Expert: Wanda Reinholdt - 3/14/2008

Question
I have two auditions coming up.  The first one is the Sound of Music and the other is Bare.  Because they are so different I'll probably need two different songs, but I'm not sure what to sing. I'm a mezzo-soprano/alto, fifteen years old and I want to either be Liesl or Ivy if I had my choice of leads. I know some people don't consider High School Musical good audition material so would it be bad to sing Gabriels song for the BAre auditions? could you please suggest some songs that I could sing? THANK YOU IN ADVANCE!!!

Answer
Hi Mae...And thanks for writing.  

It would not be bad for you to sing Gabriel's song.  Not if it shows people your talent and range.  

The best advice I can give (since I do not know your ability nor your look nor your experience nor your style) is to choose a song that you can relate to.  Choose one that you like and that you can sing.  Choose one that pushes you a bit (challenges you) but that you know you will be able to handle.  

(Libraries have many songs for auditions.  Go and listen and choose.  They even have them categorized into sections for ranges so it should be quite easy to find mezzo or alto songs.)

Then practice in parts.  Practice first learning the tune.  Know the tune and the rhythm of the music without hesitations.  Once you know the tune, learn all the words.  Be able to say all the words by memory.  Then put them together.  Practice singing the song with the words over and over until it is easy for you to do.  Then think about what the song is about.  What kinds of actions could I use to tell the story of the song??  What does the character that I am performing want?  How can I get that?  Once you choose your actions, then put them to the song.  

Try to perform the song for someone before the audition.

Then have fun at the audition.  If you have worked hard and you are prepared, it will be a good experience for you.  

Does that help you?

Wanda