This is the final part of a four-part series on Surviving Audition Season. Click here for Part 1: Deciding Where to Apply, Part 2: Submitting Your Applications, and Part 3: Preparing for Your Auditions.
If everything has gone according to plan so far, you have an audition trip to take! Congratulations! Every audition trip consists of three components: the plan, the execution of the plan, and the wrap-up.
The Plan
Trust me – your trip will only go as smoothly as the amount of work you put into this step. We have already talked about planning the dates for your trip (remember last week?). Now is the time to deal with the details.
First, make sure you are all set for your travel needs. If you haven’t done so already, buy your plane tickets if you are flying to your audition location. Think about any bus or train travel needs you have as well. And don’t forget to account for rental cars or public transportation!
Next, think about your housing needs. Do you need a hotel/hostel, or can you stay with a friend? AirBnB is usually a viable option as well. Those of us who are braver can even try Couchsurfing, but know that Couchsurfing hosts are usually quite extroverted and love to get to know their guests. If you want to rest your voice you may need to consider other options.
Finally, consider the everyday commitments that you will be missing while you’re gone. Get shifts covered at work or request vacation time, if appropriate. If you are in school, let your teachers know when you will be gone and request any makeup work in advance. Do you have pets? It’s time to arrange for pet sitters or professional kenneling.
Put all of this info in one place so that it is easily accessible for reference both leading up to and during your trip. Write down all of your travel confirmation numbers, the times and addresses for all of your auditions, and your general itinerary for the trip. The Audition Trip Planner is a great resource for this. Not only does it give you a place to mark down your itinerary and trip notes, but it also includes a sheet to track your expenses – this comes in handy come tax time, but is also a GREAT way for you to see how much the trip is really costing you.
The Execution of the Plan
This step’s easy. Now that you’ve planned everything out, all you have to do is follow it through! This isn’t to say you shouldn’t be somewhat flexible in case auditions are running late or your flight is delayed, but the point is to do as much thinking ahead as you can in the planning stages so you are free to focus on nailing your auditions when you are actually on the trip.
I highly recommend keeping a log or journal of all your auditions. Some ideas about things to track:
wardrobe – This advice is straight from D. K. Woods. If you are invited to any callbacks, wear the same outfit you wore for the first audition. In D.K.’s words, “Wear the same thing we loved you in the first time!” This also helps to solidify who you are in the minds of the panel.
notes about how you thought the audition went – did you feel good about that tricky section? What arias did they call for? etc.
the people who were actually in the room – The audition panel, the pianist, even the room monitor (so you know who to send your thank-you notes to)
Keep your own journal or try our Audition Log & Reflection sheet.
The Wrap-Up
When you’re all done, reflect on your trip. This is a great time to look back over your audition log or journal. Do you see any patterns? What can you learn from them?
Finally, don’t forget to send thank-you notes! It’s a great way to make contact one more time with the audition panel, plus it’s just a kind way for you acknowledge that they are working hard, too. Handwritten notes sent by snail mail are always best for thank-you notes, but if this is going to keep you from sending them, just do it by email. Send your notes as soon as possible so that the audition panel can still remember you from among the sea of singers they heard right alongside you that day.
Thanks for hanging in there for all four parts of this Surviving Audition Season series! Is there anything you think I left out? Any questions left unanswered? Drop me a line at rachael@theorganizedsinger.com, and don’t forget to check out the Complete Audition Planner 2017 in the Organized Singer shop!