Audition Tips, Part IV: Professionalism
We all know there is a certain way you should conduct yourself at a job interview: show up early, dress professionally, speak intelligently, and look people in the eye. If you saunter in 15 minutes late, dress like a slob, use words like "YOLO" and "LOL" in every other sentence, or check your phone for texts every thirty seconds during the interview, you *probably* won't get hired.
These basic rules of courtesy also apply when it comes to auditions. Punctuality, good manners, and a good outfit are all essential. However, the performing arts world also has its own additional set of etiquette guidelines that you must follow in order to have a successful audition. At best, ignoring these guidelines might cause you to commit a minor faux pas; at worst, it can earn you a bad reputation, which is VERY difficult to rectify later on.
These guidelines range from the seemingly trivial (like how to arrange your sheet music) to the much more obvious (how you interact with the panel, for instance).
Sheet music, as insignificant as it may seem, deserves its own category. The quality and arrangement of your sheet music can have quite an effect on the pianist's rendition of your song. Whether that effect is a positive or negative one depends on the following things:
SHEET MUSIC
Your sheet music should be a clear, legible copy in the key you plan to sing. Make sure that there are no notes cut off on the sides or bottom of the page.
It should be three-hole punched into a hardcover binder.
It should be double-sided, or taped double-sided. DO NOT STAPLE THE SHEETS TOGETHER. Pianists hate that.
Pianists also hate copies that have been marked up with a singer’s personal/technical notes. They do not want to read things in your score like, “Sing like a grizzly bear," regardless of how helpful that is for you. Keep in mind that the pianist may be sight-reading your song in the audition, and that non-essential markings can distract him/her from the actual notes on the page.
DO, however, mark in any important breath marks, tempo changes, or fermatas so that the pianist can follow your performance easily. If you will be singing only a portion of your song, label your starting and stopping places clearly.
Likewise, there are guidlines for how you should treat your pianist:
WORKING WITH PIANISTS DURING YOUR AUDITION
Have a collaborative attitude towards the pianist - don't walk in with a diva complex!
When you hand your music to the pianist, sing a couple bars of the song so that he or she can feel your tempo. Do not, however, walk the pianist through the entire song. Not only does this waste everyone's time, but it is incredibly condescending to the pianist.
If the pianist begins to play faster or slower than you would like, sing the tempo you want anyway. A good pianist will follow you. If he or she doesn’t follow you, just keep going. The panel are not concerned with how the pianist sounds - they want to hear YOU!
NEVER snap your fingers or try to conduct the pianist, even if they are not following your tempo.
And last but not least...
GENERAL BEHAVIORAL GUIDELINES
Your audition begins the moment you walk into the room, before you even sing a note or say your first line. In addition to hearing you perform, the panel are looking to see how you conduct yourself and interact with other people. Be professional and courteous at all times, and SMILE!
Be mindful of your behavior outside the audition room. If the director sees or hears you being rude to other auditionees, they may decide not to cast you, even if your performance is stellar.
NEVER make excuses to a panel. They do not want to hear how sick/tired/stressed you have been.
Do not bombard the panel with a zillion questions. Chances are they will tell you anything that you need to know. If you still have a burning question the next day, send them a polite email.
Do not hound the audition monitor. He/she is there to facilitate the audition process, not to give you the inside scoop or gossip with you.
Speaking of gossip, DON’T DO IT. Never brag about your past engagements/accomplishments, or fish for this information from other auditionees. It is rude and highly unprofessional. This could earn you a rejection at best, and a bad reputation at worst.
Always thank the panel, pianist, and audition monitor after the audition.
In general, be kind, courteous, and cheerful to everyone around you. Directors do talk to each other and are very honest when it comes to giving performer references, so give them something positive to talk about!
