On Leading Pianists

I remember Diane Lewarne once saying to singers that until you get hired by a company for an engagement, your entire musical life is essentially about auditions. If you're a singer, knowing how to work with pianists well enough so that you can get your vocal and dramatic skills across to the panel is one of the core skills that will allow you to rock the audition situation and eventually get you hired. Jenna Douglas' article on how to lead your pianist lays out the groundwork for how a singer can lead pianists with confidence in a situation where you're lucky if you even get time to talk about tempi in the audition room:

This is really a conversation about being brave. If your aria starts with a piano introduction, and it's too fast or too slow, you can either a) breathe and hope you make it, or b) change the tempo. I vote for option B. The only way you can change a tempo set by your pianist is, well, by singing at a different tempo. Sure, you might have a bar or two (hopefully less) of not-so-great ensemble, but it's absolutely preferable to singing your aria at someone else's pacing (especially since you put all that work into it).

Another bonus is that the auditioners will notice that you're taking charge of your music. They can tell the difference between ensemble problems, and a singer leading a pianist. Even if the pianist doesn't follow you at all, the auditioners will see that you know your stuff cold.

Pianists, take note of another great article from Jenna Douglas on Schmopera: How to Play for Singers.

Readers' Comments on Audition Best Practices

It seems like pianists and singers alike have a lot to say about a recent post on audition pianists. Here are a few highlights.

Anonymous writes:

Unless one has perfect sight reading skills, AND an uncanny ability to read minds, it is important to know when to say "No." Especially for obscure arias, if you don't know it/don't have the time to prepare it, let the singer to find a coach who HAS played it and can relay the sensitivity and technical execution needed. There will inevitably be a time and place in the future - with ample amounts of prep time - to revisit and accompany that particular aria in an audition. 

 Furthermore, it is important for the singer to know when "NOT" to audition. If they are not musically ready, it is a nightmare for the pianist, and the best interests of the singer is at the hands of their own anxiety. Never leave the first (or first two or three) auditions as your "trial runs" of the season. Always go in readily prepared - coaches and teachers alike are out there to help singers reach that level. Your first impression might be THE ONLY impression!

CS noted the significant change in rep between music school and performing career:

There's a strange thing about collaborative piano in a university environment: when you are in school playing for singers, you play mostly repertoire that student singers are learning. For opera, that means a lot of Mozart and light lyric soprano arias. When you transition to the professional world, you are suddenly faced with MUCH different repertoire--the larger Verdi rep, Strauss, Wagner, and tons of obscure French pieces. Since it is unlikely that you ever encountered this repertoire in school, there are only two ways to learn it: 1). Personal study: listening to recordings, sitting down with scores, running surtitles, practicing. 2). Take every gig and opportunity that comes your way, pretend you know what you are doing, do your best, and learn through experience.

CS goes on to say:

It seems selfish to use auditions as a learning opportunity at the singers' expense, but I cannot think of a better way for a young pianist to gain experience. All those little things--like when to follow a singer into a new tempo, and when to keep a steady tempo while the singer does his/her thing, with the confidence that the two of you will end up beautifully together at the end of the phrase--are things you cannot possibly learn through solitary practice. Also, I'm not doing the singers any favors by turning down the gig, as there is no guarantee that whoever they end up getting will be any better than I am.

And as far as preparation goes, preparing to play vocal auditions is a little like preparing to visit a foreign country by buying a language book the week before your trip. If you don't already know SOMETHING, it is unlikely to be useful, and even if you do already know something, its usefulness is still limited. Even, for instance, if you ask for the rep sheets ahead of time. Say you are playing 20 auditions, and each singer has 5 potential arias ready to go. Of those arias, there are 20 that you have never even heard of. There are another 20 that you are familiar with, but need to review. There are any number of singers who don't send their rep lists at all, or who send it at the last minute when you don't have time to get to it. There are conductors who ask for things that aren't on the "official" rep list, but that the singer knows and is prepared to sing. Basically, there is no way to learn all this music unless you have a Time-Turner like Hermione in the 3rd Harry Potter book.

So you go in there and do your best. When I don't know an aria, I try to be honest about it, and ask the singer for the tempo. I look through for any tempo changes I should anticipate. Then I do my best to play with as much rhythmic clarity as possible and to provide at least a harmonic framework (even if I'm not playing all the notes). It is always easier if the singer has marked cuts and tempo changes clearly. I especially like it when they mark all those little rubatos that are so common in the Verdi and bel canto rep. If you haven't played or listened to a particular aria in awhile, you might forget they are coming up and it's nice to have the reminder.

To respond to Susan Eichhorn's question "who is that pianist in the room?" the answer is: someone like me. You know all those "marvelous, exceptional and brilliant pianists out there" the ones that you wish were playing your auditions? Yeah, well those highly trained and experienced pianists would not exist today if some conductor or artistic administrator had not taken a chance and asked THEM to play auditions, back when THEY were young and just learning the repertoire. No small number of those "marvelous, exceptional and brilliant" pianists are now sitting on the other side of the audition table as conductors, giving the same opportunities and encouragement and mentoring to young pianists that they received when they were at that early stage in their careers.

Finally, an anonymous singer talks about his/her best practices:

I always bring my scores folded, marked and with all the things that I think important while studying it clearly written, and then I also ask my coach if he/she understands all the marks or would he/she put it differently… so I think my work is, generally, well done. 

When the audition times arrives we are nervous and lots of things can go wrong everything depends on that very minute that you get to show how good you are and that you are their best choice…. Ehem! No pressure at all… but we also know that a great deal depends on how the pianists plays and how he/she follows what you are doing and I think that’s what makes the difference. 

In my experience the best pianists which have helped me in an audition are the ones that follows the singer. I have played, lots of times, music that the pianist has never played or seen before but they where there trying their best to help me and even at the cost of an nice performance for them. Sorry but I really appreciate that because those 10 minutes are mine!
The worst auditions pianists that I ever have encountered where playing alone, the audition was theirs and they never looked or listened at what I was doing, tempo? Their own, cadenza (even noted)? No thanks!..

So I don’t care if the pianist who plays in my audition is the best sight reader over the entire world, if he plays alone It doesn’t work for us! The one that leaves some notes unplayed but try to help you and is there listening and changing as necessary is the good one! Sorry guys but we are musicians so make music!

A huge thank you goes to all the pianists who singers who took so much time to write such detailed insight into the art of auditioning from both sides of the piano. Your comments are valued by the entire Collaborative Piano Blog community.

On Pianists at Auditions

Having an exceptional and committed pianist is so important to the perception that a singer will bring to an audition. Yet why do so many pianists not take this kind of work seriously? Susan Eichhorn's latest take on auditioning is worth a look, especially for the care and commitment she asks for which needs to come from both singer and pianist:

If you call yourself an audition pianist then you need to know the repertoire.  Period.  You need to be an excellent not competent, sight reader.  You need a fantastic sense of time and rhythmic pocket.  You need to know how to re-organize the repertoire - what to play and what to leave out - to support that singer.  You are not auditioning - the singer is.  You need to support that singer.  They are nervous.  You need to given respect,  AND GIVE IT BACK.  Your attitude needs to be checked... 

...Singers - BE PREPARED.  It is up to you to be so prepared for that audition, that even if things de-rail you can make it work!  Again,  singers who are under-prepared will often play the blame-game.  Stop it.  Prepare!  Don't think by learning that cut the day before will allow you to nail it.  It won't.  If the first thing you do is blame the pianist and not look at your own preparation,  you need to really rethink what you are doing.  Again,  if the attitude is larger than the talent, the craft or the preparation, perhaps it's time to sit down and have a reality check.

Of course, the number of pianists who don't take audition playing seriously is often matched by the number of singers who don't do their preparation and recon work prior to auditioning. I've noticed that singers who take the time to either rehearse with me or discuss relevant cuts, marking them in their painstakingly organized scores, often sing at a higher level of preparation and artistry on audition day than the ones who haphazardly toss me messy photocopies as we walk into the room.

Singers and pianists: what are your best practices for auditions?

Aria Frequency Lists for 2010-2012

Pianists often ask me which arias the the most important ones to know in audition situations. Fortunately, the hard work and diligence of Kim Witman over the years has resulted in an invaluable resource: aria frequency lists from the Wolf Trap Opera audition tour! The most recent compilation contains the complete lists from 2010 through 2012, sorted by voice type, arias listed, first aria offered, and arias requested.

2010-12 Season Audition Tour Aria Frequency Lists

Singers: What To Put in an Audition Binder

The Young Person's Guide to the Opera Audition has an informative guide on what to put in your audition binder. Included are sections on head shots, resumes, rep sheets, audition instructions, directions, as well as the all-important sheet music:

Audition Music - The preparation of the audition music is a whole other post, but it’s good to remember to make sure it turns well in a three-hole punch binder. The easier it is for the pianist to turn the more a pianist can play and not have to worry about page turns. It’s also a good idea to put the piece you want to sing first as the first selection in the binder. You would think this is assumed, but sometimes, in the rush of getting everything ready, little things are forgotten. 

To which I would add the following:

• Arias for the current audition need to be at the front of the binder.
• Each aria needs to have its own flag for easy discovery by the pianist
• Mark in start points for each aria if it's not at the beginning.
• Mark in all cuts as obviously as possible. Use tape, blank paper, and highlighter and assume that pianists won't get it unless you're as obvious as possible.
• Mark in ritardando and accelerando points with arrows, squiggly lines, large letters, or whatever will get a pianist's attention. Rehearsal time is a luxury and you might not even get time to talk about the aria with the pianist.
• Use double-sided pages and make sure that all pages are securely in the binder.
• Don't put photocopy paper in laminated sleeve pages - they tend to reflect light in the most unfortunate way possible when the pianist is backlit. You want them to see the music, don't you?

There's an unwritten code among pianists that if a singer shows up to an audition with a completely organized binder (including marked start points, cuts, and tempo indications), it's automatically assumed that the singer will be in contention. In other words, if I see a well-organized binder, I damn well better play at my absolute best for this person.

Pianists: what are your suggestions on what to put in an audition binder? How do you like music presented? Leave a comment with your ideas.

[Update] Thanks for the great comments, everyone. It's also worth checking out the discussion on the CPB Facebook Page.

Eddie Rabin, Ninja Audition Pianist

Wednesday's Wall Street Journal features a fascinating article about Eddie Rabin, one of New York's top musical theatre audition pianists. About Eddie's skill set:

Unlike many other audition pianists, "Eddie can follow the singers wherever they go," said James Nadeau, casting director at Stiletto Entertainment, whose clients include the cruise line Holland America. "If they skip an entire bar or speed up and jump to another page of the song, he is right there with them. He can also play anything these singers put in front of him as if he has played it his entire life."

Mr. Rabin, a compact man in his 60s, can familiarize himself with 32 bars in less time than it takes a singer to clear her throat. "But," he said, "the more you play auditions the less you have to sight-read, because at this point I know 85% to 90% of the songs people bring me."

One thing about long-time audition pianists is their uncanny ability to tell within a few bars whether or not a singer will be in contention:

After almost 30 years in the business, he can tell within three bars if a performer has what it takes. "I'm sometimes tempted to say, 'Kid, you haven't got it,'" Mr. Rabin admitted. "But it's not my place. And I figure they'll find out for themselves in a few years."

Didn't Get That Role? Don't Blame the Piano Player by Joanne Kaufman

Two Full Days of Auditions

I've just finished two days of playing the Toronto auditions for Vancouver Opera's upcoming October 2011 production of West Side Story. You can see my piano setup in the Elgin Theatre rehearsal studio (w/genmaicha to go from Teaopia) at left. While I don't play much in the way of musical theatre in Toronto, it was totally fascinating to watch the audition and casting process, and getting to work with some top-notch dancers, actors, and singers in the process.

Especially interesting was playing for the dance auditions, where the dancers show up at the top of the session, learn the routine, then get placed in smaller groups for an elimination round that will determine who gets through to the singing and acting auditions afterwards. The excerpts I had to play for the dancers today were the climactic dance sequence from "Cool" in the morning (it's HARD) and the opening of the dance sequence from "America" in the afternoon. All in all, I probably played each excerpt at least 30 times through the rehearsal process and auditions.

Tomorrow it's back into the studio with some pretty serious playing stats to bully inspire my students with: 7 hours yesterday and 7.5 hours today.

Call for Musicians: American Bach Soloists Academy from July 11-23, 2011

If you're interested in spending a few weeks in San Francisco learning about historically informed performance practice, you might want to take a look at the American Bach Soloists Academy, to be held at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music from July 11-23, 2011. Be sure to check out the application materials page if you're looking to apply. From the materials, it looks like students enrolled in the program will be working with a variety of faculty, but harpsichord specialists will be interested in working with Corey Jamason.

(Thanks, Maura!)

The 2011 WTO Aria Frequency List

Every year, Kim Witman posts a list of the most frequently heard arias from the Wolf Trap Opera audition tour. While the list is not a barometer of the most strategic arias to offer in auditions (which will differ for every single singer), it has proven invaluable for pianists in being able to gauge which arias one should learn in order to develop a complete operatic repertoire. The 2011 aria frequency list boasts its own page on the WTO site, with soprano and mezzo soprano results collated so far, and tenor, bass-baritone/bass, and countertenor lists to follow shortly. Stay tuned for updates when the rest of the aria inventory comes online...

Update 11/17 10:19pm: Kim Witman sends word that aria frequency lists for all of the voice types are now online in pdf format. This should be standard reference material for every collaborative piano studio, so download and print as soon as possible!

Call for Auditions - Tapestry New Opera

Collaborative Piano Blog readers will know about my ongoing engagement with Tapestry New Opera, one of the world's leading creation and development centers for new operatic work.

As part of Tapestry's current studio season, they will be auditioning singers from October 19-21 in the Ernest Balmer Studio in Toronto's Distillery District. October 19 and 20 will be Equity days, and non-Equity singers can audition on the 21st. From the audition posting, here's the type of singer that Tapestry is looking for:

Singers interested in working with the company should have a strong interest in participating in the development and performance of new works of opera and demonstrate excellent acting skills.

Applicants should ensure that they are familiar with Tapestry’s mandate prior to applying and should keep the mandate in mind when choosing audition repertoire.

You'll need to bring two arias, one from 1950 or later. I'll be playing for the auditions on Tuesday the 19th and Thursday the 21st.

To arrange your audition, send an email to audition [at] tapestrynewopera dot com. Hope to see you there!

Best Voice Forward at Wilfred Laurier University September 11-12

Those darned voice auditions...

If you're able to get to the Kitchener-Waterloo area on the weekend of September 11 and 12 should definitely look into attending Best Voice Forward, a voice audition workshop to be given by mezzo soprano Kimberly Barber and collaborative pianist Emily Hamper.

Those interested should fill out the applicant questionnaire and send a CV/headshot to kbarber [at] wlu dot ca. The workshop's schedule looks interesting, with a combination of moderated and peer-led groups, aria coaching, and mock auditions. The cost is $95 until August 15, $150 after August 15, with auditor fees running from $25 to $50. You'll also need to fill out the registration form and return it in person, via snail mail, or fax.

Best Voice Forward: A Voice Audition Workshop at Laurier

[Ask the Readers] Best Practices for Collaborative Piano Program Auditions

A reader sent the following story about a recent audition for a graduate degree in collaborative piano:

I recently auditioned for a MM. in Collaborative Piano at a well-known American conservatory and had a somewhat surprising experience. For the audition, I was to prepare a solo work, a set of 4 songs or arias, and an instrumental sonata of my choosing. I brought my own violinist since I knew a grad student studying at the school, but requested that the school provide a singer for my audition (which they offer to do). When the singer showed up to my warm-up room 20 minutes before my audition, it became clear that she had just been asked by the collaborative piano professor to sing for my audition 15 minutes prior. This meant that she would only perform one song with me Not only had she never been coached on the music, but she didn't use the score in the audition and ended up forgetting half her words, missing pick-ups, etc.

I realize that this is a real-life situation and I deal with it everyday as a voice studio accompanist, but I assumed that the point of a collaborative piano audition was not to see if we can play "catch-up" when our partners do something unexpected. In my opinion, this is one of the simpler skills of the trade. My real surprise came when I was asked to play another song while the collaborative piano professor plunked out the vocal line next to me on the piano (our hands crossing and all). I was quite frustrated after having very conscientiously prepared for my auditions to find that it seemed like the professor did not take collaboration very seriously. I learned from other students that this was not unique to my audition, and that this professor always finds soloists at the last minute and sometimes doesn't find them at all. So, my question to you is...Is this really considered acceptable? Am I crazy to think that if the point of the audition is just to see if we can play the notes, then i shouldn't be a collaborative piano audition? Should I be prepared for this at the rest of my auditions? 

If you're a faculty member or administrator at a school of music, setting up a day of collaborative piano auditions can be an extremely complex affair, with singers and instrumentalists that need to be coordinated (and paid!) to meet a pianist and perform in the audition with little or no rehearsal time.

I certainly hope that this pianist's experience is the exception rather than the norm. It's also important to remember that the student is auditioning the school as much as the school is auditioning the applicant.

Teachers and students: what are some best practices that need to be put in place in order that a graduate-level collaborative piano audition go smoothly?

What Makes a Fabulous Audition Pianist?

The yearly audition tour at Wolf Trap Opera is underway, and Kim Witman's observations on the audition process are once again required reading for both singers and pianists. Kim's latest post on the subject looks at important things to consider when choosing and working with an audition pianist:

We realize that the audition pianist is a variable that changes from company to company, from day to day, from location to location. Safest to let go of whatever expectation you may have. Control the variables you can. The pianist is not one of them. So, best to think slightly conservatively.

If you're kind of new at this audition stuff, you don't need a lot of curves thrown at you. Bring a pianist (preferably a good one, please...) if some of your rep is non-standard. But be sure that your pianist can play your rep better than a typical company-provided pianist. I've seen too many singers undone by their own colleagues.

Your Audition Partner at the Piano

Professional Pianists vs. Cheap Pianists

Why, even in 2009, do audition organizers insist on hiring cheap pianists who don't know the rep? These lines from Susan Eichhorn Young's Is It Asking Too Much for a Decent Pianist? made me stand up and cheer:

Good and great pianists are worth EVERY PENNY they charge!!! They provide knowledge, support, understanding, musicality, sight reading skills, improv skills, and an incredible asset to both the singer auditioning and the people sitting at the table!!!

Don't just look at what something costs people - but look at what it is WORTH!!!

A good and great pianist is worth far more than what they charge for a day of auditioning. The difference between a poor pianist who doesn't play for singers or for auditions regularly or doesn't coach or know the repertoire and a great pianist is worth their weight in GOLD!!! It can make the audition day go smoothly - singers are happy and can relax and do their best work; the audition panel can sit back and really hear what the singer is capable of instead of guessing around the incompetence of a poor pianist...

But remember, singers, if there's a house pianist playing at auditions that you would rather not work with, you can always pay and bring your own, especially if you're auditioning with difficult songs or arias. Money spent on high-calibre pianists is always money well spent...

Audition Pianists: Opera vs. Musical Theatre

A huge collective cheer goes to Susan Eichhorn Young for her wonderful article The Pianist in the Audition Room. An excerpt:

First and foremost, whether you call the pianist an accompanist or a collaborative pianist, they can make or break you in an audition. I have heard in recent days of EPA calls where they have done it 'American Idol' style and singers have shown up and there are no pianists and suddenly you have to try to come up with your audition cut a cappella. A ca PALLING! Shame on you casting directors for not having enough RESPECT and RESPONSIBILITY to create again, an atmosphere to expect the best and hear the best from singers!!

My biggest pet peeve right now, is the large discrepancy in the ability of the audition pianists. I am talking now primarily in the music theatre world. And I will simply say this: money. If a producer/casting director whoever is paying the pianist to be there for day will not pay a decent wage, they will not get decent pianists. Perhaps if 'they' would recognize a fine pianist needs to be paid for their time, and PAY THEM, they would get far better auditions!! What a concept!!

On the discrepancies between the use of pianists in opera and musical theatre auditions:

In opera auditions, often a company will have the option of having a company pianist there to play, who is available and paid for by the company, or individual singers bring their own pianists, and pay them accordingly.

Perhaps if music theatre auditions started to have that option and encourage it, casting and producers would recognize the difference in the level of audition when a really good pianist is sitting at the piano and would begin to invest in that continually. Another option I think would be that singers paid the pianist directly for their time. This might eliminate the "wannabes" from the audition line if suddenly they had to invest in paying a fee to have the pianist play for them!

Update: Part 2 of Susan's article is now online, with instructions on how to treat pianists in the audition room. A big AMEN for the following:

When you finish, thank your panel for their time. Walk to the piano to collect your binder and again, MAKE EYE CONTACT and thank that pianist. If you don't know who it is, ask them for their name or for their card. Leave YOUR card on the piano. This is BUSINESS. It will also force you to SLOW DOWN and BE IN THE ROOM. You will not forget or go into automatic pilot and will remain under yourself.

This isn't rocket science. This is what we used to call "common sense" - which I realize isn't so common anymore. Treat people the way you want to be treated. Recognize the job the pianist has. If you want the skills of that pianist to support you, support them.

In the pro opera auditions that I routinely play for, most of the singers I play with already act in this manner. You simply can't succeed at that level and be rude or dismissive of anyone. Not in this economy.

Open Comment Thread: What To Tell the Pianist in Musical Theater Auditions

I recently found an interesting ExpertVillage video by Athena Reich on how to talk to an accompanist at a musical theater audition. Here it is:

A question for both pianists and singers--How does Athena's tutorial stack up against what you have experienced and recommend as best practices in auditions? Bear in mind that this video is about the musical theater audition process and not opera, which can be quite different. I'll keep mum about my opinions for the moment and write them in the comments once the discussion has started.

10 Posts in 10 Hours #5: Auditions Schmauditions

Here are a few articles from the last while on the subject of auditioning for singers:

First of all, a first person account of going through the process from an aspiring choral singer on a mission to infiltrate her favorite school of music:

Finally, my name was called and it was time to go in. I was surprised by the number of people in the room. They were a mix of grad students and professors, probably ten or eleven people in all. I brought my music over to the accompanist, realizing as I did so that it had come off the copier slightly askew and that it was hard to tell what a couple of notes were. "I hope this is readable," I apologized as I handed it to him.

Erica Hansen in the Deseret News hosted a panel of theatre experts in Here are some audition tips to get you a callback instead of a brushoff. Although the article is from the musical theatre point of view, there is still plenty of great information for classical singers as well.

Kim Witman on Wolf Trap Opera has recently written an incredible amount of information on auditions, much of it in response to reader inquiries. Articles worth a gander include Reruns Welcome, In the Audition Room, Naked Toes and Aria Advice, Opening the Screen Door, and More Aria Questions and Audition Guidelines. I owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to Kim for being the first person ever to link to the CPB in November 2005.

More audition stuff on CPB:

Audition Strategies for Singers
Am I Too Soft?
Professional-level Singing and That Certain Je ne said quoi
The 2008 Aria Frequency List

Professional-level Singing and That Certain Je ne sais quoi

Coaches who work with singers in preparation for agent, conductor, and company auditions often pursue a much more elusive goal than those who prepare singers for recitals and university auditions. I've talked to numerous coaches who have stated that they have very little idea what actually gets singers hired at the professional level. An article by Valerie Scher in the San Diego Union-Tribune looks at the casting process of Ian Campbell, artistic director of the San Diego Opera. Campbell assembles file cards that contain information on numerous singers he has heard and hired over the years, and states about what he has noticed:

You'll find lots of names that amounted to nothing. Then, there are others who really took off. Still others are singers who don't have the kind of sound I'm after but have good careers.

One benchmark that he uses in hiring:

Company directors are looking for a sound they like or that works for them in a particular group of singers, when the blend is very important.

What do you consider important traits in the singer's art that are important at the professional level, musical or otherwise? Feel free to leave comments below.

WTO Audition Comments

Kim Witman at the Wolf Trap Opera Blog has once again posted a list of unexpurgated audition comments from the WTO audition tour, all anonymous. It's worth a read of the full list, to get an idea of the honest reactions of someone on the other side of the table in the audition room.

What is also important to realize is that there is no shortage of honest criticism for a singer in a university program. However, when a singer leaves university for the profession, an entirely honest opinion in the audition room is very rare indeed. Thanks once again to Kim for posting the 2008 list.

Which Aria Will You Be Starting With?

In addition to the previously posted aria frequency list from the Wolf Trap audition tour, Kim Witman has also compiled a list of arias heard while on tour, which makes for some interesting reading, especially regarding the correspondence between what singers offer on auditions and what they actually end up singing.