Audition season can be stressful and expensive. It is hard to figure out where to start and what to look for when you are creating your first audition season. Here is a checklist on how to create an efficient and effective audition tour.

Step 1: When? 

Standard auditions for Young Artist Programs (YAPs) can happen over the course of a few months, usually between September through November. For those of us who do not live in an audition hub, it is not always feasible to stay in one of these cities for weeks at a time. Take a look at your fall schedule and block out the days or weeks you are actually available to travel for auditions. This will help narrow down what programs you will apply for and save you time when you start sending headshots and resumes. Alternatively, if time is less of a restriction for you, look at which programs are important to you and when they are auditioning. That way you can plan your trip around those benchmark auditions. 

Step 2: Where?  

If you live in New York, you have the luxury of most programs auditioning in your city. However, if you have to travel, try to schedule multiple auditions without flying all over the country. Take a look at audition postings while noting which ones fit into your availability and where the audition is located. We strongly recommend looking at YAP Tracker, a website where companies advertise audition postings. With the purchase of a subscription to their website, you can use it to set up application reminders and browse hundreds of different audition posts. You will quickly develop a calendar that lists possible audition dates and their locations.

Step 3: What do you want? 

In the United States alone, there are hundreds of YAP auditions happening every year. Depending on your vocal progress, some of these programs will be good fits, while others might be too big or too small. Be Goldilocks and find the one that is just right. Read through the descriptions and research the singers who have done the program. Find ones that you feel fit your capabilities and experiences. You can look at things like what teachers or coaches you would be able to work with. Finding a program that focuses on certain genres or techniques could affect what you audition for. If you are looking for stage experience, look into the role or scene opportunities the programs offer. Don't audition for a program that does not fit your abilities or artistic desires. If you are still in a developmental stage with your voice, make sure you are looking at programs that offer voice lessons and coachings to assist in your development. If you are unsure of what to look for, ask your colleagues, teachers, and coaches what they think you could benefit from most at a Young Artist Program. Use your resources and time to rock auditions for programs that will be a good fit. If you don't know, try things out! Use this season to see what kind of feedback you get from different companies.

Step 4: Make cuts! 

Now that you've created a list of auditions, you get to pick. Try to fit numerous auditions within your availability to make the most out of a trip. Look at your budget to figure out how many trips you can take. You can pick the most important auditions and travel for those, or you can choose the trip where you can lineup the most auditions. This comes down to what companies are important to you and if you can pump out multiple auditions in a short time. For more experienced singers, look at the season of the company you plan on auditioning for. Sometimes, there isn't something in the season appropriate for you to audition for. 

When it comes time to think about your auditions this year, follow this checklist to make your audition season both efficient and effective. Having the logistics organized will give you the confidence to walk into your audition and own it!