How much does an audition actually cost and what will I realistically get out of it?

Posted on by jessharper90

Hello friends,

This has been looping around in my head for a while, and I have wanted to get it out on digital paper for ages. The industry is tightening its belt every day, and we’re all feeling the pinch, so here’s a whole lot of real talk for you. I want you to dive head first into everything this profession brings with as much knowledge as you can, and I want to help you save money where possible.

Types of auditions we have available to us as classical/ opera singers:

  • Masters programs
  • YAPS
  • Chorus auditions (both opera house and radio choir)
  • Competitions
  • Agents
  • Soloist (for a specific role or a fest job in a house)

I’ll be bringing you a blog or vlog getting into more detail on the nuances of these auditions when I find time, but for now I just want to crunch some numbers with you.

Part one: Show me the money


Auditioning for Masters programs – costs involved

  • Application fee (depends on the country) – €50-€250
  • Postage/ extra random things* – €50 – €200
  • Audition videos – €200
  • Coachings beforehand/ with the teacher you want to work with ** – €200
  • Flights/ travel/ accommodation costs to attend audition – €100 – €1,500

Total: €600 – €2,350 (depending on the country, institution, how many applications you send, where you’re travelling from etc)

Pros of doing it: You’ll get your masters degree and network

YAPS

  • Flights/ travel/ accommodation costs to attend audition – €100 – €1,500
  • Application fee – €0 – €100
  • Audition videos – €200
  • Coaching your rep beforehand- €300
  • Flights/ travel/ accommodation costs to attend audition – €100 – €1,500

Total: €600 – €2,100

Pros: You’ll get paid (not a lot, but paid!), do roles, masterclasses and get lots of coachings

Chorus – both opera and radio choir

  • Flights/ travel/ accommodation costs to attend audition – €100 – €1,500
  • Application fee – €0
  • Audition videos – €200
  • Coaching your rep beforehand- €400 (you’ll have excerpts and they are NOT. EASY.)
  • Flights/ travel/ accommodation costs to attend audition – €100 – €1,500

Total: €700 – €2,100

Pros: Work/ life balance (some choruses do get worked very hard though) and tasty contract conditions

Comps

  • Flights/ travel/ accommodation costs to attend audition – €100 – €1,500
  • Application fee – €0 – €300 (but that being said, don’t apply for something if the entry fee is more than about 6% of the first prize)
  • Audition videos – €200
  • Coaching your rep beforehand- €400
  • Flights/ travel/ accommodation costs to attend audition – €100 – €1,500

Total: €600 – €2,100

Pros: Networking, singing for multiple casting agents on one day, prize money, visiting somewhere new, sometimes great quality videos

Agents

  • Application fee – €0 – €90 (DO NOT pay any more than room hire and pianist fee. Any ‘agent’ asking for more than that is probably a con artist)
  • Audition videos – €200
  • Coaching your rep beforehand- €200
  • Flights/ travel/ accommodation costs to attend audition – €100 – €1,500

Total: €500 – €1,900

Pros: Networking, private audition with the agent likely more engaged with you than they would be a larger setting (competition etc), potential work/ being sent to closed auditions

Soloist

Note – these are more or less impossible to get without an agent sending you (they don’t have to have signed you on to their books, but if they like you and want to see how you go with auditions, they will send you to a few)

  • Audition videos – €200
  • Coaching your rep beforehand- €200
  • Flights/ travel/ accommodation costs to attend audition – €100 – €1,500

Total: €500 – €1,800

Pros: Getting a sick gig straight up, planting the seeds for unknown future sick gigs, casting agents thinking of you for projects in other houses too

*I have heard from a few singers that there are some institutions now that insist you get a complete ENT scoping and send video proof of the health of your vocal mechanism BEFORE you have even been accepted for your audition.

** Some teachers offer trial lessons half price or the institution pays them anyway, so it’s free for you, which we love.

Part two: How successful am I going to be? How much money am I sinking in to this profession?

  • You’re going to get rejected, on average, 98% of the time***. Don’t take it personally, you’re doing great.

  • The cost of 30 auditions each year is approx: €15,000, which is made back super quickly once you’re working, but is as big an investment as it looks. Find yourself some remote working options ASAP. This will save you.

  • You won’t be successful first 2-3 years of auditioning fulltime, until all of a sudden you are. Most of those costs up there are tax deductible though, which is tasty (check that with a financial professional, don’t take my word for it!).

  • Your videos are only being recorded once or twice a year, so I would build that into your yearly budget of singing expenses. You also don’t have to hire a videographer – get a solid mic that attaches to your fancy AF phone camera and do it yourself. You also get excellent quality videos at most competitions these days too, which offsets the costs in a big way.

  • Approach every audition with rep you can sing NOW, not what you will sing in five years. You’re there to solve the casting problem, so be yourself and bring your best arias with you!

*** Unless you’re a super rare voice type and you have the goods to back it

P.S. Thanks for being here! If you like the blogs, find them useful, and want to see more of them, feel free to buy me a coffee or something else (but no pressure!) xxx