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[0:00] Charlie Murphy: Hello, hello, and welcome to Mapping The College Audition, where I'm your host, Charlie Murphy, director of MTCA. That's Musical Theatre College Auditions. And today we've got Errik Hood from NYU Steinhardt on the show. For our newer listeners, it's one of our college deep dive episodes where we explore the landscape of the college theatre world and try to demystify this daunting audition process school by school. And as you'll hear in this interview, this was a school I have been dying to have on the pod. Of course, from jump, many of our listeners have asked about NYU and whether they should look at Tisch or Steinhardt and how they should make that decision. And so I've wanted to have both schools represented well on the podcast.

And after a very long time of figuring out scheduling, we have made it happen. And honestly, I think it was worth the wait. I thought Errik was a great interview. So smart, really warm, easy to talk to. I think you're really going to enjoy. We go deep on Steinhardt itself in terms of the interview. We talk about vocal performance programs in general and how they can relate to BFAMT programs, especially in their case. And then we end with some deep vocal pedagogy nerding out. So I think you're really going to enjoy that interview. For MTCA students, I am just going to do one more reminder about mocks. I talked about it last week on the episode with Calvin Smith, though, again, I know not all of you listen to all of the artist episodes.

But please, for my sake, please make sure you are signed up for a mock. Our November New York City mock is full as well as our L.A. mock in mid-November. But we do have some space, a little bit of space left in December and January in New York City and a very few spots left in our Chicago and online mocks coming up this month. All of those mocks will fill up. So please make sure you secure your spot if you're a senior who's auditioning. These are, as we've said before, the number one most important event in your year and making you feel fully prepped for the live audition experience. So please don't shortchange yourself. Do a mock. I'll actually say personally, I'm very excited for a bit of travel to Chicago and L.A. Both Leo and I will be traveling to both of those mocks and we're going to have a number of amazing MTCA coaches traveling alongside us.

It should be super fun and a nice preview for the Unifieds travel coming up in January and February, where we'll also be in both those cities for Unifieds. I'm just going to say in general, part of the reason I'm looking forward to Chicago and L.A. and that travel, I'm just sending love to all of you out there, especially anyone who is stressed about this election coming up a week from yesterday as you're hearing this. I'm of course not going to talk about partisan politics on this podcast. God knows you likely get enough of that in your life and from other sources. Hopefully this podcast can be one of your refuges from all of that. But I will say I really hope you all take care of yourself this week and likely over the next few weeks as this thing drags out.

I know personally I get filled with anxiety just thinking about it like just like we have to do in our career as artists. We have to remind ourselves, it's a constant reminder of control what we control, right? But especially for our parent listeners to whom I recently gave this exact advice on a recent parent panel webinar, we do sometimes neglect taking care of ourselves. So please let's make sure that you do take care of yourself the same way that in order to be an effective support system for your child you have to put your own mask on first. I believe as a citizen we owe it to our fellow citizens to make sure we're taking care of ourselves and not letting the anticipation and the anxiety make us spin.

I've told the story before, I often tell this of a mom who was about to attend Unifieds and told me all the 10,000 things that she was currently doing for a child and she said, what else do I need to do? What else can I do? And I was like, you need to book a massage. She was like, a massage? Where can you possibly fit a massage in? She's got back-to-back appointments here and there. And I was like, no, for you, you need to book a massage for you. You're not going to be any help to your child as the ball of stress that I'm currently experiencing. So I wish that for all of you this week, whether it's specifically a massage or whatever you need to do to take care of yourself is just advice I'm giving out loud to myself.

Our family all voted this weekend and it was a really beautiful experience. I'd been explaining to Solvay the importance of voting, the history of it and why some people especially might hold it very precious because they didn't always have the ability to do it throughout our history, especially we live in Harlem, so some people in our neighborhood. And for some reason she made the connection to Moana because she just kept shouting, we were voyagers. Anyone who knows Moana will know what I'm talking about. It's like running out of the cave. And it was like a really beautiful and kind of stunning connection she was able to make about like who we have been and who we are and what brings us pride as a culture.

And I'm not sure any of that was going on for her. Maybe she just happened to hear a word that reminded her of something they say in Moana. But anyway, so after we voted, she kept shouting to every stranger we met, we voted, like in the tone of like we were voyagers. And it really warmed my heart and eased some of my anxiety personally. So maybe that story can bring a bit of warmth into your lives and your crazy weeks as well. Okay, without further ado, let's get into this conversation with Errik Hood from NYU Steinhardt.

[5:13] Charlie Murphy: Well, we are so excited to be joined by Errik Hood from NYU Steinhardt. Errik has a BM from Wright State University, an MM from Northwestern, and a DMA from Ohio State University. He has many credits in operas and concert appearances, including internationally in places like Carnegie Hall, and is an assistant professor of vocal performance and the director of the program in vocal performance at NYU Steinhardt, which is located unsurprisingly in New York, New York. They take about 30 in the total vocal performance cohort for freshmen. We'll talk about that a little. And they offer a BM in vocal performance and a BM in vocal performance concentration musical theater, which we'll talk about some of those specifics for our musical theater and vocal performance curious folks. Errik, welcome on the pod. How are you feeling today?

[6:00] Errik Hood: I'm feeling great. Thank you for the lovely introduction. And I'm so thrilled to get to talk to you today.

[6:05] Charlie Murphy: We are too. And I'll let people a little behind the curtain. Errik is like the last of a cohort of colleges that I've been so excited and been trying to schedule for so long. He's been patient with us. We've been patient. We've been scheduling. So sometimes when you say, have you guys ever thought about having NYU Steinhardt? Yes, we have. I promise we have. We've thought about it. We've been trying to have busy lives. Errik has a busy life.

[6:25] Errik Hood: You're being so gracious. Yeah, it's been a busy year, a busy semester in the spring. And we've gone back and forth trying to find the perfect time. And I'm so glad it's finally worked out. Thank you so much.

[6:36] Charlie Murphy: This is the perfect time. We found it. Okay, let's start off with the hardest question, which for some schools is a bit of a softball. Often I kind of toss out like, tell me about the ethos of what makes a Carnegie Mellon student or tell me about the ethos or whatever. I want to do that to you in kind of multiple parts. I'd love to hear about like what your feelings of the ethos of an NYU student is kind of in general. But then I think I want to find different ways to answer. I think probably ask this question a couple of different ways. So many of our students are going to try to answer that question of should I be applying to Steinhardt or Tisch if I know I'm interested in musical theater and I know I'm interested in NYU, which I think those two separate things often interest people.

They like NYU and they like musical theater. They like vocal performance. Let's talk about that. So I'd love to kind of hear from as many perspectives as you can sort of your feelings of what an NYU student is and then what's maybe specific to Steinhardt about why a student might apply there as opposed to Tisch.

[7:32] Errik Hood: Absolutely. So I think starting with NYU, I think one of the things to keep in mind is that it's going to be a slightly atypical college experience, right? You're not in a small college town where the college campus is kind of your world for four years. You're in the middle of a thriving metropolis where the city is your campus. You know, we don't have a quad, we have Washington Square Park. You know, you're not moving from the biology building to the math building. You're in skyscrapers in downtown New York City. And so if that kind of bustle and excitement as part of your college experience and as a part of really forming your campus, if that's something that excites you and interests you and having access to everything that New York City has to offer, NYU is a great place for you.

For Steinhardt specifically, I think we really pride ourselves on an NYU student is first and foremost a part of a community. With Steinhardt, and we're going to talk about this more I know later, in the vocal performance program specifically, we have various different concentrations and degree programs. And rather than silo off students into a particular, okay, you're a musical theater person, so you do only this, right? Instead, we actively encourage cross-training, mingling of these different concentrations so that we're learning from one another. And so being a part of a community and finding your individual voice through those variety of experiences that are available to you at NYU that maybe might not be available other places, or available in different ways in other places.

That's one of the things we really pride ourselves on, is helping each student find their voice both figuratively and actually literally, being a vocal performance program first rather than a BFA program.

[9:12] Charlie Murphy: Yeah, I love this. Such a great answer, and we are going to try to burrow in on each of these different things separately. Before we get into some of the kind of artistic and curricular differences, because I want to talk about... And again, we had someone from NYU Tisch come on and do a deep dive on that. So I'm not going to ask you to do all that with Tisch. But some of the curricular differences between Tisch, but also between maybe a standard BFA in terms of what you'd be offering as a BM. I'd love also to talk about the academics of NYU before we get into that. So what does it look like in terms of just the percentage of my credit hours? And say it however you want. I think credit's sometimes a little confusing. So if you want to talk about the schedule throughout the day. But basically, how much academics, how much non-singing, dancing, acting, if I'm an MT, or how much non-singing am I getting if I'm a vocal performance, am I doing in a given day?

[9:56] Errik Hood: Right. It's kind of hard to answer because it depends on which semester you're in and how you want to structure your electives. If you're doing a minor that's related to the performing arts, if you're doing a dance minor, which many of our students do, if you're a classical student and you're minoring in one of the languages in which you might be singing, if you're doing a minor in business entertainment marketing, then a larger percentage of your coursework is going to be dedicated toward the performing arts. But one of the things that I think is really incredible about NYU is that it's an incredibly academically rigorous program. We have incredibly smart students. So they're getting the benefit of an academically rigorous university environment with conservatory level training when they're in their acting, dance, and music classes.

So it's a standard curriculum as far as a liberal arts school instead of a conservatory model. And those classes are taught by, at NYU we have world-renowned faculty. And then the musical training, the acting training, dance training, we work very hard to keep it at conservatory level. So you're getting kind of the best of both worlds there, if that makes any sense.

[11:01] Charlie Murphy: It totally makes sense. And do you have a sense, and you don't have to give me exact percentages, but you mentioned some of those minors and majors that are related to the performing arts. Do you have a sense of how many people double major in chemistry or computer science? Are there people who do, I'm doing the vocal performance MT track, and I'm also doing something political science, something completely unrelated?

[11:28] Errik Hood: You know, double majoring is possible at NYU. I'll be perfectly candid. The way that music and performing arts classes are structured, you know, you're not going to two, three-hour lectures, you know, twice a week. You know, you're in class multiple times a day, and then you're also in rehearsals in the evenings and performance in the weekends. And so double majoring is a little tricky, and I would say that aiming to do two degrees in four years would be a pretty big stretch. You're probably looking at a longer than a four-year plan if you're trying to do a double major. But I would say the majority of our students take on a minor, and our curriculum, every curriculum we have in undergraduate, no matter what concentration you're in, is designed to allow enough elective credits for minors to be taken. So, and there are tons of related minors that are offered both within Steinhardt and outside of Steinhardt.

[12:16] Charlie Murphy: Well, let's get into that curriculum, and so we'll juggle as much as we can juggle at once, because I kind of want to talk about the four years of growth in terms of sort of what you see as the cohort of year one, year two, year three, year four, in terms of the program. But then also, if you can try to help me with the tracks of like, if I'm a BM in vocal performance only, or it's, and tell me if I'm saying this right, but it's sort of listed as BM in vocal performance, or VM in vocal performance, colon MT, if you're an MT potential person.

[12:38] Errik Hood: You're pretty close, closer than a lot of people get. It's a little confusing. The degree that we offer at NYU Steinhardt is a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance, but that degree, every student who's enrolled in that program has a concentration. So it could be a concentration in classical, western classical music, it could be a concentration in contemporary music, or it can be a concentration in musical theater. So they're all the same, technically the same degree, it's just what the concentration is.

[13:09] Charlie Murphy: Welcome back to Mapping The College Audition. Today, we have a special guest, Errik Hood, who is the Assistant Professor of Vocal Performance and Director of the Program in Vocal Performance at NYU Steinhardt. Errik, thank you for joining us today.

[13:39] Errik Hood: Thank you for having me, Charlie. I'm excited to be here and talk about what we do at NYU Steinhardt.

[14:09] Charlie Murphy: Absolutely! So, let's dive right in. One of the common misconceptions I hear is about the “letters” of the degree. Can you clarify what those letters mean and how they differ from other programs, like NYU Tisch?

[14:39] Errik Hood: Sure! The letters often refer to the specific focus of the program. At NYU Steinhardt, we emphasize a comprehensive approach to vocal performance that includes not just singing but also acting and musicianship. In contrast, Tisch has a more focused approach on acting and film. Each program has its strengths, and it really depends on what the student is looking for in their education.

[15:09] Charlie Murphy: That makes a lot of sense. How is NYU Steinhardt preparing students for the business side of things?

[15:39] Errik Hood: We take a holistic approach to training our students. Beyond just vocal technique, we incorporate business skills into the curriculum. This includes workshops on audition techniques, networking, and understanding the industry landscape. We want our students to be well-rounded artists who are prepared for the realities of the profession.

[16:09] Charlie Murphy: That's fantastic! Can you tell us more about the financial initiatives that NYU Steinhardt offers to support students?

[16:39] Errik Hood: Yes, we have several financial initiatives in place. This includes scholarships specifically for vocal performance students, as well as financial aid packages that can help alleviate the cost of tuition. We also encourage students to seek out external scholarships and grants to support their education.

[17:09] Charlie Murphy: Great to hear! Now, let's talk about the vocal expertise of the professors at NYU. What can students expect in terms of faculty support?

[17:39] Errik Hood: Our faculty is made up of industry professionals who are not only accomplished performers but also dedicated educators. Students can expect personalized attention and mentorship from professors who are invested in their growth as artists. We also bring in guest artists for masterclasses, which provides students with diverse perspectives and experiences.

[18:09] Charlie Murphy: That sounds like an incredible opportunity for students. What advice would you give to prospective students who are considering applying to NYU Steinhardt?

[18:39] Errik Hood: My advice would be to really reflect on what you want out of your college experience. Research the programs thoroughly, and don’t hesitate to reach out to current students or faculty to ask questions. It’s important to find a program that aligns with your artistic goals and values.

[19:09] Charlie Murphy: Excellent advice! Thank you, Errik, for sharing your insights about NYU Steinhardt.

[19:39] Errik Hood: Thank you for having me, Charlie. It’s been a pleasure to discuss our program.

[20:09] Charlie Murphy: And to our listeners, if you have any questions about the college audition process, feel free to reach out to us at mailbag@mappingthecollegeaudition.com.

[20:39] Errik Hood: Absolutely! We’re here to help guide you through this journey.

[21:09] Charlie Murphy: Don’t forget to check out our MTCA events for more resources and support.

[21:39] Errik Hood: Yes, and follow us on social media for updates and tips!

[22:09] Charlie Murphy: Thank you for tuning in to Mapping The College Audition. We’ll see you next time!

[22:39] Errik Hood: Bye everyone!

[23:09] Charlie Murphy: Bye!

[23:39] Errik Hood: Take care!

[24:09] Charlie Murphy: Until next time!

[24:39] Errik Hood: Bye!

[25:09] Charlie Murphy: Bye!

[25:39] Errik Hood: Bye!

[26:09] Charlie Murphy: Bye!

[26:19] Charlie Murphy: Welcome back to Mapping The College Audition. Today, we have a special guest, Errik Hood, who is the Assistant Professor of Vocal Performance and Director of the Program in Vocal Performance at NYU Steinhardt.

[26:49] Errik Hood: Thanks for having me, Charlie. I'm excited to be here and talk about the program and what we offer at NYU Steinhardt.

[27:19] Charlie Murphy: Absolutely! So, let’s dive right in. One of the misconceptions I often hear is about the “letters” of the degree. Can you clarify what those letters mean and how they differ between NYU Tisch and NYU Steinhardt?

[27:49] Errik Hood: Sure! The difference primarily lies in the focus of the programs. NYU Tisch is more focused on the acting and film side of things, while NYU Steinhardt emphasizes vocal performance and music education. Our program is designed to prepare students not just for performance but also for the business side of the industry.

[28:19] Charlie Murphy: That’s really helpful to know. How is NYU Steinhardt preparing students for the business aspect of their careers?

[28:29] Errik Hood: We offer a comprehensive curriculum that includes not only vocal training but also courses in entrepreneurship, marketing, and the business of music. This way, students are equipped with the skills they need to navigate the industry effectively.

[28:39] Charlie Murphy: That sounds fantastic. What about financial initiatives? Are there any programs in place to help students manage the costs associated with their education?

[28:49] Errik Hood: Yes, we have several financial initiatives, including scholarships and grants specifically for vocal performance students. We also provide resources to help students find external funding opportunities.

[28:59] Charlie Murphy: That’s great to hear. Now, let’s talk about the faculty. What can you tell us about the vocal expertise of NYU’s professors?

[29:09] Errik Hood: Our faculty is made up of experienced professionals who are active in the industry. They bring a wealth of knowledge and practical experience to the classroom, which is invaluable for our students.

[29:19] Charlie Murphy: It sounds like a really supportive environment. What do you think sets NYU Steinhardt apart from other programs?

[29:29] Errik Hood: I believe it’s our holistic approach to training. We focus on developing the whole artist, not just their vocal skills. We encourage creativity, collaboration, and personal growth, which are essential for a successful career in the arts.

[29:39] Charlie Murphy: That’s a wonderful philosophy. For students considering their options, what advice would you give them as they navigate the college audition process?

[29:49] Errik Hood: I would advise them to be authentic and true to themselves during the audition process. It’s important to showcase who you are as an artist and what you can bring to the table.

[29:59] Charlie Murphy: Great advice! Thank you so much for sharing your insights today, Errik.

[30:09] Errik Hood: Thank you for having me, Charlie. It’s been a pleasure.

[30:19] Charlie Murphy: And for our listeners, if you have any questions about the college audition process, feel free to reach out at mailbag@mappingthecollegeaudition.com.

[30:29] Errik Hood: Absolutely! I’m happy to help in any way I can.

[30:39] Charlie Murphy: Don’t forget to check out our MTCA events and resources at mtcollegeauditions.com.

[30:49] Errik Hood: Yes, and follow us on social media for updates and tips!

[30:59] Charlie Murphy: Thanks again for tuning in, everyone. We’ll see you next time!

[39:59] Errik Hood: More like if you're in a more homogenous population, right, a less multifaceted, multi-genre population. The reasons that people decide to go elsewhere often is one, they want a more typical college experience. They want to walk across the quad and they want to go to a football game or they want to, you know, they want that typical college experience and also the price tag is shocking, you know, but here's where I'll sandwich it. You know, those are the two main reasons, right? Or because they get a big scholarship somewhere else and they don't get that. Especially when it's talent based, you know, you get this letter saying, we think you're so talented, here's X amount of dollars, right? And then they look at that.

Like, does Errik not think I'm talented? Why don't I get the letter? Exactly. But that's just not the way the funding model works at NYU. The funding model works that everyone shows what their demonstrated, expected contribution from the family is and the rest NYU will take care of.

[41:38] Charlie Murphy: And you're saying the acceptance is them saying we're really talented.

[41:46] Errik Hood: Exactly. We get hundreds and hundreds of applications and we matriculate, as you said, 30, only around a third of which are in musical theater. So if you're getting in, it's the equivalent of getting a giant check because your financial need will be met by NYU.

[42:04] Charlie Murphy: Yeah. And the one thing I notably absent from this was, it seems like you're not experiencing a lot of students who are coming in looking at the curriculum hard and saying, I just wish there was more dance. I just wish there was more acting or I mean, it may be for some of the people are self-selecting out knowing they're already interested in a vocal performance, you know, kind of degree, but is that not something that you then encounter? Once they've sort of seen the holistic approach, they go, this is actually what I want. You're not finding a lot of people go, I just need to dance more. I just need more non singing acting training.

[42:32] Errik Hood: Not really. I think that is often a concern that students have when they come into the room, but especially if they visit campus, or they take a long hard look at the curriculum, or they realize that something that's interesting about our program is it's not we are under the Steinhardt College, right, but our department isn't a music department, right, is a music and performing arts professions department. And so that includes dance education, that includes theater education, drama therapy, music therapy. So, you know, even and we actually have, I don't want to misquote it, but something along the lines of six or seven different dance courses available, just in our vocal performance program alone, right.

But outside of that, dance education has dance classes. You know, music business has classes about orienting to the industry and how breaking into different aspects of the business component of this field works. We've so they just not only within the vocal performance program, but within music and performing arts professions, and a larger umbrella, so many of these things that people might assume aren't available to them, because it's a music degree, are easily accessible.

[43:56] Charlie Murphy: Yeah, really, there's there he is, you got the other piece of bread, the sandwich is beautifully put back together. I love it. Thank you. We'll take a short little break. And on the back end, we'll jump into the audition and admission process for NYU Steinhardt. So back in a flash.

[44:13] Charlie Murphy: All right, we are back with Errik Hood from NYU Steinhardt. And we're gonna talk a little bit about how to get into NYU Steinhardt. So I want to talk a little bit just basically about the application and the pre-screen, the audition process, you know, especially for people who are more in the musical theater world, how that might differ from what they're expecting of doing some songs and some monologues. I'd love to hear just from an artistic perspective, what are you putting together into in terms of an audition for you, as that might be different than other musical theater programs?

[44:43] Errik Hood: You know, I think it's surprisingly similar to what you might be putting together for your BFA program or something that feels more of an acting or based program. What you're doing is you're submitting, you're applying to the university, obviously. And as we mentioned in the first block, the university requirements and admission requirements are pretty stringent. It's an academically rigorous school. And it's so it's a tricky school to get into period. But that being said, as far as our program goes, what happens is, there's a pre-screen that takes place. And so that's just submitting a video, an introductory video where we get to know you a little bit, and then two to three songs covering a couple of different time periods in musical theater history, right?

So we get to hear you sing some Golden Age, we get to hear you sing, maybe some post Golden Age, we get to hear you sing some contemporary pop influenced music, right? And by pop, I mean, contemporary music, generally, it could be folk influence, you know, maybe we're talking about Bright Star, maybe we're talking about a jukebox musical, you know, but so we were hearing, we're hearing you in a few different genres and styles. So we take those pre-screens, and then we invite a significant number of those folks to come and audition and do a second round on campus. And at that, we may or may not ask for a monologue based on how we see the acting taking place during the singing. I would love to say this for the record, because I get this question all the time and having a platform to answer it.

There are times where based on the strength of the pre-screen, we're like, that's a student we want at NYU, and we they might not be invited to come to do a second round. That doesn't mean they're not an act of consideration. In fact, oftentimes, it means we only have so many slots, and there's just zero question that we want the student at NYU. So anyone listening, if you do your pre-screen, and you don't hear back about a live audition, please don't write us off as an option, please know that you're still being actively considered. And don't assume you haven't gotten in until you receive that communication from the admissions office.

[46:59] Charlie Murphy: Would not have thought to ask that. But I do want to ask about at the live audition, you know, what else might they expect to have prepared because, you know, in a musical theater audition, I think they would be expected to have at least two songs often different eras might be asked for a pop song that kind of so that's already where it's in the normal world of a BFA, you know, at a vocal performance audition, some of our students might be expected to have an art song might be expected to have more stuff in their book. Is that an expectation at Steinhardt that if I'm looking at an MT major focus within the vocal performance, what I still want to have more sort of a song in a different language, that kind of thing?

[47:34] Errik Hood: You know, no, if you're concentrating musical theater, that's the repertoire we want to hear, right? Now, we will as a part of the curriculum, while they're here, they will sing pop, they will sing Western classical music. But that's we're not gonna we're not gonna expect someone whose interest and desired career path are in musical theater, we're not going to ask them to sing an Italian art song because we really don't learn a whole lot about them. Yeah. We want to hear them sing and maybe a golden age style or a more I like to use the word classically informed because I hate the way the word legit implies that other styles are not legitimate. But yeah, so um, but you know, something where we hear access to the lighter vocal mechanism, right? Because it's essential in the training. But that we can hear that through a variety of repertoire, it doesn't need to be Western classical based. So that's, that's not something they should expect to have to do.

[48:28] Charlie Murphy: I love it. And you already said the idea of if they submit a pre-screen, they could potentially get admitted without the callback. But what what percentage of students are getting a callback? You don't have to give me exact numbers here. But do you have a sense of like, if I were to submit about how many of those students are going to get a callback to have a live audition?

[48:45] Errik Hood: I think that that might be under one of the umbrellas that and why you would prefer I not discuss but no, I don't I don't mean to say that it's a secret. But you know, it there's so many factors at play that I would hate to misquote something, but it's a sizable number.

[49:06] Charlie Murphy: It's like I played 25 to 45 years old, I won't give you an exact age. That's about what I play.

[49:11] Errik Hood: Exactly.

[49:13] Charlie Murphy: Exactly. Look at me, I've been, I've been playing dads since I was 25.

[49:19] Errik Hood: You're so kind. So but but I will say it's, it's a significant percentage. We make as many time slots available as our facilities and our faculty allow. And then we fill every single one of those slots so that we can see as many folks in person as possible.

[49:41] Charlie Murphy: And I was just gonna ask, what, what does that audition landscape look like in terms of are all these people coming to New York City? Are they doing some of these online? How are the different ways I'm able to do a quote unquote, live audition for you?

[49:52] Errik Hood: That's a great question. And it's one that's evolving, to be perfectly honest with you, you know, during, during the height of COVID, all of our callbacks, our live second round of auditions were done through virtually, right. And there are some, there are some pros to that. But there are some, there are definitely some drawbacks to that, as far as what we're able to hear how much that a student's access to high quality equipment affects equity. And so there's definitely some drawbacks that we're analyzing. You know, we're continuing to explore, you know, for example, if you if you are applying from we get we get applicants from all over the world, you know, Cape Town, Sydney, Tokyo, we're getting applicants from all over the world.

And so there are ongoing discussions about, you know, is is a flight from Cape Town, South Africa to New York, for a five minute audition slot? Is that a reasonable ask? And we're evaluating that. You know, it's not just that five minute audition slot, though, because we truly believe seeing the campus experiencing the what the city's like, especially if you've never been to New York, touring our facilities, we just opened a brand new facility with new classrooms, performance venues, state of the art theater with pit and say, there are fly system and lighting system that we share with Tish. And so seeing seeing those facilities touring the campus getting a feel for what campus life would be like, that's a huge part of it of the decision making process.

And the live audition really kind of provides that opportunity. But we are there's there's on it's it's a it's a point of discussion that we're still having and evolving. And my viewpoint on it personally, now I maybe a little disclaimer, I'm not representing the viewpoints of NYU at this point, right, but you're distinctly representing the viewpoints of NYU, your personal viewpoints of his lead. Yeah, I am I am a spokesperson for the president of NYU, right? No, these are my personal opinions. You know, I think that, um, I think there are also some equity issues involved with, you know, some some folks are going to be able to book a ticket to New York City and find housing in New York City, and then some folks aren't. And so I think those are all factors that need to be weighed.

And we are we are still in the process of figuring out how much of these virtual audition possibilities that we were forced to develop in the height of the COVID pandemic. How many of those are helpful to keep around? And how many of those do we let kind of fade and return back to something a little more pre COVID.

[52:39] Charlie Murphy: Welcome back to Mapping The College Audition. I'm your host, Charlie Murphy, and today we have a fantastic guest, Errik Hood, who is the Assistant Professor of Vocal Performance and Director of the Program in Vocal Performance at NYU Steinhardt. Errik, thank you for joining us today.

[53:09] Errik Hood: Thank you for having me, Charlie. I'm excited to be here and talk about what we do at NYU Steinhardt.

[53:39] Charlie Murphy: Absolutely! So, let's dive right in. One of the common misconceptions I hear from students is about the “letters” of the degree. Can you clarify what those letters mean and how they differ between programs?

[54:09] Errik Hood: Sure! At NYU, we have different schools that offer various degrees. NYU Tisch is known for its more performance-oriented approach, while NYU Steinhardt focuses on a more comprehensive education that includes vocal performance, music education, and more. The letters can be confusing, but they represent the different paths students can take based on their interests and career goals.

[54:39] Charlie Murphy: That makes a lot of sense. So, what would you say is the main difference between NYU Tisch and NYU Steinhardt in terms of training and preparation for the business?

[55:09] Errik Hood: The main difference lies in the curriculum and the focus of the programs. At Steinhardt, we emphasize a holistic approach to vocal performance, integrating music theory, pedagogy, and performance practice. This prepares students not just for auditions but for a sustainable career in the arts, equipping them with a broader skill set.

[55:39] Charlie Murphy: That's really interesting. How is NYU Steinhardt specifically preparing students for the business side of things?

[56:09] Errik Hood: We provide students with opportunities to engage with industry professionals through workshops, masterclasses, and networking events. Additionally, we focus on developing their entrepreneurial skills, so they can navigate the business side of their careers effectively.

[56:39] Charlie Murphy: That’s crucial in today’s landscape. Can you tell us about any financial initiatives that NYU Steinhardt offers to support students?

[57:09] Errik Hood: Yes, we have several financial initiatives, including scholarships and grants specifically for students in the performing arts. We also offer financial literacy workshops to help students manage their finances while pursuing their education and careers.

[57:39] Charlie Murphy: That's fantastic to hear. Now, let’s talk about the vocal expertise of the professors at NYU. What can students expect in terms of faculty support and mentorship?

[58:09] Errik Hood: Our faculty consists of experienced professionals who are active in the industry. They bring a wealth of knowledge and practical experience to the classroom. Students can expect personalized mentorship, as our professors are dedicated to helping each student find their unique voice and artistic identity.

[58:39] Charlie Murphy: It sounds like a nurturing environment. What advice would you give to prospective students who are considering applying to NYU Steinhardt?

[59:09] Errik Hood: I would advise them to be authentic in their auditions and applications. We are looking for students who are passionate about their craft and eager to learn. It's important to showcase their individuality and what they can bring to the program.

[59:39] Charlie Murphy: Great advice! Thank you so much for sharing your insights today, Errik. It’s been a pleasure having you on the podcast.

[1:00:09] Errik Hood: Thank you, Charlie! I appreciate the opportunity to discuss NYU Steinhardt and our program.

[1:00:39] Charlie Murphy: And to our listeners, if you have any questions about the college audition process, feel free to reach out at mailbag@mappingthecollegeaudition.com. Don’t forget to check out our MTCA events and resources at mtcollegeauditions.com.

[1:01:09] Errik Hood: Thank you, everyone!

[1:01:39] Charlie Murphy: Until next time, keep pursuing your passion in the arts!

[1:05:50] Errik Hood: And then so identifying what the likely causes are of inefficiencies or what's getting in the way between the singer and their goal, right? The goal sound that they want to make. And once you've determined, okay, this is what I surmise to be happening based on my knowledge of the science and the anatomy and the physiology, but also my anecdotal experience as a voice teacher and singer, then I have to know what approach to bring to that student based on whatever I've identified the issue to be, but also where that student is, what they're prepared to do, what they have the ability to do, and what I expect to work based on the style and genre that they're using. And the thing that I firmly believe, and this is where I can, there might be a little disagreement, is I firmly believe we have to know why that will help.

Hmm. It's not enough to know that like, oh, I've gone to a bunch of master classes and I've watched a bunch of ways to voice students or I've just tried this and for some reason when you do it standing on your head, it works. And so I just have all my students stand on their head and they always sound better. If I don't understand why what I'm doing with my student is positively impacting their singing, I'm really running the risk of doing some damage or creating an over-reliance on me as a teacher, right? My number one goal as a voice teacher, and I firmly believe this as well, is to make myself obsolete as quickly as possible.

[1:07:26] Errik Hood: And it's the teachers who create lifelong dependency on them that I think is a giant red flag. And so I have a feeling that's one of the reasons why, and it's such a great compliment to hear you say that you enjoy working with the voice teachers we've trained at NYU Steinhardt. We have an advanced pedagogy certificate, so it's a post-grad degree specifically for voice teaching. And it's because, and I think that's a big reason why, is that our teachers are never just trying something that they heard, they read in a book, or that they saw someone doing a master class, or that their voice teacher did for them. It's I know why this particular exercise or adjustment will positively impact what the student is doing.

So I feel like that's true for the student as well. I mean, I think certainly that would be true to get hired at MTCA. You would have to know why. That's something we drill in the sort of interview process of like, do you understand all the physiology and all the reasons why? Do you have, you know, some science-based understanding of it? You know, I think that I hear a lot of different opinions on does every singer need to have that level of knowledge? Like if I'm a singer, but not a vocal pedagogy myself, I mean, that's not an interest. Do I need to have that level of granular knowledge of my own instrument and how it operates, you think?

[1:09:43] Errik Hood: Oh, you're gonna get me into so much trouble. I want to get you in trouble. This is gonna be the pull quote that's gonna go on the BuzzFeed article. I need to, I would say oftentimes it's actually counterproductive, right? So one of the things that I study as a part of my comprehensive training as a voice teacher is motor learning theory, and that's how our brains acquire complex motor skills ranging from how to swing a golf club to how to do a complicated dance maneuver to how to sing. It is a complex motor skill, right? And what we're trying to do with complex motor skills is automate them so that when we try to accomplish a task, the first thing that happens when we try to accomplish the task is the optimal outcome, right?

And most often, trying to exert executive control over an automated task is one of the quickest ways to make it inefficient and unproductive, right? You can do it this way. I do it in math classes all the time. I'll have someone just walk across the stage and I say, "Bravo! Great job! You crushed that." Now, could you walk across the stage and just describe everything you're doing as you do it? Mm-hmm. And just, it's like they've forgotten how to walk because they're suddenly trying to observe what they're doing, describe it, and control it on an executive level that they never would do in the real world.

[1:10:52] Errik Hood: Yeah, and that they wouldn't do in performance, right? No one wants to watch someone give themselves a voice lesson on stage, not only because it's not artistically fulfilling, but because you're actually gonna get in the way of your best singing when you do it. Now that being said, you try something, it works, then if you want to have a discussion, "Well, why did that work?" Well, here's some of the background of why that worked. But I promise you, thinking about that while you do it isn't gonna be what's gonna make this work. It's going to be getting it into your body so that it is your habituated behavior. It's the thing your body does first when you ask it to complete the task.

[1:11:38] Charlie Murphy: For what it's worth, I could not agree more. I think there's a great skill set as a teacher to be able to intellectually understand why things work and even sort of a greater skill set to be able to synthesize it in a way that you know is translatable to a student so that you don't need to understand everything I understand to be able to make this exercise work for you. But I think as a performer, sometimes it is a gift to not have that curse of all the knowledge. I go, it's great to be able to synthesize it for you, but I'm like this sometimes a little more of a curse than a blessing in terms of knowing every single reason why this could be offered, this could be wrong.

[1:12:07] Errik Hood: Totally. It's so funny. So that you know, when my students take their courses in vocal pedagogy, that's often the most challenging semester we work together because they're constantly asking me why or, "Oh, Hood asked me to do this. He must mean I should also do this." You're doing five steps that I didn't ask for. You're getting in your own way. Yeah, the thing a student needs to know, in my personal opinion, is they have to have a model. They have to know what success feels and or sounds like. Mm-hmm. And they have to be able to distinguish what they're doing from that model. Am I completing the task as asked? And if not, they have to be able to simplify that task until they experience success again because it's memorizing the sound and sensation of success that's going to make that habit, you know, so that they never have to think about it while they're actually performing.

[1:12:57] Errik Hood: Beautifully said. My last question on the vocal pedagogy nerdery. I just love to hear, you know, you mentioned healthy. We haven't really talked about vocal health, but I'd love to kind of hear about when you're listening to a voice, whether it's specifically a vocal health issue that you're hearing or just actually a technique issue where you go, you know, mentioned someone doesn't have any training. Oh, I can hear that raw potential, but maybe you're hearing somebody who has training that you go, I think this is actually unhelpful training. I might have to unwork before we rework or undo before we relearn some things, you know. What are some of those red flags that may be kind of troublesome for you to hear as you're hearing voice?

Are there things that if you go, if I hear this, it's really gonna make me a little scared away from this student for four years or just the place that we go, this is really, this is something that you should start unlearning as soon as you can?

[1:13:45] Errik Hood: Yeah, that's another great question. I think that's something that's important to distinguish, to delineate between is our job as singing voice teachers is habilitation, right? And that's taking what our singers do as their baseline performance and improving it. And we never want to accidentally venture into rehabilitation, which is trying to bring a student back up to baseline because of some kind of functional issue or pathological issue with their voice. That's not our lane. And I think knowing to stay in our lane is hugely important. You know, I didn't, why you were lucky enough to have a laryngeal voice center, one of the top voice centers in the country. And so if we hear something that we fear might be some kind of need to have assistance to return to a baseline vocal function, we have tons of resources to direct our students to them. So that's thing number one. It's just making sure we're never trying to rehabilitate a voice where there might be something functional or physiological going on.

[1:14:44] Errik Hood: Yeah, but that being said, technically what I think some of the things that I tend to encounter most as a singing teacher with a student who walks in my door for the first time is they have worked with a voice teacher for whom the answer for most vocal suboptimal singing is you're not supporting enough. And so we have this idea that pumping as much air through the instrument as possible all the time is the solution, and that usually creates some kind of hyperfunction or some compensatory behavior that's just not helpful or efficient, right? And so looking out for that to make sure that that airflow is our goal, like easy flow phonation in a way that isn't hyperfunctional. I think it's also another thing that I think I encounter most is when the instrument isn't functioning as optimally as it could, which is just about every singer.

What muscles are engaging to try to do the work of something else, right? Is the root of my tongue helping to keep my larynx stable because I have not learned to release it, right? Is my jaw promenading because it gets this in a shape think it's the sound I want, but it's engaging muscles that I don't really need to get that sound, right? So I'm looking out for, one, am I pushing through too much air through the instrument or not enough? You know, because maybe they're coming predominantly from a choral background and they've internalized the idea of blending with the ensemble as not utilizing the full capacity of their airflow. And then also being on the lookout for, you know, tongue, jaw, extrinsic laryngeal muscles, what muscles are activating that are trying to do the work that should be done by some other part of the system.

[1:16:46] Charlie Murphy: And how often would that be in a live audition that you would give that as an adjustment of going, "Hey, I want to see what happens if we, you know, whether it's a, there's too much air going to it or there is a lot of tongue tension that you think you're hearing, you see a jaw doing?" Are you gonna give that as a singing adjustment to see what happens in the audition? Or is that stuff that you're gonna go, I'll evaluate and I can deal with that?

[1:17:01] Errik Hood: Usually we can, you know, and this is one of the great things about, we are lucky enough to get to evaluate these auditions with a panel of voice teachers with a range of skills and expertise. You know, some of us are much more comfortable with Western classical technique, some of us are much more comfortable with contemporary technique. And what we can do as a group is look at that and say, that's a technical problem that can be very effectively addressed over the course of four years, or that's a technical issue that might be pretty difficult to overcome over the course of four years, right? There might be times where we're curious, I wonder what's causing that sound. We might play a little in the audition, "Hey, try it this way," or "Sing it as if it's this," and let's see what that does.

And they're like, "Oh, that unlocks something." That's something we can definitely work with, right? So that's in the audition. That is just, it's more of the exception than the rule, but it's certainly something we're open to doing more often. It's we collaborate and discuss, what do we think is the viability of optimizing that singing over the course of four years with an expert teacher?

[1:18:14] Charlie Murphy: I love it. All right, well, we'll wrap my very last question of all just to speak to the parents in this process. I don't know how much interaction you get to have with those wonderful parents, but of course, we have a lot of parent listeners. You know, what advice would you have to a parent of a young 17, 18-year-old who's looking at this process? Maybe if they're looking at schools at the very beginning or if they're, you know, about to first a senior now about to begin their senior year and about to do their whole audition tour, sort of how do you find parents can best support their children through this process?

[1:18:52] Errik Hood: Well, you know, first of all, it is an incredibly time-consuming and expensive process, right? And so accepting that as the reality, you know, I think is first and foremost because this industry, whether you're a classical, contemporary, or musical theater, this industry is front-loaded with cost of work, right? Long before, you know, if you're gonna have any measure of like professional performance success. So just understanding that that's part of the field that we're choosing. That's thing one. I think thing two is not basing our top choices of school on quote-unquote prestige, right? Oh, NYU is a prestigious school, so it should be near at the top of my list. When I tell every student who's looking for advice on this, whether or not it points them to NYU or not, is write down a list of everything that could possibly be important to you about your college experience.

Don't try to filter it. Don't try to organize it. Brainstorm it, you know? Do I want to be within one day's drive of my parents? Or, oh my God, please, I want to be more than one day's drive from my parents? Is there a faith community of which I'm a part that I want to make sure is present in my life? I want to make sure it's present in my life.

[1:18:59] Charlie Murphy: Welcome back to Mapping The College Audition. I'm your host, Charlie Murphy, and today we have a special guest, Errik Hood, who is the Assistant Professor of Vocal Performance and Director of the Program in Vocal Performance at NYU Steinhardt. Errik, thank you for joining us today.

[1:20:30] Errik Hood: Thank you for having me, Charlie. I'm excited to be here and talk about NYU Steinhardt and the unique opportunities we offer our students.

[1:20:33] Charlie Murphy: Absolutely! Let's dive right in. One of the misconceptions I often hear is about the “letters” of the degree. Can you clarify what that means and how it differs between NYU Tisch and NYU Steinhardt?

[1:20:59] Errik Hood: Sure! The distinction between NYU Tisch and NYU Steinhardt is significant. Tisch is primarily focused on the dramatic arts, while Steinhardt offers a more comprehensive approach to vocal performance, integrating music education and performance training. This means that students at Steinhardt not only hone their vocal skills but also learn about the business side of the industry, which is crucial for their success.

[1:21:29] Charlie Murphy: That’s a great point. How is NYU Steinhardt preparing students for the business side of the performing arts?

[1:21:34] Errik Hood: We have a curriculum that emphasizes not just performance but also the realities of the industry. This includes workshops with industry professionals, networking opportunities, and courses that cover topics like marketing oneself as an artist and understanding contracts. We want our students to be well-rounded and ready for the challenges they will face after graduation.

[1:21:59] Charlie Murphy: That sounds incredibly valuable. Are there any financial initiatives in place to support students at NYU Steinhardt?

[1:22:24] Errik Hood: Yes, we have several financial initiatives aimed at making our programs more accessible. This includes scholarships specifically for vocal performance students and financial aid resources that help alleviate the burden of tuition costs. We believe that talent should not be limited by financial constraints.

[1:22:44] Charlie Murphy: That’s fantastic to hear. Can you tell us more about the vocal expertise of the professors at NYU Steinhardt?

[1:22:54] Errik Hood: Our faculty is comprised of highly experienced professionals who are active in the industry. They bring a wealth of knowledge and practical experience to the classroom, which enriches the learning environment. Our professors are not just educators; they are mentors who guide students through their artistic journeys.

[1:23:04] Charlie Murphy: It sounds like students are really getting a top-notch education. What do you think sets NYU Steinhardt apart from other programs?

[1:23:24] Errik Hood: I believe it’s our holistic approach to training. We focus on developing the whole artist, not just their vocal abilities. This includes fostering creativity, encouraging collaboration, and providing a supportive community. Our students leave with not only technical skills but also the confidence to navigate their careers.

[1:23:31] Charlie Murphy: That’s a crucial aspect of any performing arts education. What advice would you give to prospective students looking to audition for NYU Steinhardt?

[1:23:51] Errik Hood: My advice would be to be authentic. We want to see who you are as an artist. Choose material that resonates with you and showcases your unique voice. Also, prepare thoroughly and be open to feedback during the audition process. It’s an opportunity to grow and learn.

[1:24:01] Charlie Murphy: Great advice! As we wrap up, where can listeners find more information about you and NYU Steinhardt?

[1:24:11] Errik Hood: Listeners can visit our website at www.errikhood.com for more information about the program and my work. We also have resources available for prospective students to learn more about the audition process and what to expect.

[1:24:21] Charlie Murphy: Thank you, Errik. It’s been a pleasure having you on the podcast today.

[1:24:31] Errik Hood: Thank you for having me, Charlie. I enjoyed our conversation and hope to see some of your listeners at NYU Steinhardt!