NB. As you know I didn't get in, so I'm not sure how much advice I can give about actually auditioning successfully but, I hope that detailing my own experiences will help you with your own prep.
When I applied for LAMDA, I was given an audition date two months later, so I had a fair amount of time to stress and prepare. Applying for Mountview was somewhat different. I had decided to apply, on the spur of the moment, for Mountview's postgraduate Musical Theatre course. I sent off the application, then didn't hear anything for another fortnight when they invited me to audition a further fortnight later- so don't panic if you apply and don't hear anything for a while!
Mountview provide you with fairly detailed instructions of what the audition will involve, and my experience was largely the same as other bloggers who've auditioned there. The only marked difference I can think of, is that as I was auditioning quite late in the academic year my audition consisted only of those auditioning for the PG course, rather than the mix of UG and PG applicants that other bloggers have described.
I arrived 40 minutes early (this is becoming a common theme for me...) and after being given a badge with a number on, I was directed up to the café to sit and wait with the other applicants. It's worth mentioning, at this point, that I have spent the past 12 months continually plagued with throat/ vocal problems. When I booked the audition, I felt unusually well and vocally strong. however as Sod's law would have it, that morning I woke up with tonsils the size of a tree and a mouth and throat that felt like I'd swallowed sandpaper. Typical.
Once we'd all arrived, we were taken to a separate building and given a brief talk on what the day would involve. Then, we were all taken through to the dance studio for the dance component of the audition. This started with an energetic warm up, which left me regretting my decision to wear black for the audition! Then we did some corner work, which consisted of us performing various exercises from one corner of the dance studio to the other on our own. For the vast majority of these exercises we were given the choice of a simpler and a harder exercise to perform. I unashamedly admit that I chose the easier option each time, as a) they kept saying it didn't matter which we chose and b) I thought I'd have more chance performing the easier ones well than the harder ones badly! With hindsight, this might not have been the most effective method but ah well- you live and you learn!
We then learnt a dance sequence to "You can't stop the beat" from Hairspray, before performing it in groups of three. I can't claim to have performed this perfectly, as it was extremely fast and I am by no means a trained dancer but given the short amount of time to learn the moves I felt it went okay. There was a large mix of different abilities present, from those who had never taken a dance class before, to those who had dance degrees. I can safely say that I was somewhere between these two extremes!
Once the dancing was over, we were given a short break to change out of out dance clothes and have a drink. We were then lead into a studio to prepare for the singing component of the audition. We had a short warm up as a group, and then sat down to audition, in alphabetical order. The standard of singing was pretty high,with one of the other auditionees actually managed to move me to tears! Given the state of my vocal cords, I was pleased with how well my song went, and relieved that my voice hadn't just broken in the middle of the song! I sang all of one of my songs, and then was asked to sing some arpeggios after to test my vocal range. Other auditionees were asked to to similar things, though some were asked for an excerpt of their second song or to repeat part of their original song again.
After we'd all finished, we were left in the room for around ten minutes whilst decisions were made about who was to stay for the next bit of the audition. Around 5 (out of 13) numbers were called, including mine and we were led into another room...to be told thanks but not this time! One thing that I did think was particularly useful about Mountview is that they did sit us down and give us individual feedback about why they didn't think we were right at that moment. Annoyingly I was told that I was "so close to getting a recall" and that I had nearly made it (not helpful Mountview!) and that my vocal quality had held me back that day. Cheers for that, tonsils...
All in all, it was a reasonably enjoyable day. The other auditionees were really talented and friendly and I always enjoy performing, even within an audition situation. If you're on the fence about auditioning next year, I'd say "go for it". You've got nothing to lose except the audition fee!
Until next time!
Yours faithfully,
the postgrad-app
After we'd all finished, we were left in the room for around ten minutes whilst decisions were made about who was to stay for the next bit of the audition. Around 5 (out of 13) numbers were called, including mine and we were led into another room...to be told thanks but not this time! One thing that I did think was particularly useful about Mountview is that they did sit us down and give us individual feedback about why they didn't think we were right at that moment. Annoyingly I was told that I was "so close to getting a recall" and that I had nearly made it (not helpful Mountview!) and that my vocal quality had held me back that day. Cheers for that, tonsils...
All in all, it was a reasonably enjoyable day. The other auditionees were really talented and friendly and I always enjoy performing, even within an audition situation. If you're on the fence about auditioning next year, I'd say "go for it". You've got nothing to lose except the audition fee!
Until next time!
Yours faithfully,
the postgrad-app
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