card, phone call? How do you make sure that the conductor or the casting director doesn't forget about you?
There is a lot of room for discussion! I look forward to reading responses, and I am working on the answers to them right now! they should be up tomorrow!
until then,
Buona Sera
FAQ Responses: Part 1
ReplyDelete1. Most of the time, when I am preparing for a major audition, or to travel to a gig, i do all the normal things; get plenty of sleep, stay hydrated, and rest my voice as much as I can to prepare. However, the one thing that I do that may be a little strange, is I will take the hottest, longest bath that i can stand, and probably fall asleep in the tub. I find that even though my fingertips get wrinkly, the stress of the upcoming event is soothed away by the hot water. Its not a brilliant solution, just a ritual i have.
2. My former teacher tells a story of when was in undergraduate school, and his glands were swollen to the size of golf balls. He went to the ENT and the doctor asked him if he "cleaned his mouth?" He responded "yes, i use mouthwash," but the doctor cut him off and asked again, this time a little more fervently; "Do You CLEAN YOUR MOUTH?" My teacher again tried to answer, only to be interrupted again. "No, i guess i dont clean my mouth." The doctor told him about the miracle of miracles for the voice: Peroxyl. This is an over the counter oral rinse that has part hydrogen peroxide, part mouthwash. (you can, of course just gargle with straight hydrogen peroxide, but god bless you if you can stand the taste.) This is amazing stuff. I dont leave home when going to a performance without it.
Also, another really wonderful gargle that La Dottoressa gave me involves the use of Hot water, honey, apple cider vinega, kosher salt, and seseme oil. If that doesn't sound like a witch's brew, im not sure what would. However, its not as bad as it sounds. The directions are as follows.
-Cup of hot water
-2 tbs. of apple cider vinegar (or more if you can stand it)
-1 tbs. of seseme oil (or more if you can stand it)
-1 tbs. of Kosher salt (not rock salt, just kosher)
-Honey, to taste
Mix all the ingredients. I like to mix the salt and honey first, to dissolve them, and i add the oil last, because that is the most difficult to mix.
once they are mixed, use this mixture the same as you would "Listerine." It is a unique taste, but really does wonderful things for vocal health.
3. I am a traditionalist. I think that it is always appropriate to wear black and white to an audition. However, wearing "Tails, or a Long sequin dress" is not appropriate. I try to wear a black suit, but have some color in it. For guys, this is easy; we have access to many different ties. Or another option is to vary the black. I have a pair of black and grey striped pants that work well with my black jacket, and a Black and white striped tie. It is all up to interpretation, but thinking like an auditioner, i would think that it would be much more distracting for someone to walk in wearing leopard print, or highlighter colors, then it would to be a little more subdued.
4. I am the type of performer that the longer that I sit in the waiting room, the more nervous I get. That said, as much as i would like to just walk in and have perfect timing to have 1 minute to catch my breath, i try and arrive to the audition 15 minutes before my scheduled appointment. That way I can recover from the stairs that I had to climb to get to the room, and shake off the nerves from being confused about which inner-city train to take to get to the location.
FAQ Responses: Part 2
ReplyDelete5. Half of this business is about making connections and networking. The chances of you seeing the same people that are auditioning with you again are very high. I try to be amiable and friendly, while at the same time focusing and finding a calm place to relax. I usually listen to music that i am NOT singing, because if i am listening to music that I am going to sing, then it is to reassure me that I know the notes, and rhythms; which at this point is not going to help. Usually it is Chopin piano music, or a Bach cantata; something that I like, and can just act as background noise before the audition.
6. I try to imagine myself as one of the judges. They are all older now, but even the notable, famous ones started somewhere. They did the same thing that am doing now. They were terrified, they were insecure, they felt underprepared, but they kept at it and now they have position in the field. I think that they have the knowledge of how nerve wracking the audition process is, and I try and imagine that they are all cheering for me, as opposed to hoping that I crash and burn.
7. The first impression is VERY important, so I always walk in smiling, and greet the panel with a simple "hello, how are you all today?" Not really asking for their life stories, just something to get them to respond to: even though they have been sitting through hours and hours of auditions, they are still people and like to communicate. (Also, I have ulterior motives for my greeting. I speak using the same resonance that i am going to sing with, and thus am able to test the acoustics of the room to see how it is going to feel to sing in it.) I certainly feel like some sort of correspondence is necessary. If someone walks in and announces their piece and starts singing, the judges don't know whether or not this performer has communication skills, or a winning personality. If auditioning for a YAP, one could have the epitome of vocal brilliance, but if they are not a team player, and have a stunning personality to match the voice, it will reduce their chances for the coveted position in the YAP.
8. If I am singing "Una Furtiva Lagrima," from Donizetti's "L'Elisir d'Amore," I would most likely assume that the judges know the opera, composer and role that it comes from. However, its not enough (unless you are at the MET council auditions where they request the pieces based on the roles that the arias come from.) to just say the role's aria. For this aria, I would announce that "I am going to sing for you today, Una Furtiva Lagrima, from L'Elisir D'Amore." It will give them information as to the opera and the aria, but if I said "I will be singing Nemorino's Second Aria, Una Furtiva Lagrima, from Gaetano Donizetti's opera L'Elisir D'Amore," not only would I need to take a breath in the middle of the sentence, I feel like it would insult the judges intelligence, assuming that they don't know anything about the aria, or opera.
9. If you are feeling the performance, if the pain of Lucia's mad scene is actually affecting you, feel free to bask in the glory of a true performance, and give it all you have. However, if your aria is a little stilted, and you have to use stock opera-gestures, (the tenor/baritone claw, the back of the hand to the forehead, the hand reaching out for something that you can't get, etc.) I would prefer to have a more introverted audition. Still emoting, still showing the inner monologue of the character, but stay on the realistic side of the characature. I think that movement is sometimes very freeing, but be sure that your movement is in a confined area, near the piano. The judges dont want you in their face, as riveting as your "Doll's Aria" is. The bottom line for me is that if you believe that what you are doing is natural and normal, then I can give a lot of trust in decisions made by the performer, but if It seems like they are self-concious and insecure, then the grand gestures are no more than mimework.
FAQ Responses: Part 3
ReplyDelete10. They are people too. They want you to succeed as much as you do. Celebrities are great, but at the bottom of it, they have fairly normal lives as well. Regardless of whether it is Joe Schmoe, Voice teacher extrodinaire, or Placido Domingo, giving the audition, you should respect professionalism and perform the same for both.
11. Always thank the panel of judges for allowing you to sing for them, and regardless of whether you land the gig or not, you have had a valuable experience to teach you how to audition, and the judges have heard you. Also, just because you may not get THIS part, does not mean that in the future you will not be cast from them. As long as you maintain contact, you will be in the foreground of the casting minds.
12. I think that always being positive is a good thing, but humble at the same time. Remember, the person working the door is usually associated with the audition, and thus can hear and report what is happening in the waiting room, or how someone's attitude is. In the waiting room, before or after the audition, one must conduct themselves in a ever-professional manner, and always be gracious and supporting of colleagues.
13. I usually send an email thanking the company for allowing me to audition, and it usually has a link to my website, and contact information. Also, if I were performing a role in a city, i would send invitations to major casting directors (mostly in a musical theatre setting) informing them of my role. The balancing act is trying to stay present, without being oppressive. That's the game.
I cant wait to read other responses to the original questions, and reactions to my answers!
until soon,
Il Tenore
1. A few things:
ReplyDeletea) Books. It is impossible for me to survive without books, anywhere, any time. I usually bring a work of fiction, a work of philosophy or science or literature, and soeting related to the field such as a book on acting, interpretation, a musical period, style, etc.
b) My laptop and a notebook, for writing down ideas.
c) My sketchbook and art supplies, so I can sketch or draw (it helps clear my mind).
2. Unfortunately, I don't really know of anything that will get you 100% functioning, but I do know that drinking Apple Juice can get you nicely lubricated and it can be soothing for the throat. I have heard that apple juice has the same PH as the inside of your throat- this could be a myth, of course, but all I can tell you is that it seems to work pretty well for me. It is also preferable to eating fruits before singing, as pieces of fruit can get stuck in your throat and give you that horrible sensation we are very familiar with. Also, you can always bring a small humidifier with you, or buy a cheap one at your nearest Wal-Mart to keep you nice and cozy the night before the audition- if you're flying, this can help since airplanes dry you up so much!
3. I usually call ahead if I am uncertain about the dress code. I don't think this is shameful- every company has its own preferences, and you'd better find ahead of time rather than try to second-guess them.
4. I try to arrive 30 to 40 minutes ahead of time and make myself comfortable.
Audition Hell- The Waiting Room:
5. I usually don't approach other singers unless they approach me. I keep myself pretty available and make sure I have a good-natured smile, but do not press. This is because many singers prefer not to get distracted before an audition, and may become irritated with you for trying to chat them up. I usually take one of my books with me to an audition, something intellectual that will help me focus, but that will also keep my mind off what I am about to sing -- all the repertoire should have been prepared, memorized and interpreted before reaching this juncture, so listening to it or going over it unnecessarily can psyche you out a bit.
6. I always ask if they're running early or late, and adjust myself accordingly. If I have a lot of time ahead, I read. When the time for my audition approaches I put my book aside, close my eyes, breathe deeply and focus. I usually keep my first aria in mind, and the character I will be portraying, so that I have him fresh in my mind the moment I walk into the room and introduce myself. Fortunately I have never suffered from stage fright or nerves as much as some of my colleagues, so I don't need to do a lot to put myself in a good frame of mind.
Inside the Audition Room:
7. Depending on how you enter the room:
-If I enter from a wing and onto the stage, I address the judges cordially and with a big smile (usually a "Good [Time of day]!" or similar), then also smile at the accompanist and give him any special instructions for my selections that may not be marked in the score (if necessary), then announce my name and selection.
-If I enter in a way in which I have to walk by the judges, I stop and, smiling, introduce myself and greet them warmly but respectfully, then proceed to the accompanist (consultation if needed), announce my name and selection.
8. "Good Time Of Day, my name is The Radioactive Tenor. I will sing 'Fantaisie Aux Divins Mensonges' from 'Lakmé' by Leo Delibes."
9. On presentation: There are times when an acting statement is more effective than what would come to us naturally. For example, I am a very gesture-oriented person, and everything I do is underscored by gestures. When 'in the zone', this had a tendency to translate into becoming the operatic equivalent of a traffic cop with fly-away hand signals-- early in my studies someone mentioned to me that my "Ombra Mai Fu" reminded them of a Tai Chi video. This, needless to say, is not good.
ReplyDeleteTom Lindblade hit upon a very powerful truth during Vocal Arts Symposium in 2008: Almost nobody begins singing from a neutral position- straight posture, arms by the side, there always seems to be a 'pose' that we enter at one point or another, and that is where affectation begins. When Daniel Helfgott was giving his master-classes, he had to correct students many times because they suffered from the fluttering hands/arms syndrome, but the minute those students were able to incorporate that less-is-more approach, suddenly every gesture they did make was more significant.
And this is where I disagree with Mr. Lindblade on Natalie Dessay's acting approach: to me, Ms. Dessay's freneticism is the opposite of this approach - when everything you do onstage is so frenetic that it seems you are having an anxiety attack, the impact of everything is lost in the sea of overflowing gestures. There is a moment for hysteria, for example, in Lucia Di Lammermoor, but when you sing ALL of Lucia like a sort of Milla Jojovich on acid (see her 'performance' in "The Messenger" to see what I mean), you've gone too far- and lost the audience in the process.
10. I usually think to myself, "These people were once just as I am: starting out, and probably trembling before other notable greats before whom they sang. And in turn, those notable greats were once such as they themselves were. There is nothing for it but to treat this as any audition should be treated. You can't allow the politics to be more important than the music, otherwise the audition will not be a good one."
The Aftermath:
11. I usually thank the auditors for hearing me and I wish them a wonderful/good day. As I pick up my music from the accompanist I shake his/her hand and thank them effusively for playing for me. Accompanists can make or break your audition, and many singers do not give them their credit for the incredible skills they exhibit. Eventually you'll start running into the same accompanists at other auditions, and they will remember how you treated them.
12. They're usually looking for a sort of reassurance. You know how it is: when you feel nervous, you can end up painting the room behind those doors as a sort of operatic torture chamber. I usually say "I think it went (however I think it went)." If I felt the judges were attentive or kindly I mention this, too, but I felt they were hostile I don't- no need to wreck someone's nerves.
13. I usually sent a (typed) thank-you note with a card attached (I have ATROCIOUS handwriting, so I never write any notes myself.) I also send an e-mail at the same time I send a card. If they notify you by e-mail or phone that they want to talk to you, that leaves the door open for you to call them as well.