BA / Foundation MT courses Sept 18

[Live_thedream]

Can't believe I've only just found this site. DS is in the middle of auditioning at the moment and so much good information on here.

So far he's done:

Chichester - offered a place, but hated the audition there so he doesn't want to go
Arden - offered on the BA
Arts Ed - offered Foundation and he loved it, but don't think we can afford it.

He did the regional Mountview audition last week, but we've not heard anything yet. They said 'a few days' so hoping we'll hear soon if he's got a recall or not.

GSA regional audition is on Thursday.

He's applied to new Italia Conti MT degree too, but although girls he knows have already had auditions, him and another boy he knows have heard nothing. Anyone else any experience of the auditions for this new degree?

It's so helpful isn't it. I found it by chance last year and couldn't believe I hadn't before. Sounds like your DS has had great success. Well done to him My DS has Italia Conti audition in April. Not heard much about it from others so far in this forum.

[DGtherunner]

Thanks. Good luck to your DS at Italia Conti, we've still heard nothing. I'll get him to ring. Just a bit frustrating when another girl on his course who applied at the same time as him (October last year) has already auditioned and been offered a place.

In other news we heard from Mountview today. He's been turned down for the MT course but offered a free audition for the Actor Musician course there. Anyone know anything about that?

[Scarytimes]

Thanks. Good luck to your DS at Italia Conti, we've still heard nothing. I'll get him to ring. Just a bit frustrating when another girl on his course who applied at the same time as him (October last year) has already auditioned and been offered a place.

In other news we heard from Mountview today. He's been turned down for the MT course but offered a free audition for the Actor Musician course there. Anyone know anything about that?

my friend's DD was offered the same re-audition and got through to a recall. She said it sounds a great course

[DGtherunner]

Thanks. That's good to know. Having read the website it sounds like it may actually suit him better than triple threat, but think he may have his heart set on triple threat! I've not come across anyone who's done an actor musician course though and wondered what it was actually like.

[rhythmanddreams]

Is anyone else going to be at the Chichester auditions next Saturday? Or has anyone's child auditioned at Chichester this year , who can give me an insight into what to expect on the audition day? I don't know who is more nervous, me or my daughter!

[theMTAonline]

Thanks. That's good to know. Having read the website it sounds like it may actually suit him better than triple threat, but think he may have his heart set on triple threat! I've not come across anyone who's done an actor musician course though and wondered what it was actually like.

I can't tell you about the course (Isn't this the first year of the Mountview actor/muso course?) - however tell your son that a good actor/muso is ALWAYS in work. Seriously. They work non-stop, much more so than a traditional so called triple threat performer. Good luck to you son.
Edited...to note that it's definitely not a new course - I can't remember which of the larger colleges it is then that is also starting up an actor/muso course this year - but if he ends up liking the look of it there are a few established ones around (Rose Bruford was the original one, and therefore the most established)...and there's a 'new' one starting somewhere else this year too :-)

[ajbew]

It's definitely not a new course. My DS is in his third year at Mountview doing musical theatre, but the actor musician course was going at least a year before he started. At Mountview they take about 36 for musical theatre, 36 for acting and 18 on their actor musician course. Whether these numbers will change next year when they have the new premises I couldn't say. DS has loved every minute. All the courses are full on. I think the actor musician has less dance than the musical theatre but obviously more musicianship. Mountview seem very good at marketing their students in the third year. DS will be in three musicals and a showcase this year, all in front of agents. One musical is double cast and for the other two the musical theatre students have been split into two groups and done different musicals, so small casts and plenty of opportunity to get seen. It is similar for the actors and the actor musicians. Hope this helps.

[DGtherunner]

It's definitely not a new course. My DS is in his third year at Mountview doing musical theatre, but the actor musician course was going at least a year before he started. At Mountview they take about 36 for musical theatre, 36 for acting and 18 on their actor musician course. Whether these numbers will change next year when they have the new premises I couldn't say. DS has loved every minute. All the courses are full on. I think the actor musician has less dance than the musical theatre but obviously more musicianship. Mountview seem very good at marketing their students in the third year. DS will be in three musicals and a showcase this year, all in front of agents. One musical is double cast and for the other two the musical theatre students have been split into two groups and done different musicals, so small casts and plenty of opportunity to get seen. It is similar for the actors and the actor musicians. Hope this helps.

That's fantastic. Thank you for the reply. He is really excited seeing the course and it's now the one he wants! I think they get so hung up on being the triple threat that they don't read the full prospectus.

[DGtherunner]

I can't tell you about the course (Isn't this the first year of the Mountview actor/muso course?) - however tell your son that a good actor/muso is ALWAYS in work. Seriously. They work non-stop, much more so than a traditional so called triple threat performer. Good luck to you son.
Edited...to note that it's definitely not a new course - I can't remember which of the larger colleges it is then that is also starting up an actor/muso course this year - but if he ends up liking the look of it there are a few established ones around (Rose Bruford was the original one, and therefore the most established)...and there's a 'new' one starting somewhere else this year too :-)

That's good to hear! It's such a worry that they will do all this training and spend all this money to be working in McDonalds. He is a musician first and then actor/dancer second. He started acting late, but is really enjoying Shakespeare and the acting parts of his BTEC.

[Felicity]

Is anyone else going to be at the Chichester auditions next Saturday? Or has anyone's child auditioned at Chichester this year , who can give me an insight into what to expect on the audition day? I don't know who is more nervous, me or my daughter!

My DD auditioned at Chichester in January. It was a longish day (think they finished around 3) in which they did quite a bit of workshopping, dancing and then finally singing. She only had to sing one of her songs but some were asked to sing both. DD didn’t have to deliver her monologue but was asked about character development in relation to her song.

Hope this helps and good luck to your DD!

[DGtherunner]

Is anyone else going to be at the Chichester auditions next Saturday? Or has anyone's child auditioned at Chichester this year , who can give me an insight into what to expect on the audition day? I don't know who is more nervous, me or my daughter!

DS auditioned in December. He had an awful day which was really disorganised, ran over hugely so he nearly missed the last train back up north (he left early at 5.30pm). However, he knows people who have auditioned on different days and each audition day has been different, some brilliant, some not so good.

DS performed both his songs, but they didn't hear his monologue. There was a drama workshop, but on his day they were just left alone for several hours to work something out in groups and then they didn't really have time to perform it because it ran over so much. The day had started with a dance workshop.

Good luck to your DD. Hopefully they've sorted out the problems now and she'll have a fab day!

[Percy]

I have been reading various posts on this forum with interest for a good few months now and have gleaned so much useful information from all of your posts. I feel that I could write a book about my DD’s experiences so far! She has had a few auditions so far- some she loved and some not at all and has had to contend with several rejections. It has been quite a lonely process for her in that her friends don’t really “get” the whole audition thing, how competitive it really is and how much it means to her. On the plus side, she has definitely learned a lot and feels more determined than ever to pursue a dance career. She has received a foundation year offer at LIPA and although it’s not the degree offer she really wanted, she is actually quite pleased with the offer and she would only be one of about 20 on the course. I’m interested to know of anyone else whose DC attends or has attended LIPA and also what your thoughts are on doing a foundation year. Good luck to everyone else! :D

[rhythmanddreams]

Is anyone else going to be at the Chichester auditions next Saturday? Or has anyone's child auditioned at Chichester this year , who can give me an insight into what to expect on the audition day? I don't know who is more nervous, me or my daughter!

DS auditioned in December. He had an awful day which was really disorganised, ran over hugely so he nearly missed the last train back up north (he left early at 5.30pm). However, he knows people who have auditioned on different days and each audition day has been different, some brilliant, some not so good.

DS performed both his songs, but they didn't hear his monologue. There was a drama workshop, but on his day they were just left alone for several hours to work something out in groups and then they didn't really have time to perform it because it ran over so much. The day had started with a dance workshop.

Good luck to your DD. Hopefully they've sorted out the problems now and she'll have a fab day!

just to say thanks to those who replied to my question about about Chichester. I hope the audition department have got themselves a bit more sorted! I'll be a bit if she doesn't get to do her monologue, as the drama private lessons have cost a small fortune. Am really not sure about these auditions where they have to do a group creative piece- as it can come down to who is there on the day and who you get stuck in a group with, I don't think it's a good way to see what the students can actually do. Fair enough, some short improvisation work or a quick drama exercise can help them to see how the students behave whilst working in a group and how they respond to others, but left for several hours to work on a piece?? That sounds crazy to me?! Surely they would have been better seeing everyone's monologues to see their acting skills at their best. I hope that they will run reasonably on time as we also have a train to catch, we have some leeway but not hours. My daughter thoroughly enjoyed the November open day but I was a little bit on the fence and wasn't impressed with the Bognor Campus at all, which is where the triple threat course is based.

Still waiting to hear about an audition date from Performers - closing date was last Friday, but received nothing as of yet. I have to organise travel, overnight stays and may have to rejuggle some work deadlines, as there are four consecutive audition days and we don't know which one it will be, so it's a bit of a headache all round. Was really hoping that she would have had an email by today.

[Felicity]

Is anyone else going to be at the Chichester auditions next Saturday? Or has anyone's child auditioned at Chichester this year , who can give me an insight into what to expect on the audition day? I don't know who is more nervous, me or my daughter!

Hope it went well for your DD! What did she think?
My DD heard back within a few days after the audition so not too long to wait...

[Marissa]

Is anyone else going to be at the Chichester auditions next Saturday? Or has anyone's child auditioned at Chichester this year , who can give me an insight into what to expect on the audition day? I don't know who is more nervous, me or my daughter!

Hope it went well for your DD! What did she think?
My DD heard back within a few days after the audition so not to long to wait...

Yes how did it go? Hopefully well xxx