7 Top Tips for Choosing Your Audition Song

When it comes to auditioning one of the biggest worries is around choosing your audition song. Picking an appropriate song can be pretty daunting, but we’ve compiled our best tips to help you prepare.

Are there any audition guidelines?

First and foremost you want to check to see if there are any audition guidelines, as they may have provided an outline of what they want. You can these use this guidance when selecting your audition song.

Stay in your range

When picking your audition song, ensure it’s something you are comfortable singing even when you are nervous. It is better to nail a simpler song than to struggle with a harder song.

You can look online for sheet music in different keys if needed, and we recommend 1:1 support if you need help when it comes to understanding your casting, vocal range and vocal strengths.

Make it casting appropriate

Set some time aside to listen to singers who are similar to your casting, or from musicals similar to the one you are auditioning for. As a general rule of thumb do not pick a song from the show you are auditioning for. Finding a song that suits the character, the vocal style, the genre of show is key. We don’t always have to tick all these boxes. Finding songs that are transferable and easy to change is a huge help when auditioning.

If you’re still unsure when it comes to casting, register for our next 12 week intensive course.

Be memorable

This doesn’t necessarily mean going in wearing bright colors and loud songs! At the end of the day, the panel want to see you connect to the text, tell a story and move them in some way. Focus your energy on the right things. This is why preparation is key. People often worry about singing “overdone” songs. I personally think, it doesn’t matter, so long as it fits the brief and you can nail it!

Equally singing new repertoire that people aren’t as familiar with can go down really well. However there is a fine line. You also want to be wary of picking anything too obscure, you definitely don’t want the casting panel trying to work out the song when they should be enjoying your performance. You have to remember when we know the songs we don’t have to work as hard as our brain knows the lyrics, the narrative, the tune & the style.

Have a repertoire to refer to

The last thing you need when prepping for an audition is having to pick and learn a song under pressure. It’s a bit of an obvious but essential tip, but you ideally need to create a repertoire full of songs in a variety of genres perfectly suited to showcase your voice and casting.

If you are stuck on where to go with your repertoire then our Rep Revamp can help! Within a 75 minute session with our founder Ceili O’Connor, we’ll take a look at your current repertoire and the roles you aspire to play. You’ll leave with a minimum of four - six songs leaving you perfectly prepared for your next audition.

Don't mimic other singers or be intimidated by everyone else auditioning. Take a breath and focus on you and your performance. Nerves can be a good thing, the adrenaline will help you focus. Nerves and excitement are the same, so reminding yourself of this can help reframe your thoughts and nerves. No one is better than yourself than you are and that’s beautiful!

As long as you have done the essential preparation, character work, vocal warm up and prep, practicing with a pianist, preparing an audition cut (if necessary), then you can ‘t really go wrong. You have just as much control of an audition room as the panel do.

Be prepared

If you want to feel beyond prepared for auditions, then why not book onto our intensive 12 week course? Our next one is running in September 2022 and spaces are booking up fast so act quickly!

There are three modules to the course which will focus on Confidence Building, Casting and Repertoire and finally - Audition Preparation. Our short but intensive course consists of weekly 1:1s with our director and WestEnd superstar Ceili O’Connor.

Should you need help with anything else then please feel free to contact us!