Private Audition Coaching

Bettering the audition experience is a specialty in my curriculum: I focus on the dramatic “sculpting” of the audition itself—the dramatic and physical presentation that reveals the individual performer. This is the “bang for the buck” part of my instruction that allows the individual to stand out from the herd, helping performers to become more active and physically expressive during the audition. Details

Next Available Coaching Times in NYC:

  • March 1-22, 2010
    Monday – Friday 3PM-6PM
    Saturday March 20 3PM-5PM
  • Saturdays by arrangement
    Check back often for last minute and weekend availability

To arrange for a Private Coaching or a series of coachings, contact Chuck Hudson.

My coachings take place at NEW YORK SPACES–Ripley-Grier Studios located on 8th Ave and 37th St, 16th floor. You can find them on the web at www.newyorkspaces.com or by calling (212) 799-5433. You will rent the studio time in advance, and you want a studio no smaller than 16-I (please do not use 16-A if you are singing as it is too small for this work).

Please allow about 1 hour for each aria, song, or monologue you want to work. Some arias with lengthier recits take about 90 minutes.

I charge $55 per hour for the coaching itself (it is your responsibility to arrange the studio space in your name and the accompanist separately). You must arrange to have an accompanist with you for each coaching if you are singing. I will suggest some coach/accompanists to you if you have difficulty finding one. Once you confirm the studio space with me, you will pay for all the arranged coachings on the first day we work. If you arrange and pay in advance for 6 sessions or more, I can offer a 10% discount and allow you to pay in two installments: the first on the first day and then the remainder half-way through the process.

I need 48 hours to cancel or move a coaching time, as it will take me that long to replace the hour with another singer. You may cancel or re-arrange times after that, but it will not affect any fees paid or owing. Please note: due to limited availability, there are NO cancellations for Saturday coachings: once confirmed, you must pay for that time.

Please bring 2 copies of the music or monologue: one for the accompanist and one for me. If your piece is not in French or English, I will need a word-for-word translation written on the line of music: not a translation on another page, and not the existing English translation of the piece which is not word specific.

Coaching Details

In these sessions, we will:

  • Explore and utilize the performer’s complete Psycho-physical energy ; i.e., both physical and mental energies.
  • Provide techniques for greater control over expression by linking specific acting techniques to generating emotions and action.
  • Create and sustain variety from one aria or monologue to the next in the audition process.

Focus will be placed on:

  • Beats of Action in Time and Space: the Logical Sequence of Intentions, Obstacles, and Tactics
  • 5 Points of the Space: Stage Geometry for dynamic Solo Performance
  • Taking Risks, and Getting What You Want
  • Active Use of Imagery
  • Gesture Life and Human Behavior
  • Heightened Emotions and Raising the Stakes

Typical Coaching Tasks:

  • Develop more confidence and a sense of ease
  • Reveal more creative/expressive aspects of yourself to directors and agents
  • Explore new material, polish and refresh your existing audition package
  • Work out personal sticking points and obstacles: Your Bag of Tricks Exposed

Read what performers say about coaching with Chuck Hudson.

San Francisco Classical Voice July 2009: Building a Vivid Character

Do these young professionals experience artistic breakthrough moments while working (at the Merola Program)? Lahyani and Rodrìguez mentioned acting teacher Chuck Hudson, and others agreed. Rodrìguez, for one, came in with set ideas of how to sing each of his arias and to interpret the characters. He reported that Hudson “took a hammer and smashed [them]” and said, “Now, let’s build them together.” “We sometimes get so used to seeing a character one way and think, ‘That’s the way it works for me, and I’m not going to change it.’ But then [Hudson] starts asking questions like why? when? how? It helped me so much to let go of things that weren’t helpful anymore for the characters I was singing.