How do you audition well enough to get into Julliard?

Question:

How do you audition well enough to get into Julliard?

I'm a singer, and want to go to Julliard so badly. I need advice on how to prepare for auditions and get the judges to really LOVE me. And how do I not get nervous and freak out? Thanks everyone.

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: I was in the opera program at Juilliard (just to let you know, the only voice program at Juilliard is opera). The only criteria of getting into Juilliard is your audition, that's it! In the training of a singer, it is more about the process over the long term, so getting nervous and over-practicing will not do you any good. The most important thing is to get a good private voice teacher (keep on trying teachers until you get the perfect fit). Extra things that you might want to try to get is to learn Italian (or at least know basic diction), piano, music theory, ear training, dance, and acting. These things are not needed for the audition, but will give you a jump start if you end up studying at Juilliard.

First you send in a tape/CD, and those they like will be invited to NY for a live audition. At the audition you sing 2 pieces. In selecting pieces, rather than singing "showy" or "difficult" pieces," you should sing pieces that represent your voice at its best and that you sing perfectly. It is better, for this audition, to pick easier pieces than hard pieces (art songs are better than arias). For example, your Italian piece should be one from the "24 Arias and Songs" book. The people who are selected for the callback are required to take a written theory test of basic roman numerals analysis, a test on how well you are in a coaching situation (where you have a 15 minute diction coaching with one of the Juilliard coaches), and then an ear training test where they ask you intervals and then ask you musical questions about the pieces you sang in your audition.

Being nervous is a good thing, but to get rid of the bad kind of nervousness you should prepare well. Nothing can go wrong if you know your stuff . Remember, when you audition the judges want you to succeed because they are looking for talented students for their school. Juilliard is looking for good overall performers: good diction, musicality, and don't forget to act!

Hope this helps!!