Maximize Your Experience with These 3 Tips for Success at Your Summer Music Program

Congratulations on choosing to attend a Summer Music Program. Congratulations on getting ACCEPTED to a Summer Music Program! Audition based programs are getting more competitive every year. So, now that you have this opportunity to impress some REALLY IMPORTANT PEOPLE - like voice faculty members, directors, broadway stars - you want to make the most of it!

The tips below come from 25 years of running a Pre-College Summer Music Program. I’ve seen it all and I want to save you from the mistakes made by others before you.

1. Read the Material the Program Sends 

When you don’t read the written material a program sends - whether it’s a handbook, letter, or email - you are putting yourself at a disadvantage! You are setting yourself up for failure.

The information being sent to you has planning information, travel information, start and end dates, as well as materials you will need to have at the program. If you or your parent, doesn’t read the information and just calls a staff member to ask them all the questions that are covered in the material… this will not make the staff happy. In fact, when you arrive they are going to think, “oh yeah, that's the one who couldn’t be bothered to read the information we sent out.” Don’t be that person!

 

2. Be organized

Once you have read all the information that has been sent, start to make some lists for yourself. Read back over the information and write down everything mentioned that you don’t already have. This is your “TO GET” list. You may have to purchase dance clothes, shoes, music, or clothing. Don’t wait until the week you arrive to start getting everything together!

Get out your calendar. Write in all the important dates - travel dates, performance dates, arrival and departure dates. Be sure and take this calendar with you so you can stay organized during the program!

Organize your music and take anything out of your 3-ring binder (your “book”) that you will not need during the program. DO make sure you have all the music in your book that the program asks you to bring.

 

3. Listen more than you talk

There are a couple of ways I could say this - “leave your ego at the door” is one version - but the bottom line is, don’t come across as the “know-it-all” in the group.

For most students, being in an audition based pre-college program will be an eye-opening experience. It will be very different from most high school theatre programs. In our Summer Program EVERYONE is the big fish in their high school program. Students will be trying to stand out and outshine their colleagues - to be impressive.

Luckily, that’s not really the way it works in college… in college programs everyone stands out! It’s what is expected at that level.

So the good news is, in this new environment, you don’t have to impress anyone. You can just relax and LEARN. Isn’t that why you are going in the first place? To learn new skills and improve your talent?

You WILL stand out if you work hard, do your best, listen to your teachers, take corrections, and don’t start drama! These are the kind of students University programs are looking for. So just relax, listen, learn and have fun.

Let your inner light shine! And good luck on the journey...

If you are a young performer who is serious about pursuing a career in the performing arts I would love to stay in touch with you! Join my email list to be the first to receive the tips you need to reach your goals. You can also schedule a FREE 30 minute consultation by filling out the contact form on my home page.