Shiny Nickel Music Blog

The new year is typically a busy time for shows & theaters to hold auditions.  There are a few simple tips that may help in preparing for these stressful “interviews” to ensure that your perform at your best.

1. Know what they are looking for.   Do your research and prepare before you get to the audition.  What type of show is it and what style of music do they want to hear?  Read the breakdowns carefully, and when in doubt, seek an audition coach.  Also, speak with your colleagues to get an idea of what others are preparing. 
2. Bring professional materials.  Make sure your picture, résumé, and sheet music are up to par.  The casting director is looking to hire a professional, so your materials should reflect that.  Concise, neat & legible materials are important.  Remember, there may be several hundred people auditioning, so you want to avoid any unnecessary distractions by making your information easy to read & handle.  Be sure to bring several extra copies with you.
3. Have several versions of your music prepared.  Bring both a 16 & 32-bar version of your music, transposed into the key most appropriate for your voice.  Professionally-copied music won’t get you the job, but may prevent any confusion that could cost you the job.
4. Practice auditioning.  In addition to preparing your audition material (song or monologue), rehearse the audition itself by doing a complete run-through of the audition the day before.  Try having a friend act as the producer at the table.  Practice every aspect of the audition, from coming into the room and introducing yourself, to how you will leave when you are finished.  
5. Get a good night’s sleep.  Seems obvious, but is important for your body to be rested in order to do your best.  Take some extra time the night before to organize all your materials, clothes & shoes you may need so you will have a calm morning with plenty of time to focus on what you want to accomplish at the audition that day.  Be sure to eat a wholesome breakfast– but keep it similar to your normal breakfast meal to avoid any problems!
6. Get there early.  This is your insurance.  Always give yourself extra time– you may not need it, but occasionally things happen and the subway gets delayed.  Those extra minutes will help keep you calm.  In New York City,  my rule of thumb is to double the normal commute time. 
7. Visualize success.  Focus on a positive outcome in the audition– visualize yourself doing well and avoid the negative thoughts that being nervous can unleash.  
8. Be ready for anything.  Have a plan “B”– another song, a quick joke, a different monologue.  If they ask for something else, have a few tricks up your sleeve ready to go.  Make sure this is something that you have prepared in advance.
9. Be friendly & try to have fun.  Remember, that the producers are hiring individuals.  Show off your personality and let them see how much you enjoy performing.  You have to bring the talent and preparation, but in the end they are really looking for someone who can do the part, and who they will enjoy working with.
10. Do a post-mortem.  After the audition, analyze what went well and areas you can improve next time.  Also remember that you will not win every audition– stay focused on your long-term career goals.  You will be successful if you can walk away from every audition knowing that you performed at your best.

Break a leg in your auditions this year!  As always, please feel free to give me a call at (888) 416-9274 if I can be of any assistance with music transpositions or arrangements.  

Chris