In the above video, courtesy of our brand new premium course, TheoryWorks II: Sight Singing & Harmony Essentials, New York City vocal teacher and actor Amy Marie Stewart gives her take on why singing actors need to be able to grasp at least a fundamental understanding of music theory in order to maximize their chances of nailing an audition.
The course goes deep in guiding students through the methods of learning how to sight sing more fluidly by mastering intervals and grasping harmony and chord theory, and offers tips and surefire strategies for making audition cuts (or dealing with cuts when they’re made on the fly!).
Many actors struggle to learn new music without a plunk track, or a coach to help them learn. (We have a course for that, too!) But even fewer are comfortable sight singing. Sight singing skills become especially crucial after an actor books a gig. The first two days of rehearsal are almost always devoted to sight reading through the score. If actors are uncomfortable, they can feel left behind — and worse, slow down the process.
The key is to link up a singer’s already incredible ear with what they see on the page — and, use a more robust knowledge of harmony to anticipate what comes next. Learning key signatures, intervals, scales, chord progressions, and function help singers be one step ahead. And, become the kind of colleagues that get hired back again and again.
Learn more about the new course and sign up here. And remember, you’ll have the full support and guided coaching of a Soundfly Mentor along your journey. Here’s a closer look at how this online mentored course experience will unfold from week to week over the full six weeks of the course.
More About Amy Marie Stewart
Amy is a New York-based actor, singer, and vocal coach who’s worked in a variety of genres, from opera to rock musicals. She is the founder of TheoryWorks and the instructor for both Music Theory for Broadway Actors courses on Soundfly. She’s also a published expert whose articles on music theory for actors have been featured on Backstage (here and here), and an accomplished educator and coach whose students have appeared on Broadway, on national tours, on cruise lines, and in regional theater performances across the country.
As a performer, she was recently seen in Sondheim on Sondheim at the FreeFall Theatre in a cast that included Ann Morrison (the original Mary in “Merrily We Roll Along”), and Kissy Simmons (Nala, “The Lion King,” on Broadway). She also loves classical music by angsty Germans, moonlighting as the frontman for a yacht rock cover band, serving on the leadership council for March Chorus NYC, and more.
Our one-on-one mentorship program is built on our belief that accountability and guidance can have a huge impact on students reaching their goals and developing their musical identities. Soundfly’s community of mentors will help you set the right goals, pave the right path toward success, and stick to schedules and routines that you develop together, so you improve every step of the way.
Tell us what you’re working on, and we’ll find the right mentor or course for you!
