Learning From Your Mistakes

I was talking to a Star Search Casting ( www.StarSearchCasting.com) member not long ago and she was telling me about her first vocal audition. She’s a pretty good actress already, but she decided to try her hand at musical theatre upon encouragement from a friend. She picked an audition song and she practiced until she felt comfortable with the material. But on the day of her audition, she completely froze. “It was so weird,” she said. “I’ve had lots of auditions before, but during my first vocal audition, I suddenly felt completely out of my element and my nerves got the best of me.”

While she was able to get through the audition, it wasn’t her best performance. “I had a lot of trouble with the notes, and the arrangement. I wished I had picked a simpler song because many of the areas of difficulty became even harder to nail because I was so nervous. My voice began to crack, I forgot the words, and what should have been just 16 short bars, became the longest audition of my life.”

Needless to say she was very disappointed and she didn’t get the role. But that hasn’t stopped her from trying. It was a learning experience and she’s excited for her next vocal audition. I asked her, based on her experience, what advice she’d give to others embarking on their first vocal audition. Below are her answers:

• Sometimes it’s better to opt for a simple song. Especially if it’s your first vocal audition, it’s best to choose something that is easier to grasp, that you’re sure to nail than to gamble with a song that’s intricate, and could lead to mistakes that could cost you the part.

• Make sure that the song is within your vocal range, and that you sing in a key that suits your voice. You may have to experiment a bit before you feel totally comfortable.

• Choose a song that you enjoy. It’s easier to perform when you’re genuinely having fun with it.

• Make sure you sell it. Your personality is as important as your vocal skills.

• If there’s a pianist, feel free to talk briefly to him or her to discuss the tempo, or any other concerns you may have.

• If you’re bringing your music, make sure that it’s cued and ready to go.

Check out Star Search Casting for vocal auditions http://www.StarSearchCasting.com. These are some great tips, so go ahead and put them to good use!