- Nick Coorough
Wisconsin Singers Alum
Getting to know the Singers as I transitioned into the college lifestyle was a huge benefit. They showed me not only how to be a professional class performer, but recommended courses, helped me in my current courses, and were always there to lend a helping hand. Where I was scared about joining such a professional group at the beginning of the year, I cannot imagine my life without the Singers now. Every weekend I get the chance to share my voice and my love of performing all around the state of Wisconsin, and I treasure each moment spent on stage with my friends in Wisconsin Singers. We are a family!
- Scott Praefke
Wisconsin Singers Alum
Performer: Cruise Lines and Branson, MO"Each year in the Wisconsin Singers left an invaluable impact on my life. From the beginning of rehearsals during my freshman year, I found myself being trained by professionals and surrounded by amazing talent. By the end of each year, I considered these people my family and had grown tremendously as a performer. The Wisconsin Singers was not just a group that I participated in during college. It was the foundation and most integral part of my education and performance career."
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Wisconsin Singers gives UW students the opportunity to learn about American popular song and dance in a variety of styles including pop, jazz, musical theater, rock and top 40. As a singer/dancer, we look to capitalize on your individual strengths…whether you consider yourself a talented dancer or a strong soloist, a gifted actor or enthusiastic ensemble member, Wisconsin Singers is interested in you!
How to prepare for your audition
[Download as pdf]
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How to pick a solo
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- Choose two contrasting styles: up tempo and a ballad. Try to avoid songs from the same artist or show.
- People often choose songs by their favorite artist or favorite musical. We strongly suggest that you avoid contemporary solos that are currently on the radio for the following reasons 1) the way the artist sings it will be in the ears of the judging panel and you don’t want to be compared to a singer who has a full recording studio to make them sound great! 2) chances are that others will choose the same song and you want to set yourself apart!
- So...what to choose? Find a song that you love and can relate to yet best shows your strengths. Do you have nice vibrato and can sell a ballad? Are you a great character actor and can sell the song as a “character?”
- Make sure the song fits the strongest part of your range
- Make sure that the song goes somewhere...you want to show off your dynamic range as well.
- Know your song. If it’s from a musical, learn about the musical, know where the song fits in the show, know who sings the song, and what it means.
- Beware of songs that are difficult to perform under stressful conditions and require careful coordination between pianist and singer (Sondheim and James Robert Brown are taboo).
- Avoid songs that are associated with a music legend, i.e. “New York, New York” -Liza Minnelli, “Don’t Rain on My Parade” -Barbara Streisand, “Over the Rainbow” -Judy Garland... comparisons are inevitable.
- Dare to be different. We hear a lot of standards and often the current Broadway hit is overdone. This works to your disadvantage, as you will be unavoidably compared to the guy who just sang the same song.
- We want to hear YOU sing, not your favorite performing artist or imitation.
- Give thought to how you can structure your song to last no more than 2 minutes. Out of this 2 minutes, also have picked your best 16-32 bars (measures) in case that is all that we want to hear a second time.
- Know who you are auditioning for (check out the website, audition DVD, etc). Wisconsin Singers is American Pop Music. Don’t choose hymns, classical pieces, that solo and ensemble song you won a *1 with (unless it’s musical theatre) etc.
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When you arrive
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- Arrive at least 30 minutes early. This gives you time to warm up and settle down before you audition.
- Don’t forget that the impression you make on those checking you in, measuring you for costumes, or escorting you to the warm up room is important too. We are looking for people who work well with others, who are articulate and above all, people who do not exude ego.
- There will be several people auditioning with you. Be sure that you support their efforts by listening attentively and applauding them when finished. Above all, avoid comparing yourself to anyone else auditioning. We want to hear you perform at your best.
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What to bring
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- Water bottle
- Music in a 3-ring binder, in the correct key with clearly marked cuts and transitions . Copied music is fine but it must be in a binder to make page turns easy for the accompanist.
- Extra copy of music so you can look it over while waiting
- Pen or pencil
- Two outfits: one for your solo audition, and one for dance portion, and shoes appropriate for both
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What to wear
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- First impressions are very important. Show yourself to be a person of taste, confidence, and sincerity. Come dressed as you would to a professional or college interview.
- Avoid shirts cut too low, skirts cut too high, pants that are baggy or covered with holes. Don’t wear anything restricting.
- Costumes aren’t necessary, neither are props.
- A Smile. Hook us in first, with the sheer force of your personality.
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The solo audition
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- Set up the space for your needs. Move the mic stand if you need to, set it to the appropriate height, no need to work around it or hide behind it.
- You will be asked if you want to sing your solo or vocalize first. Do what you are most comfortable with first.
- Stand confidently; feet shoulder width apart, chest open, shoulders back, head held high.
- Don’t choreograph your songs. Be real, approach your piece naturally.
- Play to a full house. Do not sing directly to the auditioners, but right over their heads.
- If you have a memory lapse up, continue if you can. If you cannot, simply ask to start over again. Take a moment to breathe and refocus, communicate to your accompanist when ready and start over. No apologies or excuses necessary.
- You may be asked questions, answer them as honestly as possible.
- Don’t ever make excuses if you are sick, or have been sick. It’s unprofessional.
- Sell it, no matter what happens. Be confident. Smile. Breathe. Try to relax. You won’t get everything you audition for, but you can learn from each experience. We want to make this as positive an experience for you as possible.
- Always say thank you to the accompanist and to your auditioners for their time. Shake hands if offered.
- When vocalizing for us, keep your vowel tall, your breath quiet, and your tone warm (with vibrato if possible).
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The movement audition
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- How to prepare
- Practice watching music videos and try to pick up a few moves after watching. Another good way to practice learning quickly is to find a dance workshop DVD (a lot of choreographers have them) and learn the dance along with them. Some of our best dancers have never had a lesson in their lives but they are good at “mimic-ing” others.
- Think about how you best learn choreography. Is it easier for you to learn your hands and then your feet or vice versa? Do you learn better by counts or words in the music? The dance captains will switch up the way they teach, so that no one is left out, but if you figure out which method is best before you even walk in the room then you are already one step ahead of us!
- Dances will be taught quickly, and then will be performed in small groups. You will not be asked to dance by yourself...there is comfort in numbers!
- When in doubt...smile, smile, smile. You don’t need to show us that you know that you made a mistake. Rather, we’d like to see how you get past it as if nothing had happened.
- What to wear
- After the vocal portion of the audition you will be allowed to change into dance clothes.
- Again, don’t wear anything low cut or something you feel like you will have to re-adjust during the audition.
- Jeans are not conducive to the type of dancing we will be teaching you.
- Wear shoes that you can dance in, i.e. jazz shoes, tennis shoes.
- DO NOT wear flip flops, or plan to dance barefoot or in socks.
- During the audition
- Don’t be afraid to ask questions about moves if you don’t understand something. We are more than happy to help you, but if you don’t ask we will be unaware of your problem.
- Try to learn the whole dance, but the beginning and end of the dance are the parts that the judging panel will remember. Make sure you nail the first 8 counts and then nail the last 8 counts.
- We are not looking necessarily for who will pick up the dance the quickest, but instead look for people who have a strong work ethic. If you don’t get all the moves, that’s OK...we will be watching to see your attitude i.e. do you give up or keep on trying?
- Once you have the moves themselves, pay attention to details. Is the person teaching you using a blade? A jazz hand? A pointed toe? An angled head? The more details you can mimic, the better!
- Try not to watch other people. We want to see how much you learn, not how good you are at watching others.
- Smile and perform! Even if you forget every single move in the song, if you keep smiling, then no one will know if you messed up or if the person next to you did.
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Callbacks
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- Within 15 minutes of your initial vocal/dance audition, you will find out if you’ve made callbacks. If you make callbacks, pick up your callback packet, go some place quiet and read through it carefully.
- Prior to your callback, be sure that you rehearse your second song and pick the best 16 measures or so from the song you sang in the first audition. Typically, this will be toward the end of the song where you can really build to a big finish!
- Be sure to hydrate and get something to eat. Callbacks tend to run several hours and you will be kept busy the entire time.
- Spend time going over the dance audition that you were taught. You will be asked to dance this again and we’ll be looking for whether or not you improve.
- Callbacks will include having you sing your second song as well as a part of the song you sang in the initial audition. We will then do partsinging to check your ear. Finally, your group will be split into two and half will work on the second dance auditions while the other half will do interviews and get measured for costumes.
- Finally, you will all get a chance to ask any questions you have about the program.
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Partsinging/ Sightreading
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- We will take time to “teach” you a 4 part song. Really listen to notes, rhythms, and how your part relates to the others. You will be given a chance to ask questions.
- Following the teaching section, we will ask you to sing in quartets. We are listening for whether or not you can hold your part independently so work to sing you part solidly but think “ensemble”...not “solo.”
- Trust yourself and don’t apologize through your face or actions.
- This section is really not that hard!
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Interview
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- We want the real you
- Be yourself. I cannot emphasize this enough! The whole point of the interview process is for the director, executive board member and the Company Manager to get to know YOU.
- Smile. It is much more advantageous if you present yourself as having a positive disposition on life.
- Answer truthfully. Give some thought to the role you think you would play as a new member..what can you offer?
- Humility is a valued character trait in this business. You don’t have to impress with what you know, but rather, who you are!
- During the audition
- RELAX!!! Take some deep breaths and share yourself with us. We are really interested to get to know you.
- Think about how you can incorporate personal strengths and successes into your answers without coming across as egotistical. It is also nice to hear about real life examples of how you achieved success by overcoming an obstacle, or how you learned from failure.
- Remember that we are not trying to put together a troupe of thirty identical personalities. Diversity is key to keeping one’s sanity when we spend so much time together. We are simply looking for individuals who know their strengths/weaknesses, take direction well, and get along with others.
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What to expect the day of your audition
[Download as pdf]
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Vocal Audition
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- When you arrive you will be greeted at the audition table outside the room and given a nametag. The person sitting at the table will take a picture of you if you don’t have a photo resume with you.
- You will then be asked to fill out some forms and read through an information packet.
- You may use the room provided for warm ups...be sure to return to the table before your audition time.
- The keyboardist will come out and collect your music, so that he/she can review your music before your actual audition.
- When the judging panel is ready, the Company Manager will come and escort a group of you in. Don’t worry you will not be alone!
- You and the rest of the auditionees will sit in chairs on the side on the room, leaving the middle area open for your vocal audition.
- A panel of judges will be sitting at a table in the front of the room. They include the Director, Company Manager, Vocal Captain, Dance Captain, Executive Board member. The sound engineer and costume designer will be in the room to assist.
- You will be called up at random to audition.
- The Director will ask you a couple of questions (what you’re singing, where you are from etc., nothing mind-boggling) so we can get to know you a little bit before you sing and hear your voice on microphone.
- You will be given the choice of what you would like to do first; either vocalize or sing your solo. Choose whatever makes you most comfortable!
- Vocalizing consists of singing up and then down 5-note scales on a vowel sound, usually ‘ah’.
- Prior to singing your solo, go over the tempo and sections your will be singing with the keyboardist. This is your audition - make sure he/she plays it the way you practiced!
- After you finish, the panel will thank you and you can go back to you
- You then sit patiently while everyone else completes the vocal part of the audition.
- After this, the group is dismissed to go change into dance clothes/shoes.
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Movement Audition
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- The whole group will re-enter the room, and have a few minutes to stretch out and warm-up on your own.
- The Dance Captains will take approximately 30-45 minutes to teach the entire group a short dance. Ask as many questions as you need, we do not want you to feel overwhelmed!
- After you learn the dance, you will be broken up into groups of 3 or 4 and asked to do the dance for the panel.
- The Dance Captains may or may not be dancing in front of you, but don’t rely on them being there. Just pick up everything you can, no one expects you to be perfect!
- After all the groups perform you can gather your things and go out into the waiting area, as the judging panel will be deliberating who has made callbacks.
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Callbacks
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- Within 15 minutes of your initial vocal/dance audition, you will find out if you’ve made callbacks. If you make callbacks, pick up your callback packet, go some place quiet and read through it carefully.
- Be sure to hydrate and get something to eat. Callbacks tend to run several hours and you will be kept busy the entire time.
- Prior to your callback, be sure that you rehearse your second song and pick the best 16 measures or so from the song you sang in the first audition. Typically, this will be toward the end of the song where you can really build to a big finish!
- Spend time going over the dance audition that you were taught. You will be asked to dance this again and we’ll be looking for whether or not you improve.
- We will call you back into the room and proceed with your second song in the same way as the vocal part the first time around; you will again be called at random. This is also the point where you will be asked to produce your best 16 measures.
- After this, the Director and Vocal Captain will take time to teach you a 4 part song.
- We will then do part-singing to check your ear, by breaking you into quartets.
- Finally, your group will be split into two; half will work on the second dance auditions while the other half will do interviews and get measured for costumes. Then the groups will switch.
- During the second dance audition, you will still be in small groups, never alone.
- You will also be asked to perform the first dance at this time.
- Then the two groups reconvene in the audition room.
- At the conclusion of the audition, you will all get a chance to ask any questions you have about the program or university.
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Call 608.263.9499 to schedule your audition or for more information
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