University vocal audition.?

Question

I need to choose three contrasting pieces for a vocal audition for university, as well as three contrasting clarinet pieces for the same purpose. Any suggestions should help. I am Canadian, and therefore my audition pieces should be recognized by the Canadian Conservatory of Music. Thanks a lot!

I forgot to mention: I'm not auditioning this year, but next year. I am a soprano, but I've got a range of middle line D in bass clef up to high G fourth leger line above treble clef. If this helps at all...thanks!

Answer 1

So some general rules about this is that none of them should be pop or broadway songs- they probably all need to be classical of some sort. If you wanted them to be the strongest, it would be nice to have one in English, one in German, and one in Italian- but I would think that you could slide by if you had two english songs- but really at least one needs to be in a foreign language.

The easiest to find is a good italian song because Italians had a huge period where they just wrote beautiful- but not horribly difficult to sing, songs- we call them Neapolitan songs- and you can find them in any key for any voice range- the people auditioning you will most likely know everyone of them by memory- they're standards for music.

For an english song- get a book by John Jacob Niles- of american folk songs- I think for this you can get it in a variety of keys. This is contrast the Italian great, and these are also very respected audition pieces.

Now for the third, you have two options- go the english route- and if you do, choose something very old, like a popular song from the 1920s, or an old broadway piece from the 1950s- Nothing from a modern broadway show like Les Mis or Phantom, and especially no rent. This will be acceptable- especially if you are short on time and help to really learn the other two. What's better is to learn a German song- and here you have a lot of options- depending on your range- you can sing some arias from Mozart's magic flute- there are some good bass arias- songs by schubert- which are in every key- or songs by schumann- both are great choices- or there are tons of Solo/Aria books for basses or tenors that will have plenty of pieces to choose from. French is also an option- but if you don't speak it naturally- this wouldn't be the time to learn because it's much more involved and unnecessary.
Good luck

Answer 2

One thing to note is that a song doesn't need to be "recognized" by a particular university. Though most music school facutly know a great deal of songs, if you choose a song by an obscure composer that they haven't heard, they will not hold it against you. They're listening to hear your technique when you sing/play, not if you're singing Caro Mio Ben as well as the person who went before you.

Another question: is "contrasting pieces" what the audition requirements are from the University, or is this something that someone just suggested to you? When I was looking at schools to attend, almost all of them (for vocalists) mentioned how many songs, and particular languages or time periods they wanted. (I had to choose from French, German and Italian.)

That being said, Italian would be the easiest to start with. Do you have any songs in your repertoire? If so, it may behoove you to choose one of those aand work to polish it up. For some reason I thought I saw that your audition isn't for a year, so that gives you time to choose and work on something else, of course. There is a book out there called 24 Italian Art Songs & Arias of the 17th and 18th Centuries (some books have 26), and it is widely used for new singers, as it has lots of recognizable songs. You don't have to sing a 7 minute aria (and actully shouldn't) for your audition; these songs would be fine. If you must choose songs in another language, especially if you don't speak the language you choose a song from, see if someone could help you with the pronunciation - perhaps a teacher at your school who teaches that language?

Good luck!

Answer 3

in case you do not have a private instructor, i could advise asking your choir instructor at school for more suitable help! yet another opinion is continuously efficient, fantastically even as auditioning. i visit record some songs, i understand. reliable luck. overseas language Songs: -Caro Mio Ben (very everyday Italian classical piece) -Sebben Cudele -An die Laute English: -activity with reliable organization -come again, sweet Love

Answer 4

Male, Female, voice range? These are very important variables. :) Which University? I am a music student at U of Manitoba.
You should pick a baroque peice, a classical/romantic peice and one peice of mew music (20th C or better) I should think, just because the performance styles are so different.

When is your audition?