What you think I’m prioritizing isn’t what I’m prioritizing.
Students think I’m paying attention to:
- Accurate-to-the-page notes and rhythms.
- Correct lyrics.
- Projected air of invincibility
I’m more likely to be interested in:
- How they react to the music in the moment.
- Whether the music breathes.
- Their understanding of the song (which is different than knowing every word).
- Intonation.
- Resourcefulness when things happen. (Like a lyric mistake!)
- Professionalism before and during the audition.
Certainly I notice when lyrics aren’t memorized, and the music must be learned correctly. But I’m far more likely to overlook a lyric flub than I am unprofessional behavior.
Think about what you care about in a performance, and then spend the most time in preparing those things for an audition.