Auditions are a "necessary evil" that every musician will encounter in school. The purpose of this post is to let young students know what to expect, how to prepare, and how to best represent themselves in an audition situation. Auditions are just like any other performance—if you prepare well, it could end up being a fun and positive experience.
The purpose of an audition for a music school is for faculty to determine whether a student can be successful in the music program. It is very important for students to know: Faculty want for our students to succeed.
A strong audition could also result in scholarship consideration. Another thing to consider in the audition process is that the student is also "auditioning" the teachers/school in this process. This means that the student can get a feel for the campus, ask questions, and interact to determine if the school is a good fit for them.
How to Prepare for an Audition
Generally the requirements are posted based on the degree program and the student's instrument. If you have a question about what to prepare, ask! Check first to see if the information is available on a website, and if not, email the professor(s) directly to inquire.
Be organized: Most students audition at several schools so it could be helpful to create a spreadsheet to collect all of the information that you need, including:
-Application deadlines.
-Deadlines for reference letters.
-Audition dates.
-Details of each audition so you can practice accordingly.
What to play for an audition and how to choose material:
It is common that audition requirements will either be very specific -- like play "Billie’s Bounce" OR the requirements will be very open-ended. The open-ended requirements might ask for two or more contrasting selections. It would be in the student's best interest to choose repertoire or tunes that are not too similar. Like, for instance, do not bring in three medium tempo swing tunes but instead bring in three tunes with different grooves and varying tempos. ALSO — it is very important that students listen to recordings of the tunes that they are playing to avoid mistakes like wrong notes and rhythms but also to get the correct idiomatic style of the music being played.
Tips for Audition Day
Before the audition date, the school will provide students with details about when and where the auditions and meetings will take place. Check your email or you will miss this important information!
-Avoid nervousness by being prepared.
It is very common to have some nerves on the day of an audition, but the best way to avoid being overly consumed with nervousness is to simply practice hard on the days, weeks, and months leading up to the audition. Fight nerves with preparation!
-Wear professional-looking clothing.
A student wearing nice clothes to an audition sends a message that the student is serious and has put time into working on the audition and takes themself seriously and is striving to be a strong student. Perhaps just as importantly, a jazz student needs to look just as professional as the students auditioning for other programs in the music school because sloppy-looking jazz students send the message that jazz is itself sloppy and bottom tier--which it is not.
-Be warmed up, tuned up, and ready to play.
You should have a place to warm up on audition day so use that time to tune your instrument so you are ready to play.
What you learn in auditions
As I mentioned earlier, you are also auditioning the school to determine if it is a place where you want to spend your time.
-Are you treated respectfully?
-Do the teachers introduce themselves and connect well on a personal and sincere level?
It is my hope that this information might make the process easier and less painless for students. We want for students to feel welcome, to be successful, and to feel successful as well.