Auditions

Audition and information forms are sent to each school at the start of Term 3 for students to register their interest in auditioning for one of more of the ensembles. Application forms are then required at the CSO by the last day of Term 3. 

Auditions are planned to be held in Weeks 3 and 4 of Term 4 with students informed of the outcome of their performance by the end of the school year, before the program begins the following year. All other costs are met by the CSO.

 

The Dance audition

The dance audition is entirely workshop-based. You will be taken through some skills-based exercises before learning some new choreography. You may have an opportunity to add your own choreography so it’s a good idea to have some ideas in your head about what you might do. 

 

The Drama audition

The drama auditions take the form of a drama workshop comprising of a series of drama exercises in movement, voice, character work and devising (creating short scenes).

Junior Drama (Years 5-8):  There are two parts of the audition:  Part 1:  a half hour drama workshop during which the auditionees will be taken through a series of drama games and exercises that will look at movement, character, and voice.  Part 2:  You will be required to prepare a short one minute monologue or an opening line.   You are required to write a short one minute monologue: 

  • Aliens in the school
  • The overenthusiastic gardener
  • Phobia of Bananas
  • Banned from going to the Supermarket
  • The life of a movie star
  • The lost diary
  • The case of the missing chocolate bar

OR

You are required to prepare a short one-minute monologue using one of the opening lines below to begin their piece:

  • I wrote Taylor Swift’s latest song
  • Don’t tell my parents but I got a dog
  • I’m a superhero you know
  • What do you think you’re doing with that chewing gum
  • You’re leaving me out again
  • No that’s not my toothbrush
  • I can’t stand the sound of lawnmowers

 

Senior Drama (Years 9-12):  There are two parts of the audition:  Part 1: a half hour drama workshop during which the auditionees will be taken through a series of drama games and exercises that will look at movement, character, and voice.   Part 2:  You will be required to prepare a one minute monologue, this can either be from an existing text or be written by the student.  If opting to write your own monologue please use one of below titles:

  • Why I’m giving up social media
  • When cats go bad
  • The Arrogant Artist
  • Detention…again
  • The long walk home

 

The Instrumental audition

All instrumental auditions are 10 minutes. You are required to prepare a short piece that you feel shows off your ability. After performing your piece for the panel you will either be given some sight reading, asked to perform some scales or asked to improvise around some chords or with another instrument.

 

The Vocal audition

For your vocal audition you will be placed in a group of up to 20 students of similar age. The first part of the audition will comprise learning a new song as a group and some simple movement to go with it. This allows us to see how well you pick up new music, lyrics and movement and place them together, but it should also be fun! 

In the second half of the audition everyone will be required to sing the first verse and chorus of one of the 10 songs below. You will be required to sing with the backing track, a link is provided to each song so you can practice.  

Select ONE of the excerpts below to perform at your audition. Please note the track times for each excerpt- you only need to learn this section. These will be the tracks played at the auditions. You will need to sing the lyrics from memory (not allowed to read lyrics at the audition).

Please select the song that best suits your voice (even if it's not your favourite from the list!). It's important that the melody is in your vocal range as well as features your vocal skill and technique. Spend time singing through each song, including the original track, so you know which song will best feature your voice.

 High

  1. Glorius performed by One Voice Children's Choir 0:00 - 1:04  Glorious Karaoke for Choir (youtube.com) 
  2. Radioactive by Imagine Dragons  0:35 - 1:35 Imagine Dragons - Radioactive (Karaoke Version) (youtube.com)
  3. Heart of Stone from Six: The Musical  0:10 - 1:40    "Heart of Stone" from Six: The Musical - Karaoke Track with Lyrics (youtube.com)
  4. What Was I Made For by Billie Eilish 0:06 - 1:42  Billie Eilish - What Was I Made For? (Karaoke Version [From The Barbie Soundtrack] - YouTube 
  5. Decode by Paramore  0:00 - 1:10     Paramore • Decode (CC) 🎤 [Karaoke] [Instrumental Lyrics] (youtube.com)
  6. Higher Love by Kygo and Whitney Houston  0:00 - 1:12   Higher Love - Kygo, Whitney Houston Karaoke 【No Guide Melody】 Instrumental (youtube.com)

Low

  1. Human by Rag 'n' Bone Man 0:20 - 1:39  Rag'n'Bone Man - Human (Karaoke Version) - YouTube
  2. Before You Go by Lewis Capaldi 0:10 - 1:26  Lewis Capaldi - Before You Go (Karaoke Version) (youtube.com) 
  3. Budapest by George Ezra  0:10 - 1:08  George Ezra - Budapest (Karaoke Version) (youtube.com)