<p>I couldn’t agree with Raddad more. One of the best ways to get a feel for the university/conservatory is not at the actual audition, but around the campus and environs. Eat where the students eat, talk to people, go to a concert, ensemble rehearsal, etc. This was my favorite part of every audition.</p>
<p>In terms of what to be prepared for: sometimes the entire department (every member) is there to listen to auditions, and sometimes there will be only two or three members. I am not sure that means anything. </p>
<p>Sometimes students will be asked to play nearly their entire repertoire, and sometimes they will be cut off very early into a number of pieces. I’d suggest that all students be prepared to play everything to completion; although it rarely happens, my son had one audition where he did have to do this (and it was a very long repertoire too!). The hopes that adjudicators will stop a student “just before the hardest section or phrase” doesn’t always pan out, so better to be prepared to play in entirety, just in case. </p>
<p>Also, I think the adjudicators are looking to see that the student has stamina and flexibility, so it is good to have played through the entire repertoire many times, preferably for an audience, prior to the audition, and not to get flustered if they ask to start in odd junctures in a piece.</p>