Devices
A typical smartphone, or a computer with a built-in microphone and camera will suffice for making a video with satisfactory visual and audio elements.
Camera Frame
- Stand in front of a neutral wall, with no patterns or pictures behind you.
- Clothes should be a solid color and nothing too casual.
- The light should come from the front with no windows or bright sources on the side.
- The camera should be vertical so that the reviewers can see the auditionee’s face and front body to the floor.
Editing
As with a live audition, there should be no editing of the audio or video. We would like to see the singer start the video, then step into frame, sing, and turn the video off when finished.
Singers should state their name, the song title, and composer before beginning to sing on each video.
Audition Requirements
The Vocal Studies Program of the TCNJ Department of Music is designed for inquisitive, passionate, and engaging vocalists who are interested in pursuing careers in performance (Bachelor of Music in Performance), music education (Bachelor of Music in Music Education), or other areas within the field of music (Bachelor of Arts in Music).
To audition for the program, applicants must prepare two (2) contrasting musical selections:
- One selection in English. This selection can be a classical art song, folk song, spiritual, or hymn setting.
- One contrasting selection. Suggestions for a contrasting selection include:
- A classical art song or aria in another language, or
- A musical theatre selection, or
- A selection from the African American, Latin American, or Native American musical traditions, or a selection from other world cultures.
Both selections must be memorized and performed with piano accompaniment. The chosen selections should be those that best showcase the candidate’s musicality, vocal abilities, and performance skills.
Accompaniment
Your audition must include piano accompaniment, whether live or pre-recorded
Upload your recordings
Upload your videos to the cloud storage of your choice (google drive, dropbox, etc) and send share links of your recordings to musicdept@tcnj.edu. Put your name and “audition videos” in the subject line of the email.
Be sure that the share settings of your drive will enable others (with the link) to access your files
If you have any questions about these requirements, need assistance selecting repertoire, or would like to explore modified/alternate requirements, please contact Dr. Brandi Diggs diggsb@tcnj.edu.