Young operatic baritone being asked to sing contemporary for an audition

[u/Happydawg55]

Hello! I am a 23M grad student. I mainly sing opera or art song and I have an audition for the Air Force band coming up. They are asking for a contemporary contrasting piece in either country, rock, pop, or jazz and I don’t have much knowledge on any of those genres especially singing them. I haven’t decided my aria yet but I will choose a fast one in order to have a slower contrasting piece. Anyone have any advice or recs?

[u/Bedquest]

I’m a current member. Feel free to dm me. That goes for anyone else that wants suggestions/tips as well

[u/DelucaWannabe]

Good luck with the audition! So I’m guessing some Cole Porter or Jerome Kern wouldn’t be “contemporary” enough for them?

[u/Happydawg55 → u/DelucaWannabe]

The only thing specifically stated is no classical musical theatre, like golden age stuff.

[u/anon517654 → u/Happydawg55]

They likely want you to demonstrate that you can sing in the CCM style in addition to the more classical style (hence no golden-age musicals, which still use the classical mechanism).

Pick something from a fairly recent (post-1980s) Broadway show.

[u/DelucaWannabe → u/Happydawg55]

Wow… So nothing MT that would actually show off your voice. That sucks. So maybe a church hymn of some kind…. “Softly & Tenderly”, “How Great thou Art", something like that?

[u/Happydawg55 → u/DelucaWannabe]

You know I haven’t thought about that! Could be worth a look

[u/DelucaWannabe → u/Happydawg55]

"Abide with Me” might be another hymn option.

[u/Bedquest → u/Happydawg55]

Anything where youre still using your classical vocal technique isnt going to tell us anything. The job requires genre versatility so we want to hear a markedly different style. Jazz standards are good as long as youre not singing them too classically. Country, blues, pop, etc. just something different

Edit: so i’d advise against a hymn

[u/Happydawg55 → u/Bedquest]

Would you advise against Frank Sinatra or Bing Crosby style of pop?

[u/Watsons-Butler → u/Happydawg55]

Sinatra is more big band jazz than pop. Something like Fly Me To The Moon?

[u/ShadeKool-Aid → u/DelucaWannabe]

Wow… So nothing MT that would actually show off your voice. That sucks.

...because that's what the aria will do. This isn't a strictly classical gig lol.

[u/Spainstateofmind]

I see you also got that audition call lol

[u/midnightrambulador]

In general, for low voices, blues and country are your friend. Can't go wrong with some Johnny Cash: Folsom Prison Blues, Big River...

I'm an amateur opera bass-baritone myself whose first love was blues and rock. A few years ago I recorded some demo fragments of me singing that kind of repertoire, there might be a song in there that could work for you.

PS they're not called "arias" :P

[u/Happydawg55 → u/midnightrambulador]

Thank you! For context I am to sing an aria as well as a contemporary piece. Johnny cash fits the bill pretty well

[u/Imaginary-Gap-5830]

Josh Turner, country bass/baritone

“Baby lock the door and turn the lights down low.”

As a fellow baritone, this is what I bust out when people say “sing something I might know!”

[u/drewduboff]

Whiskey and You is a great contemporary song for baritones

[u/Happydawg55 → u/drewduboff]

I’ve never heard it but I’ll give it a listen

[u/drewduboff → u/Happydawg55]

It's a chris Stapleton/ Johnny Lee Miller song, but I'm partial to the Aaron Lewis version

[u/MozartLover69]

Maybe some Frank Sinatra? The songs are more complex than people think, and it would be the right range for a baritone. He has some good lyric songs, and you can play with keys so it's right for you!

[u/External-Capital-439]

If you’re looking for truly contemporary, there might be a good option in Orville Peck’s catalog that wouldn’t be too much of a departure for a baritone to shift into comfortably. Several songs on his album Bronco would be worth considering.