Acting in Plays, Singing/audition piece

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Expert: - 11/3/2009


Question
I am 17 yrs old and auditioning for My Fair Lady, this year's high school musical. Of course, I am going for Eliza Doolittle:) Last year I auditioned (my first ever) with a sultry "Can't Help Loving that Man of Mine" and got a very good response/role from the director. (Hedy Larue - How to Succeed...) I usually sing second soprano in choirs but can sing first when my sinuses are clear. My top note is an E or F. My voice is not soft and clear like Julie Andrews- I'm better with a Broadway sound, so should I do what I'm good at or try to conform to this character?
Could you please suggest some audition pieces for me?

Thanks so much. I am so grateful to have the advice of a professional.

Virginia

Answer
Hi, Virginia –

Thank you for the question.

It’s not about your “Broadway sound” or conforming to the character. The role of Eliza Doolittle in MY FAIR LADY requires a solid High G. As a second soprano you need to be practicing up to a fully-voiced High B-flat. It doesn’t matter if your choir pieces don’t go that high. Even my mezzo-sopranos sing to at least High A, most go higher. You want know walking out the door to an audition or performance that you can sing one whole-step higher than the highest note of your prepared material.

Consider the following songs:
Falling In Love With Love – BOYS FROM SYRACUSE (In C, High G ending “with me”)
So In Love – KISS ME, KATE (F minor)
The Simple Joys Of Maidenhood – CAMELOT (In D major)
It’s A Most Unusual Day – A DATE WITH JUDY (In G major)

If you were going to a professional audition you might be asked to sing a series of scales throughout your range. Most definitely, go prepared to read and to demonstrate both a standard British and Cockney accent.

I am a professional singing teacher and vocal coach in San Francisco.  When you want to book an appointment, contact me through Craig's List. This week’s connection is:
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Best regards,
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Acting in Plays, Singing

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Sean Martinfield

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I am a professional vocal coach in San Francisco. In addition to answers from a previous web site (Askme.com - where my "tag" was "VocalCoach") I have published over 2000 responses related to vocal training - particularly as it relates to Musical Theatre and Opera. I have 24 years of experience as Personal Trainer to singers and actors in the San Francisco Bay Area. I sang professionally for 20 years and know what it means to live the life of a musician. I can determine your voice category, i.e., Tenor, Baritone, Bass, Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Alto, Alto Belter, etc., and how to broaden and strengthen your range. Need an audition song for a Broadway Musical? I will give you suggestions that are appropriate to your vocal category and to requirements specified in the audition notice. I have also created a vocal methodology, "The Belter`s Method". It will enable those in Musical Theatre to practice more efficiently because it focuses on the demands of professional performers as well as to those auditioning for school and community productions, and as University and Conservatory performing arts majors. If what you want is a better voice and more control over your career moves and choices, contact me. Also, as the Editor of SanFranciscoSentinel.com, it is my privilege to review productions at the San Francisco Opera, Ballet and Symphony, as well as Broadway National Tours booked into San Francisco's Orpheum, Golden Gate and Curran Theatres. I also review works by A.C.T (the American Conservatory Theatre) and Magic Theatre. I cover select films, tributes and retrospects, and various international film festivals – particulary those booked into The City's opulent Castro Theatre – including the LGBT Frameline Festival, International Film Festival, Silent Film Festival, Jewish Film Festival, etc. For private vocal instruction, I can be contacted through SanFranciscoSentinel.com. Look under: Seán Martinfield, Sentinel Editor and Publisher.

Experience

As a vocal coach, I work primarily with singers and actors throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. My students range from absolute beginners to working professionals, from pre-schoolers to senior citizens. The vast majority of my clients come to me through recommendation. I know how to identify any singer's vocal category, i.e., soprano, tenor, alto, baritone, etc. I know how to muscle-up every singer's vocal range and to expand it beyond conventional definitions. I have developed a vocal methodology for those who want to know how to belt, THE BELTER'S METHOD. As a singer who spent half of his career doing Bel Canto, I know that classical or Italian methodologies do not work in Standard American music. Bel Canto cannot be "adapted" to meet the needs of contemporary American music, including the demands of the Musical Theatre. There are a number of major components to my work as a vocal coach. The first is to identify the client's vocal category and to strengthen and maximize the vocal range accordingly. Then it's about teaching a reliable vocal workout that will enable the client to gain better control of their musicianship. That includes scale work to expand the vocal range and to improve placement, breath control, and diction. Then we work on material for the audition portfolio, the immediate job or assignment, a recording session, etc. My task to is to better equip singers and actors who are hoping to or relying upon their performance skills and vocal endurance to maintain a career in the Performing Arts. My clients regularly appear in cabarets and musical productions throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. Some have worked in New York and gone on National Tours. For more information, Contact me at: Broadwaybelters@yahoo.com

Education/Credentials
San Francisco State University – BA in Theatre Arts; graduate work in Theatre, Philosophy, and Comparative Reiligion. Pacific School of Religion, Berkeley – Graduate work in Ethics

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