I have an audition coming up that I'm really nervous for. I suppose it's not a big deal in the long run- just a college drama club thing... but since it's the only chance I've had (and will have) to perform for several months, this opporunity is like gold to me.

We've chosen a bunch of different songs for out cabaret show and we can choose one of them to audition with and then we'll be called if the directors of other pieces want to see us. To me, this makes no sense because some of the pieces are very different, and just because I can't sing "Rent" doesn't mean I can't sing "Wicked". But I digress.

The main thing is, I have chosen the song Notice Me, Horton (from Seussical. off the list for several reasons: a) it works really well with my vocal range, b) it's my "style" of singing, and c) it's the part I want the most. However, just starting college means that I have no voice teacher, unlike the last four years. I am terrified to go into an audition basically singing cold. I'm practicing the song as much as I can, but I don't feel confident that I'm working on it correctly. Any tips on singing basically cold?

Hey - Just read your post and thought I might be able to help! I have an BA in Choral music and a Masters in Vocal Performance, and 25 years teaching voice, directing church and kids' choirs and musical theater, so I'll give you my two cents! I haven't taken voice for 20 years, so that's my bad, but I think a few things might help.


1. Make sure you have a good accompanist practice with you or make you a tape so you are not crouched over the piano, etc.

2. Stand in front of a mirror and watch yourself sing the piece. If you have trouble or lack confidence when singing for yourself, the audition might not go as well as you are hoping it will.

3. Warm your voice up for 10 - 15 minutes before you try to sing. I have only recently begun warming up my students for a longer period of time. I use the exercise called "The Buzzy Lip" that my teacher in grad school taught me. She said that if I had only 5 minutes to warm up, it would seem that I had sung for 30, and she is right! It's the exercise where you mimic a motor boat. You must have a very relaxed face, jaw, lips and much air must be available or it won't work. I have the kids do this exercise while singing the 5, 9, 5, 5, scale pattern. If you have studied for four years before college you probably already know what it is. It works wonders!

Without having heard you or seen you perform, I can't think of much else to say, but if you are on youtube or something I would be glad to try to help! My 20 year old son is in Suessical this week-end at his college, doing the part of Yurtle. Break a leg!!!

Thanks so much for your advice- I have heard of the "motor boat" warm up (we do it in Voice and Speech class, and my teacher loves to tell us how much it helps.)

I am, indeed, on YouTube. Here are a few (lower-quality) clips. (I think the sound is okay, just the vid is bad quality):

Folk song
Someone's Else's Story

A capella It Might As Well Be Spring

I didn't realise how nasal I am in some of those... I like to think I've improved that..

Hey!

I listened to several of the pieces you have on youtube and I hear a nice, sweet voice. Your phrases are sustained as well. Be sure that you always breathe deeply, and that it is for the most part a silent breath, not an audible, shallow one. If I were your teacher I would ask you to do two things to start.

1. Drop the jaw and warm-up your tone. I think you might have a more mature sound if you think vertically rather than horizontally.

2. Be sure not to adopt someone else's style and tone. You have a bigger, nicer voice than you are allowing yourself to have. I am not a lover of many current musical theater female voices. I know many of the roles are done by people with sometimes (Not Always)!! whiny sounding voices. But I love Kristin Chenoweth, and others think she has a whiny sound. Perhaps it is a great deal personal preference, but she can sing Glitter and Be Gay like nobody else and then turn around and sing a show tune with the same ease, all the time retaining her own style.

I always encourage my students to be themselves, turn off the CD and learn it their way. Well, we don't do show tunes anyway. It's strictly classical with an occasional 40's tune thrown in if they practice the other!! :0

I listened to Marmalade too. Is that also your family. I thought it was great and probably your mom's group or something.

Check out my little production company on Google if you like. My friend Vickie and I started it 10 years ago and we have 10 kids between our two families, so we called it Crying Baby Productions! We just finished My Fair Lady and my hubby and all our 4 kids were in it. There are pictures from several shows. My son is getting up a myspace page with some original tunes on it. When it is up maybe you can pass it along to friends. The music is great and very creative. Sorry I go on and on, but I LOVE to talk music and theater. Remember - be your self and drop that jaw. I am guessing you are 18 or so. you could sound like 22 if you would warm the sound. You don't ever need to push. Just round.

Good Luck!

Thanks again foryour advice!

My voice teacher is always telling me to sing vertically... and I am a big copier because I can't read music (I'm trying to learn), so I listen to learn instead of reading it and hearing it in my own voice first. This is why folk songs sound much more me because I've never heard anyone sing them.

Isn't Marmalade great? That's actually my voice teacher's singing group- they perform at lots of different eventds around our area (that video was taken at my vocal recital).

I will defintely check out your stuff. And wow, you got my age exactly right (usually people think I'm younger.)

Thanks again for your help!

We--Hey -
I didn't know you were studying with somebody or I would not give advice so freely! Sorry! Anyway, I figured you were listening to most things. That can be a real detriment to your progress, but I know it's hard when you don't read music. Hang in there and listen to better role models, perhaps. My best to Marmalade! I wish we had videos of performances on line. We don't. Just pictures. I need to work on that! Good luck singing today! I teach my kids school here at home and then I teach at our arts center for 3 hours!! Whew!!

I acutally don't have a voice teacher righgt now, since I just started college, so you're good!