By Carol Kirkpatrick, author of ARIA READY, The Business of Singing
Watch your thoughts; they lead to attitudes. Watch your attitudes, they lead to words. Watch your words; they lead to actions. Watch your actions; they lead to habits. Watch your habits; they form your character. Watch your character; it determines your destiny. Unknown
When it comes time to audition, you better have your ducks in a row. And you better understand what those ducks are.
I am almost always amazed and surprised when I adjudicate to find a performer that seems fearful or not sure of what they are going to do or how they are going to do it. Sure there are a lot of differing aspects one has to be mindful of while doing this job, but most of that kind of work should have already been done before you got to this particular point. So what I want to do is go back to ground zero and review how best to take advantage of every opportunity that presents itself as you move forward and gain confidence by using your tools and skills to gain experience. Let’s start with a few of the big rules I’m sure everyone already knows but bear repeating.
- Always start your audition with the one piece you know so well someone could wake you up at 3 am and you could jump out of bed and sing the heck out of it. This helps put you at ease and releases some of that nervous energy because you don’t have to think about making it happen.
- Bring a complete and updated PR kit with you and ask when presenting your audition list to those listening, if they would like to have it.
- Don’t bring water on stage or in the room in which you are auditioning. If you need a drink between pieces, ask to be excused and go out of the room to your water bottle.
- Never perform sick because no one wants to hear excuses and it is most unprofessional.
- Bring your own accompanist if possible. Have clean, complete copies of your music in a binder with stickers with the names of each piece so they can be found easily.
- Dress appropriately and for success.
- And most importantly, have an agenda that you want to accomplish during this audition. Stick to focusing on and accomplishing this one thing because that is your job right now. This is how you continue to grow and get better at what you are doing. And it is just a job – so remember that.
With that out of the way, I want to talk about emotional hijacking that can often take place unannounced and step in at the most inappropriate moments. I like to call this extra internal voice I sometimes hear, “The Brat”. We all have one and it’s up to you to learn how to talk to your “Brat”, to calm its fears and concerns.
It is your responsibility to stop and listen to what he/she is saying so you understand how to best deal with the situation. Often there is some trigger, some word, some particular thought or event that sets it off. So start paying close attention so you can notice what that trigger is. Then you can help change how “The Brat” responds. Over time you might start to notice there is a particular pattern in what you are doing that sets “The Brat” off. It’s my belief that we created “The Brat” when we were little to help us remember the rules of behavior so we wouldn’t get into trouble.
However, as we got older there were outsiders who helped create the rules and we sort of pushed “The Brat” to the back of our minds and didn’t really need him/her to help anymore. And as a result, “The Brat” has found a way to get through to us in a not so helpful manner. So it’s up to you to make your acquaintance once again and bring everyone up to speed on how and when you need reminding of positive points in your life. “The Brat” doesn’t need to be a distraction. The two of you can start working in tandem. “The Brat” does want to be on your side, so do the work and you will be rewarded.
These are skills, they’re not easy, nature didn’t give them to us – we have to learn them so get busy. Be in charge of your own life without excuses.
Avanti!! Now you know what I think, let me hear from you. Ciao, 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.
