Colleen Daly, Young Artists of America Staff
Auditions. Perhaps the least favorite part of any performer's life. But, they're a necessary evil, and if you can hone the craft, they get a lot easier. With this in mind, YAA is offering a new program during our Summer Intensives - Audition Intensive Workshop Week. This new daytime session will run from July 9 - 13 (conveniently before any auditions taking place for The Conservatory or The Academy productions) and is for singers/actors (6th-12th grade) looking to unlock their inner potential for greater auditions. We sat down with professional Soprano, Colleen Daly, who created the program, to tell us more.
Tell us a bit more about what you hope students will get out of the new Audition Week Summer Session.
We’ll be honing our audition skills! Auditions are a necessary evil in life — even if you don’t decide to pursue music performance professionally, you’ll still have to “audition” — in college applications/interviews, job interviews, etc... any time you enter a new situation and are testing your abilities, you’re auditioning! So why not learn how to master the art of a successful audition?
Who is the session best suited for? Who do you recommend signs up?
This session is for ALL performers. If you're a beginner, this is a wonderful opportunity to start addressing your fear of public speaking and performance. The program is also perfect for advanced students who are currently prepping college auditions, school or community theater auditions, All-State auditions, or who just generally wants to be better at auditioning.
What are some things they will learn in the session if not addressed above?
We will work to build confidence in every performer, no matter the level. Each participant will design their own individual audition plan of attack. We’ll address audition materials, song package, improve vocal technique, work on communication skills and first impressions, perform mock auditions, goal setting/reaching, and clarifying the definition of success. And we will have lots of fun!!
Can you tell us a bit more about yourself? What experience have you had with auditions, etc.
I work in the field that I teach about — I am a professional classical singer who has done hundreds of auditions in my career, and I am still actively auditioning. I am also an educator who has coached students into major vocal performance and musical theater and theater programs across the country at the collegiate level.
Anything else we should know?
This camp would be a GREAT way to be ready for the first day of auditions at The Conservatory & The Academy at YAA Summer Performing Arts Intensives.
What are you most excited to see/hear/do at the session?
I can’t wait to see the progress that will happen in just one week! It’s amazing to watch people unlock their potential, meet their goals, and push themselves to go farther than what they thought their comfort zone was to reach new levels. It definitely inspires me in my own process for preparing for auditions.
What will the students walk away with after taking this session?
A spiffed-up audition package, some long-term goals, some new audition-ready repertoire, insight on how auditions work and can be useful, and confidence in spades!
Learn more and reserve your spot in the week-long program here.
More About Colleen:
Colleen Daly has been hailed as a “dramatically powerful” (The Washington Post) young singer. Miss Daly’s most recent performances include Musetta in La Bohème with Annapolis Opera, Lyric Opera of Baltimore and Des Moines Metro Opera; Violetta in Opera Delaware’s production of La traviata, which she also covered at New York City Opera; Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte with Intermountain Opera; Micaëla in both La Tragédie de Carmen with Syracuse Opera and in Carmenwith Baltimore Concert Opera; the Countess in Annapolis Opera’s production of Le nozze di Figaro; and the title role of Thaïs at Opera Company of Middlebury. In the winter of 2016, Ms Daly returned to one of her signature roles, Micaëla in the Maryland Symphony Orchestra’s presentation ofCarmen, and was later presented in her role debut as Fidelia in Puccini’s masterpiece Edgar with the Baltimore Concert Opera.