For many people choosing an audition song is about as much fun as a poke in the eye with a sharp stick. It really doesn’t have to be. It can actually be a lot of fun and as a bonus you get to hear all kinds of great music in the process. I hope the following general guidelines will help make the task of choosing material to use for auditions a little easier for you.

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Surprise! Lyrics are more important than notes. I almost always read the lyric before I listen to the song. That’s how I decide if a song is right for me. Choose a song whose lyric moves you. If it makes you laugh or cry and you say to yourself “Wow, I get that” or “Ouch, I’ve been there” or “Damn, that’s what I want too,” it’s a good candidate for further investigation. When a song triggers you in that way it means you have an emotional connection to what the song is about. Making the words your own will be much easier than singing about something you know little about. Choosing a song just because you love how it sounds in your voice will not make it a good choice if you can’t relate to what you’re saying.

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Choose material within your age range. An older man or woman should probably steer clear of songs from Spring Awakening that are specific to issues a teenager may face. Conversely, if you are in high school singing ‘Rose’s Turn’ from Gypsy or ‘I’m Still Here’ from Follies may not be appropriate. Your audition will likely highlight the fact that the song is not only out of your physical age range but also out of your range of life experience.

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Keep it brief. Often an audition notice will specify how many bars (8, 16 or 32) they would like to hear. If they don’t specify, keep your song brief. They aren’t looking to hear ‘Soliloquy’ from Carousel (unless of course you have a callback for Billy Bigelow) or all the verses from ‘Meadowlark’ from The Baker’s Wife. It is always better to leave them wanting more. They may ask you for a second song giving you the opportunity to show them something different!

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Keep it in your range. This seems obvious, but be sure you can sing EVERY note high, low and in between. The song should squarely within your comfortable range, not your “fingers crossed I hope I hit it” range.

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DO NOT choose material with difficult accompaniment. There are a few things you can control during an audition. Your song choice is one of them. The accompanist playing your audition may be an exceptional pianist who can sight read as easily as she checks her email but I wouldn’t bet on it. If you present her with a song that tests her abilities and she’s not equal to the task your audition will suffer. Composers to think twice about for auditions are Stephen Sondheim and Jason Robert Brown. Be smart and keep it simple.

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Beware of OVERDONE songs. That being said, auditors will be delighted to hear ‘Defying Gravity’ from Wicked or ‘On my Own’ from Les Miserables both overdone songs, only if you sing them extremely well and you have a specific, personal point of view toward the material. Bringing in a poor imitation Idina Menzel that you watched on You Tube will earn you a robust “Thank you very much.” .

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Have a range of different songs in your book. Your book is all of the pieces you have worked on that you are ready to use for auditions. You can also have a book of songs you are readying for your book. Your audition book should contain a ballad, an up-tempo song, a legit piece, a belt piece, a contemporary/pop song and a classic musical theatre song. So if you are looking for a new piece see what you book may be lacking and find a song to fill that void.

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Of course, there are always exceptions to any ‘rules’ and these are only a few of the many things to consider when selecting songs. Coaching sessions are where I have an opportunity to delve more deeply into song selection and the intricacies of auditioning. That’s where the real fun of crafting songs that make performers shine begins.

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Thanks for spending time with me today! Let me know your thoughts and questions about this article.

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All my best,

Philip

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Philip Hernandez is a respected acting teacher and singing coach in NYC. He is also the only actor in Broadway history to play both Jean Valjean and Inspector Javert in Les Miserables. He created principal roles in Broadway’s Kiss of the Spiderwoman and Paul Simon’s The Capeman. You may also know him from his many television appearances: The Blacklist, Gotham, Blue Bloods, The Path, Bull, Nurse Jackie, Elementary, Person of Interest, Law and Order, Hostages and Damages to name a few. For information about acting lessons CLICK HERE or singing lessons CLICK HERE. 

Follow him on twitter @philip24601, on Instagram @philip24601 and on Facebook at @philip24601.