Musical auditions and no accompanist?

Hmmm yeah that is odd.

Also, backing tracks are either hard to find, expensive or sound just plain tacky. And accapella doesn't show that you can stay in tune with an accompaniment without the melody line being bashed to you and means you can chose whatever timing you want.
Accompanists aren't usually that hard to find for auditions?

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• 52 votes

Really? Which company has stated this?

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• 40 votes

It's better than having an ordinary pianist! There's nothing worse than having someone stumbling over the piece, pausing or playing wrong chords. If the musical director has a good ear, which you would hope, they should be able to hear if the auditionee is staying in the right key. If they can sing in tune a capella then it's almost definite that they would be able to sing with an accompanyment assisting. Same goes for timing, singers should be able to keep the pulse without assistance. And they may have an accompanyist for call backs which will give them that confirmation that the people they're interested in can sing in tune and time with accompanyment.

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• 34 votes

Of all the jobs required of a pianist in a show, audition pianist would be the worst.

An auditionee (is that what you call them?) comes in, with a piece of music you have never seen and relies on you to play it well enough for it to show off the auditionee's best aspects. People put there hearts on the line in auditions, and i'm sure people have more than a few stories of actors going off at audition pianists.

I always try to be as grateful as possible of audition pianists, especially when they are awesome. But even if they are a bit ordinary, isn't it better too see how an auditionee (I'm going to keep using that word....I don't care if its wrong) performs under the pressure of the music being rough than hear them accapella. 

But I'm sure the reason that any company would not have an audition pianist is because they were unable to get one. 

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• 19 votes

I grew up with the Bhouse, and it's how they have always done it. I have done some great shows with them (City of Angels, Guys and Dolls, Pirates) and they have always auditioned without a pianist. At first I thought it was odd, but then I realised it was an opportunity for me to prepare an audition and have complete control over how it went, and not have to rely on a pianist. Being someone who loves to sing JRB at auditions aswell, it meant that I just had to get a friend who had an electric piano to record me my own backing track for a few songs, and burn it onto a CD (thanks Heskett ;P)

They will also rehearse for most of the rehearsal period sans pianist. This is due to unavailabilty of one in the area, and also due to their aptitude at working in other ways. There is usually a cast member who can note bash stuff when required. 

Working in this way taught me different ways to look at things, and believe me, the quality of their output would astonish anyone who hasn't heard of them before. HAIR is a show that they have been planning for years, and I am gutted that due to pro commitments I can wheel out my backing tracks for their auditions! 

Any further questions, give them a call! :)

Peace

A

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• 24 votes

Yes, I have also performed in Sunbury Boilerhouse company. It was South Pacific and I had an absolute ball.

My favourite audition pieces are usually pretty tricky and lots of Sondheim so a backing track is often a lot better than an accompanist trying to tackle Sondheim 'sight unseen'.

Regardless, this is a fun and very open discussion. So many different views and more importantly, nobody is "canning" the idea.

Brigid

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• 26 votes

Yep, and I was just adding my bit in. I was more responding to the original poster, who seemed to have some concerns about the idea :)

A

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• 22 votes

Why not give auditionees a range of songs to choose from for their audition? that way you could ensure that the pianist knows the music and the auditionees are competing evenly.
Even if you gave them one song, then asked them to choose a second one if you want to see more, it would make it easier for everyone involved!

Just a suggestion, what do we think?

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• 29 votes

oh my god kill me now!!!! One of the worst things about sitting on a panel is hearing the same song over and over. I think i would resort to tears and hair pulling after day three of hearing the same song. I can remember plenty of those moments over the years that song replay just happened even though auditionees could choose their own song anyway. I remember a time where just about every second auditionee was singing "Castle on a Cloud", or "Defying Gravity", or "Corner of the Sky" or... and please God no more "Part of your World" What's that word again.... SHUT UP!!!!!! xo

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• 7 votes

I just saw this production on the weekend and it is AMAZING! Such a talented lot. Direction was perfect as well. highly recommend anyone heading out to Sunbury to check it out!!!

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• 12 votes