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Hi there.
You are talking to someone who has a lot of experience with everything you are talking about. Exact experience, actually. I am actually in Into the Woods right now as Baker's Wife, as I apply to conservatories for colleges (including Hartt, but more on that later).
This is something that singers struggle with a lot. Especially people like your daughter and I who have specific interests in musical theater AND classical singing. What I can tell you is that it takes practice. I'm constantly switching back and forth. I'm also in an opera at school, so it is very hard. Last weekend, for instance, I had opera rehaersal for 3 hours, followed by musical rehearsal for 3 hours.
Here's what I would say. What I try to do is to "re-set" my voice everytime I make the switch. I worked a long time trying to feel the exact placement when I sing in the opera and when I sing in the musical. Once you can feel that, you know how you sing differently. But, even if you don't, try to warm up, even if you are already warm. For instance, if you come from musical rehearsal, come home and warm up, as if you haven't sung at all today. If you allow your body to re-set, it'll be a lot easier to make the switch. People also say a trick is to sing a classical song you know really well. It tends to switch your voice just because of how long you have been singing it, and before the song is over, your voice is back to being classical.
When it comes to auditions, Into the Woods for me ends in March, along with my auditions. What I chose to do was to do as many auditions as possible in the fall/winter. Duquesne allows for auditions in October and November, Illinois Wesleyan (Where Dawn Upshaw went) has the same thing, and Hartt has an Early Response audition on December 1st. With three out of the way by Winter Break, the transition becomes a lot easier. But, here is what I would say. Since your director is nice about these things - be smart about when you take off of rehearsal. With practice on how to switch your voice (which only comes with time), you won't need to take off so many rehearsals. What I do is that if I'm auditioning on Saturday or Sunday, no rehearsal on Friday. For me, that's enough, but some people needs longer.
This is something that will take some time and if she wishes to continue musical theater, it's a very important skill. There have been many voice lessons that I've had after a musical rehearsal where my voice teacher simply told me I had to reset because I was singing it all in a different place.
In terms of Hartt, if you need any information on that audition or the place itself, you can PM me.
Good luck and congrats on Baker's Wife (it's definitely the best part in the show)!
Stacey
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