Studying the Song - Audition Prep and Musicianship for Musical Theatre

Want to refresh your audition book, but not sure where to start?  This episode gives you an easy 3-step exercise to jumpstart the process of cleaning out your book and finding the songs that will really move the needle in your career. I’ve been hearing from a lot of coaching clients that they want to work on their audition books.  They feel like they haven’t changed the material in ages, they want...

Learn 6 different types of motivic development and how motives provide the architecture of a melody. Today’s episode continues our 3-part series on MELODY and how it tells a story.  We’ll examine what a motive is and how we can alter and develop them to create variation and interest throughout the melody.  Once you understand the logic of the architecture of the melody, you can make your own infor...

In this 3-part series, I’m dissecting melodic composition and how it impacts storytelling in song.  I’ll be answering the questions: What is melody?  How is it constructed?  And most importantly, how does melody tell a story of its own?  This episode zeroes in on melodic contour and how it can elevate your interpretation of lyrics.  I walk you through specific song examples while I discuss conjunc...

My experience with reading deprivation and giving up social media for a week.   In this episode I get personal as I share my journey of reading The Artist’s Way and doing one particular exercise -- READING DEPRIVATION.  Sound scary?   Hate the idea immediately?  Well, If your brain is feeling fried or like you’ve got constant static going on, then it might be exactly what you need. After just 5 da...

Learn five advanced techniques for clarifying your storytelling and improving your vocal performance.  Spoiler alert: these aren’t the things everyone talks about!  I’m going to lay out the 5 MOST COMMON MISTAKES I see singers make when interpreting their songs in an audition.   I’ll also discuss WHY they’re so important and HOW YOU CAN FIX these mistakes.  Once you learn these advanced techniques...

Master voice teacher and operatic tenor, Enrique Toral, shares his refreshingly organic approach to interpreting a song and singing it with YOUR true voice. Have you ever struggled to find your unique voice? Or, maybe you’ve worried that you don’t sound as good as your favorite singer or cast recording? Enrique Toral, a performing artist who has won acclaim across the United States and Europe, pul...

Today, I’m talking about the power of CREATING CONTEXT for your audition song, and how it trumps all the high notes and vocal gymnastics you could ever sing. Join me as I talk about “the moment before,” plot conflict, what your character desires, and how your character changes over the course of a show – all in the name of creating a beautiful, three-dimensional character who is on a JOURNEY in yo...

Here are the 10 things I’m listening for when I’m looking for a great audition song. As a musical theatre singer, you are constantly in the process of auditioning and putting yourself in front of creatives.  You’re looking at audition notices to find out what to bring for the music portion of the audition, and even though they may be pretty specific about what you should bring (e.g. 16 bars from m...

Start tuning into your INTUITION and figuring out what your heart, body, and spirit need in order to get back into the creative flow. Have you ever procrastinated on a project or gotten anxiety about pushing record on your self-tape?  Maybe you're  crippled by thoughts like “why is this so hard?,” “maybe I’m not meant to do this?,” and “maybe I’m not good enough."  Are the things that usually to b...

Do these 3 things and you WILL instantly sound like a better singer.  EVEN IF your range has decreased, even if you’re feeling out of shape physically, these 3 techniques will have you sounding more professional immediately. I’ve been hearing from so many singers that they are having anxiety about “getting back out there” in the audition scene and on the stage.  Not only are they feeling that thei...

If you’re interested in auditioning for Hadestown or being on the creative team for a future production, then check this episode out.  I break down the musical score, talk about each character and their vocal requirements, give you a list of artists to look at for audition material, talk through a summary of the show, and give a little background on the creative team. Whether you’ve listened to th...

From being a self-described ‘cancer’ happy just doing her own thing to a piano-playing comedienne headlining at The Comedy Store, Kathryn walks us through how she created a career for herself where there was no established path to follow.  In this interview, Kathryn reveals the quotes that changed her approach to creativity, how to craft a cabaret show that is completely unique to YOU, what she’s...

Can every song in your audition book pass this 5-Question test?  If not, your book might actually be stopping you from booking gigs.  That is NOT what you want! Today, we’re going to RESET your audition book so that it is working FOR you and not AGAINST you.  I’m going to walk you through 5 questions that you must ask of every song in your book.  If you can answer all YES’s, then you can keep the...

Learn how to pick out the most important moments in your pop song so that you’re telling a compelling story and showing your vocal range. At first, it can seem like there are infinite options and how do you figure out the best one for your audition. But, once you know the song forms, you’ll discover that there are really just a few options to pick from and the whole process is really quite simple....

In this episode, I share the 6 Main Attitudes of Rock Music that should form the foundation of your rock auditions.  Ever wonder why your rock auditions are missing the mark?  You’ve got the right song, the right cut, the right range, the right pop “isms,” but there’s still something that’s “off.”  I see this all the time in students, and it can be super frustrating for them because they seem to h...

Today’s episode is the first Show Breakdown on the podcast.  I’m going to walk you through a musical the same way I would walk through it as a coach looking for material for students.  This is one of my favorite things to do in life, so I’m excited to bring it to you here on the podcast. We’ll talk about the creative team, give a brief summary of the show, and then dive into the characters and the...

For the past year, theatre artists’ livelihoods have been stripped away.  We’ve been cut off from the work that feeds our soul, that we’ve been trained to do, and artists have had to find new ways of supporting themselves by building new businesses or getting other jobs.  As 2021 gets underway, we’re hoping we’ll be able to begin our work again this year. While we may not have a definitive return...

What specific things do you do with your voice to create a particular vocal style?  How do you sound authentic in a given music genre?  From musical theatre singers who want to sound more "rock" to pop singers who want to sing contemporary musical theatre, I walk you through the 3 simple keys to creating vocal style so you'll sound "right" in every genre.  Press play and let's dive in! xo, Korrie...

Part 2 of our discussion about the 10 audition song categories you need to have in your book.  This episode covers categories 4-10, including the exact shows and composers that fit into each category.  There's even a BONUS CATEGORY that I think many of you will benefit from having. FREE CHECKLIST available on the resources page over at korrieyamaoka.com!

An in depth look at the 10 audition song categories you need in your book, including which shows and composers fit into each category.   FREE CHECKLIST available on the resources page at korrieyamaoka.com/resources.

Welcome!  In this episode I share why I wanted to start this podcast and who this podcast is for.  It all goes back to the one superpower I wish I had!