Wootton Bassett School of Dance
Musical Theatre Pages

These external links are provided for information on performing arts career funding, opportunities and auditions.  We try to find sites that are informative or entertaining or both, so suggestions and comments are welcome.  However, The Wootton Bassett School of Dance and its Music Theatre Class accepts no responsibility for the content or links on any external sites.

MRS FLEET RECOMMENDS: Kids Book of Vocal Solos - with backing CD.  Available from Brian Taylor Music or www.musicroom.com.  I've also discovered a Pewsey-based sheet music mail order company called WARBLERS. The website's a bit basic, but very clear, and they take PayPal.

SOME MIDI LINKS FOR INTERMEDIATE MUSICAL THEATRE CLASS (make sure your speakers are turned up):-

 LEARN SOME GREAT SONGS FROM THE MUSICALS - THE EASY WAY!   CLICK HERE

This web link is to the MUSICALS page of a sing-along website of MIDI music.  MIDI sounds very basic, but on this website, the melody has been very clearly picked out, which makes the song music very easy to follow.

The lyrics appear on the web page, with a little PLAY button for the tune (this is Apple Quicktime, which you can download for free if you don't have it. Be cautioned that I couldn't download this onto Firefox browser, so had to use Internet Explorer).

Midi pages
http://www.geocities.com/chi_girl3205/midi-page2.html
http://www.elite.net/~gurpal/movie1.htm
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/ian.henden/musicmain.htm (WWII songs)

FREE SHEET MUSIC DOWNLOADS....

Old Sheet Music Downloads
http://www.melodylane.net/sheets.html (Copyright-free. Needs $25 registration via PayPal)  

http://www.rowy.net/enFullVoc.html (Free pdf downloads of traditional songs. Instrumental music also available)   

http://www.sheetmusic1.com/music.rack.html Want to learn to read music? This site has free basic music reading exercises to print off - ideal for a beginner and for teachers.

Other Sheet Music Downloads

Some current artistes provide one or two sheet music downloads on their own websites, and it's worth searching for them.  For example, here are Ian White's free sheet download pages: http://www.littlemistymusic.com/content/downloads/iw_lyrics.html

Need to print some music manuscript paper?

Try these: http://www.sheetmusic1.com/grand.staff.nobarlines.pdf and http://www.sheetmusic1.com/staff.paper.pdf (pdf)  

Apparently, it can be learned.

Here is a link to software (available on unlimited free trial) that claims to be able to teach Perfect Pitch: http://www.silvawood.co.uk/pitch-download.htm

CeCe Sammy has worked with top vocal artistes and trained performers on shows such as Pop Idol and Just the Two of Us.

CLICK ON THIS LINK  to read some of her gems of advice for a good vocal performance.

Sing lots! Dance lots!

Widen your song repertoire (that's the list of songs you can do) by buying song sheets and backing tracks.

Where do you get them?  First port of call in Wootton Bassett is BRIAN TAYLOR MUSIC - the music shop opposite the church.  Just ask to be pointed towards the vocal music.

If you can't find what you want there (or have bought up the stock), have a look at MUSICROOM.COM.  I strongly recommend getting familiar with the advanced search options to nagivate this website (they're not actually that advanced - just comprehensive!).  Sheet music is also available as downloads, so you get it straight away.  Most of the music on this site is graded for difficulty too - handy when you're just starting out!

Then there's always AMAZON.CO.UK, but their categories won't narrow it down to a music songbook (I keep finding 'how to learn Chinese' etc. in my search results).  The search I've given here is for music books with CDs, in an attempt to cut out some of the junk.

And then there's SIBELIUS SCORCH for legally buying and downloading music online.  I like this one for voice pieces, because you can transpose the music (make it higher or lower) and then listen to it before you buy. 

REMEMBER!!! If you're intending to buy a backing track for use in competition, those that accept backing tracks WILL NOT ACCEPT a track with added vocal backing like you get on most KARAOKE discs.  Look for bona fide instrumental backing tracks rather than karaoke ones.

The National Youth Music Theatre auditions regularly to replace the talent that grows up!  Click on the logo above to visit their website.

The NATIONAL YOUTH THEATRE (not  the National Youth Music Theatre) auditions each year to replace talent that has grown up.  Age ranges: 13-16 and 16-21.  Of the 4000 applicants in 2006, 750 were offered a place on a course. The courses are taken during school holidays and cost around £200-£300 plus the cost of travel and accommodation etc.

The National Youth Theatre operates four activity streams:

• Auditions and Recruitment
• Courses
• Production
• Education, Training and Community (ETC)

Participants who pro-actively apply to the organisation and enter the company through the Auditions and Recruitment process and subsequently engage with courses and productions are referred to as “members”.  Once a member has completed a course, they may then audition for the performing company each year until they reach the upper age limit, taking part in Productions or ETC projects which form part of the public showcase of the company each year. The participation of members in Production will be in acting and technical departments (stage management, lighting & sound, costume and scenery & prop building).

After the initial course, The NYT makes no further charge to its members to be involved in any of its activities, other than an audition fee each year if you wish to audition for productions. This is currently £25 (check website for updates). However, if you are involved in a production or any other activity, you will need to cover your own accommodation and living costs.

Awards are for students aged 16+  are available at some of England's leading private Performing Arts institutions for acting and dancing. Click on logo for more information.

The Esmée Fairbairn Foundation also funds individual artistes throughout their careers.

BREATHING WHILE SINGING AND DANCING

Excellent advice on the BBC Blast Dance website (click this text)