By the Numbers

Statistics for this year. Skip entirely if this kind of thing irritates, confuses or demoralizes you. Read and use if you are curious or you find it useful.

What’s to be learned?
Fach: Sopranos represent about half of all aspiring singers. (Don’t despair, soprani; just acknowledge that the competition is stiff. It just means that you must hold yourself to a very high standard, vocally and artistically.) Tenors are better represented than basses.

Location Location Location:
New York is, predictably, a popular audition site. We always spend at least four days there. For some reason, the Midwest is extraordinarily busy this year. The west coast cities are always underpopulated.

Age and Training:
Although we don't have an age limit, there's an obvious chronological component. Our program is targeted toward those singers who are just beginning their careers. (90% of the auditionees are either in grad school, have recently finished, or are in young artist programs.)

Applicants for 2006 Auditions

Total Number – 558

By voice type

• 52% soprano
• 20% mezzo
• 1% countertenor
• 13% tenor
• 10% baritone
• 4% bass-baritone & bass

By city

• Philadelphia – 6%
• New York – 44%
• Vienna – 9%
• Houston – 5%
• Seattle – 4%
• Chicago – 18%
• Cincinnati – 13%

Applicants Scheduled for Live Audition

Total Number – 318 (57% of all applicants)

By voice type

• 50% soprano
• 18% mezzo
• 2% countertenor
• 13% tenor
• 13% baritone
• 5% bass-baritone & bass

Other Statistics

33% of this year’s auditionees are new to us.

Average age of applicants - 27.
Average age of auditionees - 26.

Of those who were accepted to audition, their current “status” breaks down like this:

• 43% finished an advanced degree or extended (not summer) young artist program within the last two years.
• 36% are finishing an advanced degree (M.M., A.D., P.D., D.M.A)
• 12% are currently involved in a young artist training program
• 9% finished their academic or young artist training within the last 3-5 years
• 1% are doing undergraduate work

That’s where it stops for now. No pie charts, bar graphs or Venn diagrams. There are a few lessons to be learned from these numbers, but there’s no future in dwelling on them. It doesn’t matter where you fall in these lists if you sing with consummate skill, integrity, commitment, imagination, and passion.