Auditioning for 2017

[martint]

Hi martint. It is tough. Our DD had her heart set on Urdang, Montview or Artsed but had no's ie nothing at all from all three by Christmas! But she, and we, kept going and she is now in her first year at another school which she fell in love with at audition in the January. She has no regrets whatsoever. She also got a second offer in the January from another school.

Just intrigued by one thing you wrote. You say she got a Foundation offer from Urdang but is in her second year at Urdang?

Sorry, I had Urdang on my mind, changed it to CAPA.

Looking at the Urdang site it seems most go on to get on the course they want there or elsewhere after the Foundation year. She's waiting for a decision from Bird. To be honest my wife and really liked Bird and DD had said it was a very close second choice.

She's cheered up a lot today after obviously being gutted yesterday. She realises it's an offer, just not exactly what she wanted but I'd another stepping stone to her dream.

[jasmine2]

Hi martint. It is tough. Our DD had her heart set on Urdang, Montview or Artsed but had no's ie nothing at all from all three by Christmas! But she, and we, kept going and she is now in her first year at another school which she fell in love with at audition in the January. She has no regrets whatsoever. She also got a second offer in the January from another school.

Just intrigued by one thing you wrote. You say she got a Foundation offer from Urdang but is in her second year at Urdang?

Which school is she at?
Sounds like she is doing so well xx

[beanie-bean]

She's cheered up a lot today after obviously being gutted yesterday. She realises it's an offer, just not exactly what she wanted but I'd another stepping stone to her dream.

Glad your DD cheered up after her initial disappointment. Its very hard but she should feel proud of herself to get a foundation offer as there are so many applicants for these colleges and limited spaces. They send out far more rejection emails then offers so she has done very well. My dd is auditioning at the moment so have no experience of the foundation course at Urdang but I know a girl that did the foundation course and then succesfully auditioned for the degree at Urdang. I am a firm believer that things have a way of working out, and they will end up at the best possible place for them Good luck to your DD X xxx

[jennifer1972]

Hi martint. It is tough. Our DD had her heart set on Urdang, Montview or Artsed but had no's ie nothing at all from all three by Christmas! But she, and we, kept going and she is now in her first year at another school which she fell in love with at audition in the January. She has no regrets whatsoever. She also got a second offer in the January from another school.

Just intrigued by one thing you wrote. You say she got a Foundation offer from Urdang but is in her second year at Urdang?

Sorry, I had Urdang on my mind, changed it to CAPA.

Looking at the Urdang site it seems most go on to get on the course they want there or elsewhere after the Foundation year. She's waiting for a decision from Bird. To be honest my wife and really liked Bird and DD had said it was a very close second choice.

She's cheered up a lot today after obviously being gutted yesterday. She realises it's an offer, just not exactly what she wanted but I'd another stepping stone to her dream.

Like you say, it's an offer and that is a fantastic achievement in itself. If you look over past years, you will see the amount of students who try year after year until they finally get the offer they've been waiting for. Well done her and good luck with Bird. We have put our Bird offer back in the pot as DD realised it wasn't the place for her.

[2girlsmum]

DD has 1st round audition at GSA this afternoon. For those that have already been, did you wait in the coffee shop at the front of the building or do we have to go offsite?

[collieni]

DD has 1st round audition at GSA this afternoon. For those that have already been, did you wait in the coffee shop at the front of the building or do we have to go offsite?

You can wait in the coffee shop. Best of luck to DD

[kzgirl]

We waited in the coffee shop you DD will be less than an hour.

[islandofsodor]

Less than an hour, wow. A contrast with other auditions.

[lbm1e14]

Less than an hour, wow. A contrast with other auditions.

It has to be said that the GSA is he most controversial of the auditions and probably the main culprit in the rip off debate. They charge the same as everyone else - £45 - but to be honest they spin it out to even last an hour! The darlings get to sing 32 bars (from memory) and they ask them a few questions, the answers to which are actually on the application form. They do it in groups of 10 I think so the song lasts a couple of minutes, their question session lasts a few minutes and they spend the rest of the time listening to the 9 others. They only get a full "hearing" if they get a call back. They get away with it because they do turn out top quality performers (but see following caveat) and it's fully funded by student loans and maintenance loans.

Caveat to my comment above is that they don't always get it right. We know two MT graduates who graduated then decided not to carry on in the industry almost immediately upon graduating.

[jaybeeyellow]

Also bear in mind the high grade expectations that they place on their offers. I know somebody who was accepted on the BA Acting Course, and unfortunately failed to get the high grades at A level[ from memory at least 2 A'S]. They would not take him, refused to even allow him to speak to the course leader. He was really distressed, and it affected him over the following year.
In all honesty I don't know what getting an A in Maths has to do with being accepted to train in acting, but it is to do with the fact that they are now connected to the University of Surrey.

[2girlsmum]

Cost for GSA audition is £55 this year (plus £24 to register with UCAS) and yesterday for DDs timeslot there were a group of 11. They were in the room for just under an hour. They did a vocal warm up all together, then everyone got to sing a song of their choice (no more than 3 minutes long). After that they were individually asked what course they are currently doing, where they are training and what levels of dance they are. Auditioning panel was made up of one woman plus the pianist.

[kzgirl]

Cost for GSA audition is £55 this year (plus £24 to register with UCAS) and yesterday for DDs timeslot there were a group of 11. They were in the room for just under an hour. They did a vocal warm up all together, then everyone got to sing a song of their choice (no more than 3 minutes long). After that they were individually asked what course they are currently doing, where they are training and what levels of dance they are. Auditioning panel was made up of one woman plus the pianist.

Yes same format as my DD audition in December, my DD heard after one week. Two years ago the audition fee was £45, this year £55. If you read the website auditions are also held in Hong Kong and I think New York, these trips have to be funded some how and I guess it could be by the audition fees of candidates that don't get through. GSA is just like the 'Oxford' or 'Cambridge' of musical theatre I am not sure but I would guess that graduating from GSA would open doors for work.

[jaybeeyellow]

HMM. Can"t help thinking this is something of a money making exercise. They make a big thing out of being part of the University of Surry, yet i doubt very much that you have to pay to apply to study Law there!
They are not the only culprits though. Guildhall charge £75 for the pleasure of auditioning in a student bar! There are usually about 12 people there, and they never take more than 2 through to the next round.

[jasmine2]

Cost for GSA audition is £55 this year (plus £24 to register with UCAS) and yesterday for DDs timeslot there were a group of 11. They were in the room for just under an hour. They did a vocal warm up all together, then everyone got to sing a song of their choice (no more than 3 minutes long). After that they were individually asked what course they are currently doing, where they are training and what levels of dance they are. Auditioning panel was made up of one woman plus the pianist.

Yes same format as my DD audition in December, my DD heard after one week. Two years ago the audition fee was £45, this year £55. If you read the website auditions are also held in Hong Kong and I think New York, these trips have to be funded some how and I guess it could be by the audition fees of candidates that don't get through. GSA is just like the 'Oxford' or 'Cambridge' of musical theatre I am not sure but I would guess that graduating from GSA would open doors for work.

GSA is one of the main MT theatre establishments along with many others, but I would not say going there opens doors over any other place.
A friend of ours went there and so far has had no offers of work and she is extremely talented!
Yes I think you do need a reputable college/uni name behind you, work hard and be passionate about it all, then opportunities should come your way.

DD auditioned there 3 years ago and they turned their noses up when she said she had been to one of the top full time theatre schools from 10 - 16 years of age!!
How much more passionate do you need to be!!!
She is now loving where she is and has had lots of wonderful opportunities along the way!
I am afraid that sometimes it is all about raising funds for the college/uni.
OK rant over....lol
Good luck...

[Robin64]

I do think k it is a bit unfair to make a cut after a 2 minute song with no other skills shown and no interview etc especially for £55 plus travel and probably accommodation for some people too (referring to GSA here) they are apparently changing this next year to include dance workshop in the 1st audition.