By Carol Kirkpatrick, author of ARIA READY, The Business of Singing
I’m not sure there is a “magic formula” for alleviating the fear factor one often experiences before and during an audition. Believe it or not, some people actually enjoy auditioning, so it doesn’t affect everyone. For those of you that it does affect in a negative way, I want to present some ideas that you might not have thought about as adding to your already anxious state.
On the day before your audition:
- Review your audition information carefully to make sure you know exactly where the audition takes place, the scheduled time of your audition and how long it will take to get there. Decide on your mode of transportation. If you are driving, leave enough time for unforeseen situations like a flat tire, excess traffic, accidents, etc. If you are in the city take a cab to the audition and public transportation on the way home. This will get you there without your having to worry less about these possible unforeseen situations and finding a parking space. And if by some chance you botch up the public transportation on the way home, it’s still saving you money. However you travel be sure to give yourself enough time to arrive and settle in, get comfortable, get a drink of water, and go to the bathroom.
- If you have decided to bring your own accompanist, make sure they have clear directions, the exact time of your audition, and a thought out travel plan as well.
- Assemble your audition folder. Make it easy for your accompanist to find each piece by placing tags with the name of each aria on the corresponding page. Make sure that none of the musical notations are missing from any of the pages. Except for your planned breath markings and any musical cuts the pages should be clean and easily read. Also check your music for the correct page order of each piece. Remove everything else. And do not put your music in plastic sleeves as this is hard for the accompanist when turning pages. Instead paste them back to back the way they appear in the score or music book as this will help the accompanist with page turns.
- Pack another complete PR packet in case those you are auditioning for don’t have one. Also, prepare a list of 5-7 arias you are prepared to sing at your audition. This list that will also be handed to those you are singing for.
On the day of the audition:
- Get up at your usual time, and follow your usual routine Keep busy and occasionally stop to mindfully practice any calming techniques that work for you throughout the day. Give yourself time to warm up vocally, eat well and get your physical body awake and ready to rock and roll. Laugh a little; lighten up. Don’t take yourself too seriously and don’t dwell on the fact that you are going to audition at some point in the day. It’s a job!
- When you and your accompanist arrive at the audition venue, if appropriate, let those that you are auditioning for know that you are there and ready to sing.
- If you need some time to focus before the audition, and perhaps run into someone that you want to speak to, simply greet them and say you will catch up with him or her later, but that you need to focus right now.
And most importantly, remember this is just a job, your job for right now. Represent who you are right now both vocally and artistically. Now go get um!!! Ciao until next time. Carol
Email Carol at Carol@ariaready.net.
Since retiring from the stage, Carol Kirkpatrick continues to be in demand as a voice teacher, clinician, and adjudicator of competitions including the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. Combining her knowledge of performance, business, and interpersonal skills, she has written the second edition of her highly regarded book, Aria Ready: The Business of Singing, a step-by-step career guide for singers and teachers of singing. Aria Ready has been used by universities, music conservatories and summer and apprentice programs throughout the world as a curriculum for teaching Ms. Kirkpatrick’s process of career development, making her “the” expert in this area. She lives in Denver, Colorado.
