And so here we are, with all of the Times Square tourists, right across the street from Madame Tussaud’s (which seems to be doing gangbusters business on Halloween week). We’re at the New 42, one of the most pleasant places we’ve used for auditions in New York. Abundant natural light, clean space, and acoustics both generous enough for singers and conservative enough for us. We really miss the Upper West Side, but we’re staying across the street at the Hilton, and the convenience is seductive. Not that I don’t miss getting breakfast at the Fairway, coffee at the 72nd Street Starbucks, then walking 30 blocks, but…
This is Day 1 of a 31-day process which ends the day before Thanksgiving. We’re feeling focused, calm, and optimistic. This is the clear-eyed infancy of the tour :) Some excellent singing today, and no aria repeats! (The 80/20 rule seems to apply here as elsewhere in the universe: 80% of the singers sing the same 20% of the available arias. I’m not complaining. I’m just sayin’.)
Evening brought an Inspector work session with Musto, followed by Italian food in Morningside Heights. Grappling with reacquainting myself with the audition tour mechanics before bed – we always seem to forget how tedious it is from year to year. Importing and exporting things out of databases, sharing comments with panelists, keeping track of cancellations and appointment changes, naming and backing up audio and video (so that we can keep it all straight 3 weeks from now), clearing out a day’s accumulation of work email.
We’ve decided that the mirror in Studio 3A (which we keep covered up most of the time for acoustics’ sake) is blessedly flattering. So it was the perfect device for the WTOC Audition Tour: Team New York Official Photo.
KPW, Wise Panelist Miah Im, Rahree, Fierce Pianist Michael Baitzer
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