Does your child love to sing? Do they have the ability to quickly learn and perform difficult songs they hear on the radio, TV or YouTube? They may have natural talent! Singing auditions for kids are designed to find children who can perform in front of an audience or for:
TV shows ◘ Commercials ◘ Plays ◘ Concerts ◘ Movies.
Singing Auditions for Kids: Preparation
Hire a Vocal Coach. A vocal coach will help you choose a song that brings out your strengths. He/she can teach you techniques to improve the quality of your voice and give you exercises to practice that will dramatically improve intonation, range and sound strength. Singing auditions for kids have many different requirements. A vocal coach will give you the foundation you need to prepare for them all.
Know what you’re auditioning for. Know what kind of show, competition or venue you are auditioning for. Choose a song style that fits the event. If it’s an open choice, stick to your strengths.
Choral or solo? Are you going to be singing in a group or as a solo performance? It makes a big difference. Being able to carry your part in harmony with others is different than singing alone. Singing auditions for kids may require you to do one or both.
Rest your voice before. The voice gets tired very quickly. Avoid any strenuous activities that require you to raise your voice, such as cheering at a sports event or outside activities that require you to yell across long distances. Make sure you get a good night’s sleep before your audition, to allow your voice to rest.
Day of the Audition: 7 Tips
1. SELECT MUSIC WITHIN YOUR ABILITIES. There is a tendency to choose songs for an audition that “show off” your talent. Singing auditions for kids are rarely about finding someone who already has superstar talent. Their usually about finding someone with general singing skills that can be groomed and grown into a professional singer. Choose songs that highlight your strengths, but aren’t so difficult that they risk you failing the audition terribly.
2. CHOOSE APPROPRIATE MUSIC GENRE. Select a piece of music that is appropriate to the audition. If you are auditioning for a rock band, don’t choose a pop song for the audition.
3. AVOID OBSCENITIES. Don’t select a song with cursing or potentially inappropriate material. The last thing you want to do is insult the judges/staff. Singing auditions for kids often focus on wholesome family content. Find songs that are challenging and have a positive message.
4. WARM UP YOUR VOICE. Do your vocal warmups before you enter the audition premises. Unless otherwise instructed, don’t expect to be given a place for warmups. Do them at home, in the hotel, or in the car on the way if you have to. Just because they’re singing auditions for kids, doesn’t mean they won’t be demanding. Warming up your voice is always necessary when performing.
5. PREPARE YOUR PRESENTATION. Before you even walk into the audition area, prepare yourself. You may not know exactly what the judges are looking for, but you do know what you want to accomplish. Plan how you are going to walk out, what you’re going to do with the microphone, how you’ll address the judges, how you will introduce the song and why you want to sing it.
6. DON’T DANCE. Unless you have been instructed to accompany the music with a dance routine, try to minimize your movement on stage. Singing auditions for kids don’t usually include too much on-stage movement. Don’t wander around the stage and only use hand movements that are natural and part of the song (e.g., pointing to yourself when singing the words “me” or “we”).
7. HAVE CONFIDENCE AND DON’T APOLOGIZE. It may seem like the appropriate thing to do when you make a mistake, but don’t apologize. Judges are looking for someone with confidence. When you say things like, “I wasn’t in my best voice today” or, “Sorry, I’m not warmed up enough,” it shows that you weren’t properly prepared. Have confidence in your abilities. Prepare yourself prior to the audition, do your best, and don’t look back!
Examples of Singing Auditions for Kids
We’re all so use to TV talent competitions like “America’s Got Talent” but most singing auditions for kids are not televised. Here are some examples of auditions, to give you and idea of what to expect:
