Page 10 - Classical Singer magazine Spring Issue 2020

CROSSOVER CORNER HOW TO CUT A SONG FOR AN AUDITION
BY CHRISTY TURNBOW
Thoughtfully prepare each audition cut by demonstrating strong storytelling and musicianship.
You finally found the perfect audition song and now you must cut it down to either 32 or 16 bars. How does one exhibit great storytelling or singing skills in such a short amount of time? The good news is that in recent years the meaning of a 32- or 16-bar cut has changed, which gives those auditioning a little more freedom. Generally, there is now an understanding that a 32-bar cut is under 90 seconds and a 16-bar cut is under a minute.
Although this eliminates the reference to measures or bars, they are often still called 32-bar and 16-
bar cuts. They may also be referred to as long and short cuts. But whether long or short, they are cuts nonetheless, and it can be difficult to find those 90 seconds or less that really show who you are and what you can do. Here are some ideas to help get you started.
Storytelling and Lyrics
There are several things to consider when cutting a song. Some of them have to do with the acting and some of them have to do with the music. Let’s
talk first about the acting elements of cutting a song. You want to make sure there is an arc to the story. Often songs are cut by simply singing the last section of the song. This may be the easiest way to cut a song but is not necessarily the best storytelling.
While this cut may show that you can sing the highest notes and act the most impassioned part of the song, it doesn’t allow the auditioners to see your different colors both as a person and as a singer— and it can also be jarring to the auditioners if you begin your cut right at the climax of the song. The elements of good storytelling include background, rising action, climax, and the denouement. In 90 seconds or less it may not be possible to include all these elements of storytelling, but you can include some rising action, a climax, and some kind of ending. It will be much more effective to start with something more subdued or subtle and then build
to the climax. This way, the auditioners don’t feel like all you did was scream at them and they will see that you have different dynamics and colors.
Most musical theatre songs have a similar format: first verse, second verse, bridge, third verse, and maybe a fourth verse or coda. Generally, the first verse may be a parallel to the background information of storytelling.
But since songs are often moments of emotional expression rather than actual plot events, we
can also say that the first verse is the moment of discovery. The character is just realizing that they have some emotion that they need to express—a moment of “What is happening?” and “What am I feeling?” The song begins quietly and introspectively.
The second verse is where the storytelling begins to intensify—the beginning of the rising action. The character is usually getting more confident that they know what they are feeling and what they are going to say about it.
10 Classical Singer | Mar/Apr 2020