Judith Dunlore Professional Summary

*Frequently Asked Question*

Can anybody sing? Aren't you just born with it ?

If you can speak, you have all the physical equipment you need to sing. How good your singing voice becomes depends on how much attention and energy you want to apply.

Training the voice is much like training an athlete. Athletes learn the most efficient way to coordinate their muscles to swing a bat or to come off the starting blocks. Singers learn how to coordinate their muscles to sing higher, lower, or with more power and nuance. Then both do exercises to strengthen those muscles so they can effectively and consistently accomplish their task. An athlete will play many games and a singer will sing many songs until performance becomes an automatic response and appears “natural” as if they were born with it.

How much do I need to practice?

For recreational singing, a half hour of practice each day will accomplish growth and development. You will feel your voice get stronger and develop a greater ease of singing. Judith will help you with warm-up tapes and recorded accompaniments so that you will have the tools to practice at home.

If you have professional intentions, you should allocate at least an hour each day of technical practice. This should be coupled with rehearsals in the performing groups in which you are interested. The more time you spend singing healthily, the more you will develop vocal co-ordination, stamina, and nuance.

What is my range?

Your range is defined by the lowest note you can sing and the highest note you can sing. As you learn to use your voice properly, you will find that your range increases.

Within your range you will find that there are areas that are more comfortable, where your voice sounds the best. This is called your tessitura. This is one of the factors that help decide whether you are a soprano or alto, or a tenor or bass.

It is important to know what your range is when you are choosing songs and auditioning for shows or choirs.

What key should I sing in?

Some people think singers choose a key and sing every song in the same key. However, you must consider each song individually, look at the highest and lowest note, and decide if the song fits within your range and tessitura. If some notes of the song are higher than your range, you must move the key of the song down. If some notes of the song are lower than your range, you must move the key up. If the overall range of the song is beyond your vocal range, you'll want to put it aside until you have been able to widen your own range.

Judith Dunlore will help you determine how a song fits in your range, and make sure that you perform it in your optimum key.

What do I need for an audition?

Musical Theater Audition – For most musical theater auditions you need to be prepared with an “up tempo” or fast song, and a ballad or slow song. These should be songs that feel very comfortable to you and that show you off to best advantage. You should have sheet music for the accompanist in the key that you sing each song. More and more, auditions let you sing with recorded tracks, so it is also a smart idea to carry accompaniment tracks with you also in case you need them.

Judith Dunlore can help you determine songs that best suit your voice and character. She can also help prepare sheet music in the correct key, as well as accompaniment tracks.

Remember your head shot photo and résumé.

Choral Audition - Each choir director has their own unique way of auditioning so it is best to find out as much as you can as to what they will require. In most cases, be prepared with a song in the style of music the choir usually sings. Expect that you will be asked to sight read and possibly sing in harmony with someone else.

Judith can work with you on sight reading. Sometimes she groups students who need to work on harmony, so that they can practice with each other.

Record Company Audition – You will need to send a good quality demo recording. This needs to be technically well recorded and well mixed. Record companies seldom are looking for a solo singer, but a whole package. Including original songs and a good band will generate much more interest.

Judith Dunlore can help you develop original material with interesting arrangements. She can help you make a decision if you want to use synthesized tracks or a live band, and help you connect with a good recording studio.