What do Liza Minnelli, Billie Holiday, and Miley Cyrus have in common? They’re all famous altos! Aside from having more of a chest voice versus a head voice, altos tend to be richer and darker in tone than sopranos. “Closer to natural, everyday human speech,” says New York–based vocal teacher David Brunetti. So what does the “Acting Songs” author recommend altos sing at their next audition?
“If You Love Me, Really Love Me” by Edith Piaf
“If you’re auditioning for a show like ‘Les Miz,’ this is a perfect song because there’s a power to it. Make sure you have it in the best key for you because it can be too high for some people. I also love the humanity and emotion behind it. Have an idea of who you would sing to; the more emotionally connected you are to a song…that’s what sets you apart from other auditions. Don’t sing your song, live your song.”
“One Less Bell to Answer” by Burt Bacharach
“It’s a beautiful song, it has a lot of pain to it—which can be very effective in an audition. There’s truth and longing. I often say find a song that has shape or structure, like climbing a hill and getting to the top. Bacharach’s music writing is more sophisticated than most: It’s timeless, very rich, the chords are beautiful…and it’s almost like art; they’re ‘pop’ songs but tremendous ‘art’ songs.”
“What About Today?” from “Starting Here, Starting Now”
“Half a dozen songs from this Off-Broadway revue by [Richard] Maltby and [David] Shire could be good for an alto. They’re pop but theatrical at the same time. ‘What About Today’ is great if you’re looking for something more up-tempo. There’s a little anger in it with a strong climax.”
“I Don’t Want to Know” from “Dear World”
“It has an up-tempo, pop feel with a positive message. It basically says, ‘If the world is ugly and in trouble, I don’t want to know about it.’ Casting agents can’t help but be moved by it. There’s so much darkness in theater; it can make a big difference to sing something positive.”
“Johnny One Note” from “Babes in Arms”
“Judy Garland sang this Rodgers and Hart song. It has a sense of humor, it’s fun, it’s rhythmic with a great beat to it. And it has a lot of good high notes—if you’re an alto who’s more of a belter, you can really show off your singing chops.”
“Love Song” from “Celebration”
“It’s by the same people who wrote ‘The Fantasticks’ [Harvey Schmidt and Tom Jones]. It has a pop feel, and a great build and great climax…you can really take [casting agents] off the side of the mountain with it. And nobody knows it—so it hasn’t been done to death!”
David Brunetti is a teacher, musician, and writer in New York City. He teaches ongoing classes in bringing acting technique to songs. He has served as vocal coach and accompanist for the likes of Paul Giamatti, Geena Davis, Judy Collins, Jennifer Holliday, Eartha Kitt, Leslie Uggams, and Donna Murphy.
