Response to email comment about my November NATS Music Theater Student Auditions post

Posted 1 month, 1 week ago at 9:02 pm. 2 comments

I received an email this past week with a concerned response to my November blog posting “Judging NATS Music Theater Student Auditions.” We in Arizona are preparing for the “classical” Student Auditions this week, and I suppose this is partially why I received this email at this moment, and not any earlier.

In the email, a colleague who works tirelessly for our local NATS, is instrumental in the organization of our NATS Student Auditions (Music Theater and classical) for the past many years, and for whom I have the utmost respect, brought several concerns to light.  This teacher does not read blogs, but my posting was brought to the teacher’s attention by “a concerned colleague.”

I felt that, instead of responding directly to the email (although I will send this posting to my colleague via email), I needed to respond via my blog.  Apparently the blog is the cause of this concern.  PLEASE, if you have any issues with what I say here, there is a reason that I post in public – I would love to have a dialogue among my colleagues and provoke discussion so that we all become aware of each others’ thoughts and can grow and improve as teachers.

1.  The point was made that the Student Auditions are for educational purposes.  I completely agree with this.  I frequently have a students “audition” who has no expectation of (nor talent for) a professional career.  Many of my students take lessons so as to be stronger members of their choir.  The process of preparation of multiple pieces and presenting them in front of others for comments is invaluable, no matter their personal level of singing.  Awards are never expected (although often hoped for), even from the most talented of my students.

I try not to ever judge the efforts of young and inexperienced performers harshly.  I do, always, judge critically.  I have heard some amazing singers while adjudicating NATS here in Arizona.  Last year (2008) at the Music Theater auditions, I was in TEARS at the potential I heard in one of the young voices.  Neither the voice nor the performance was perfect, but the possibility that I heard was extraordinarily moving.

I know that I frequently give students lower scores than those of my colleagues, but I am trying to judge on the spectrum of possibilities.  I am doing students a disservice if I give scores that I feel may be easily surpassed by another singer.  I believe, in the history of my judging, I have rarely given above a 95 (95-100 is listed as exceptional).  I reserve these scores for those I feel have a true possibility of having a professional career.  This doesn’t mean that the students I hear aren’t competent, but that I don’t hear that they have that extra “edge” of knowledge/preparation/talent that I believe will enable them to have a successful career.

I have heard that many other judges were very pleased with performances that they heard, including during the winners’ recital.  All I know is that in 2008 there were several students who excited me; I was even moved to tears.  This year, the standard was high, but from the performances THAT day (which is all we can ever judge on – any audition is taken in the moment and those who are hiring neither know nor care about the circumstances around the performance, they only care about the moment), I was not inspired this time around.  I cannot judge year over year, I can only state what I noticed this year.

2.  When the student is singing the notes on the page, with seemingly little attention to character, I am bored.  As Franc d’Ambrosio has said in coachings, the only wrong choice is not making one.  It is the TEACHER’S job to educate the student on the art of taking time for breathing, on learning how to make choices and successfully execute them in a vocally healthy manner.  If the student displays no understanding of any of this, then it is the teacher who has failed.  We cannot expect our students to know what to do if we haven’t taught them.  At times, the students don’t do what we have asked – they haven’t reached the technical ability to imbue their singing with emotion, they don’t understand what we’re asking of them, they have an unexpected reaction to their nerves.  The end result is that sometimes they don’t perform up to teacher expectation.  As a judge, I can only evaluate what I see.  It is our job as teachers to inform the students as to what professional expectations ARE and to try to bring them up to the level that will be expected of them, were they to enter the broadways arena.  Understandably, very few of the singers we teach will ever essay the professional world, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t expose them to the standards of that world.  THIS is why most of my scores given are in the high 80’s (85-90, very good).  I believe the scores above 90 should be reserved for those with the potential of a career.

When I hear a winner, I expect them to demonstrate the potential for a career.  Again, as an audience member, I neither know nor “care” about what the circumstances behind their performance are.  All I care about is whether or not I am entertained or if I hear a lot of potential.  This year, I was not entertained exceptionally.  I heard some potential, but, specifically, one student with whom I was greatly impressed in 2008 did not show the improvement I would have hoped from an additional year of study.  I still believe in their potential, but…. Also, yes, my criteria for entertainment are very high.  I must be distracted from my analytical “teacher mode” and live in the moment.  You do NOT have to be perfect to draw me in, but you must be completely committed – in both Music Theater and classical performance.

3.  A student need NOT receive an award to demonstrate preparedness.  Preparedness, to me, means a CONSISTENCY of technique between the two pieces presented.  If there is a huge distinction between the two pieces, then I feel the students are ill-prepared.  I don’t expect my students to win awards.  I do expect them to be consistent and present a prepared performance.  This year, my students won awards.  Whenever that happens, I am extremely excited.  But, I am always extremely proud of my students, no matter the results.  Awards are icing on the cake.  The preparation and preparation are the point of the auditions.

4.  Each year, my students receive constructive criticism from their judges.  We always go over these comments in lessons and that is the point of doing these auditions: receiving written comments from other voice teachers so they get perspective and can evaluate whether other teachers believe they are performing on par with other students in their level.  It is also a great chance for me to learn if other teachers are hearing anything different in my students than I am.  I always welcome the comments of my colleagues and they are given due consideration.

5.  If any of my colleagues are reading this, PLEASE comment on this blog.  I welcome open discussion and look forward to learning from others’ opinions.  I value the thoughts of my colleagues, otherwise I wouldn’t have my students take the time, effort, and expense of preparing for the student auditions.

Back to main blog page