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How to Audition for a Vocal Talent Competition

How should a singer deal with a cold?

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Jennifer Rutherford
Voice Instructor and Performer, Private and International School of Music, Bethesda
http://mysite.verizon.net/vzeylx9b/jenniferrutherfordsingerartist/  
301-365-9358 H 301-657-0763 W (ISM)

Jennifer has sung all styles from opera to jazz.  She has a Master's in performance from the University of Alberta, and has performed opera, oratorio, and her own solo show, in Canada, the US and abroad.  She now specializes in one-woman floor shows for banquets and special occasions, performing mostly show tunes, jazz, and ballads, and incorporating her own written dialog specific to the client's occasion. She recently took her act to Central Europe, where it was very well received, and is now finishing up her next CD.

How should a singer deal with a cold?

In this video, professional voice instructor Jennifer Rutherford of International School of Music, and private teacher in Bethesda Maryland, describes how to prepare for a competition like American Idol, or any other audition. Some tips on preparation, vocal health, song choice, and audition etiquette are covered. Warm ups are also suggested and demonstrated with student and model, Mair. The video assumes that candidates will have some level of training or natural ability, but would also be useful for the amateur interested in pursuing training for a career in singing.

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Host: How should a singer deal with a cold?

Jennifer Rutherford: It's every singers worst nightmare right to get a cold just before you have an audition. Well there are some certain products around that have zinc in them that are quite good. I personally use a Zicam but there are many other zinc based that you could use. I try to avoid crowds in the days leading up to an audition because I don't want to come in contact with those germs. I try and avoid touching my face, putting my hands to my face. You can even get a cold bug in your eye if you rub your eye. So you have to be careful not to make yourself sick. Just don't put yourself in those situations if possible. But if you happen to get a little cold assuming it is not horribly bad, you can try those products with zinc in them. Like I mentioned, you can also drink plenty of water.

Maybe put a little wedge of lemon in a giant bottle of water, one of those 32 ounce ounce bottles of water. I have sung a whole performance with Laryngitis with just drinking plenty of water and steaming myself, if you have the opportunity to bring a steamer. It is not always going to be something that you can plug in anywhere in an audition. But steaming and really keeping the vocal chords hydrated is really a key, because colds are drying out your system that's what they are doing. They are pulling that water out of your system and that's how come you have all this excess fluid coming out of you. So you need to put it back in.

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