Auditions Auditions Auditions

College Majors Music Major
1

<p>I thought I would start a thread about auditions...not just for colleges but also for summer programs. For our music students, auditions are a part of their lives, but for the parents (for this one anyway) they are always a source of angst. I thought we could share what our kids were doing...I'll start.</p>

<p>DS had his audition for Brevard (summer program) on Thursday at 9:50 PM (yes..PM). I asked him how it went, and he replied with his usual "I don't know. The person from Brevard said 'nice job, thank you'". Of course, he won't hear a word until April. </p>

<p>DS spent three summers at New England Music Camp, 2 summers at BUTI and 2 summers at Eastern Music Festival. He hopes to go somewhere this summer, but realizes that this might be the year he spends at home. He does have a plan to take lessons privately, and work if that is the case. Thankfully he has a summer job here. </p>

<p>He applied to Aspen (a huge longshot as with most applying there), Brevard, and will audition for National Orchestral Institute as well. He has contacted folks from Cape Cod Light Opera Company, and if their trumpet player from last year does not return, he will apply there also (last year's player is a college senior...and a classmate of DS's). </p>

<p>He also would like to prepare for an audition he saw...but it requires TWENTY orchestral excerpts. He will make that his project if he does not get accepted to a summer program.</p>

<p>I'll tell you....when HE is auditioning, I am a wreck!!</p>

2

<p>Hi Thumper! I was just thinking yesterday, after reading through Bassdad's college audition speech plans again, that the sad and sorry fact of a musician's life (and his mom's!) is that the auditions never end! S had his semester audition 2 weeks ago, and got one of the highest scores. Then last week had a concerto audition that he bombed. Back and forth, back and forth. This is the way it almost always seems to go. I don't know if it's coincidence, or cause and effect -- a good audition makes him over confident? or a bad audition spurs him on to change? I don't know. One thing I hope he learns in school is how to play well more consistently. My older S says S2 just needs to plan a "throw-away" audition before every major audition of his life! :)</p>

<p>But, as you say, <em>I</em> don't handle his auditions well. And I am thinking I'd better learn, or go to my grave a bit early, 'cause it looks like they're here to stay. I have to admit, things are better (for me) with many miles between us!</p>

<p>Another tough thing for me is knowing what to say that will be helpful after a bad audition. Last week, when we didn't hear from him soon after the audition, I knew it went bad. He is pretty quick to tell us good news. His schedule, plus our 6 hour time difference, makes contacting him difficult. So I have to write emails that convey just the right mix of gee-I'm-sorry and fire-lighting. Hard to convey hugs through email.</p>

<p>Fortunately, the horns at Juilliard seem to be a pretty close bunch. I asked him if he'd been able to talk with anybody about it. He told me one of the grad students talked with him awhile. Said, "That's life - happens to everybody" and "Don't worry about it -- everybody here knows you're amazing for your age."</p>

<p>I get nearly as nervous for D's violin recitals and performances, even though hers has less at stake, because she has no interest in majoring in music. And older S - the economist - told me this week HE has an audition, as a guitarist for a band. It never ends.</p>

<p>I'll really enjoy commiserating with folks here about the process. Hoping for the best for your S's auditions. My S2 spent a summer at Brevard, and really enjoyed himself. I didn't know that was on your S's list, too.</p>

3

<p>The life of those in tne performing arts really is one audition after another. I know this is the music thread (and my kids actually are musicians but are not going into that field), one of my kids is in college for musical theater, which required auditions to be accepted. Before she ever went to college, I venture to say that she probably auditioned over 60 times in her life....many for theater and some things for music (both instrumental and voice....come to think of it, if I add in 10 years of National Piano Auditions, that's about another ten auditions). Now, she will be auditioning IN college to get into productions, auditioned to get into a capella, and will be hopefully auditioning in the coming months to try to get cast in summer stock. Upon graduating, her career will be one constant audition because even if you are cast for a show, it only lasts a certain amount of time an so you are constantly auditioning for the next job. It takes a certain kind of person who can be confident enough to not only go before people who are judging you but also to deal with lots of rejection or not getting a part, because the competition is fierce. That is why your kids (the ones going on to be professional musicians) and mine, in theater, really have a passion for what they do to "put up with" all that goes with the field. Also, as you know, with both college auditions and auditions for summer and professional work, you're judged in a few minutes time for all the hours and days and weeks that you work on something and prepare.</p>

<p>I think those who are not close to such a situation have no idea what it is like. I think it is great that you guys are sharing about music auditions here because you all share this thing in common. It is good that we have a forum for you all to come together. This has happened a lot on the Musical Theater Forum.</p>

<p>Good luck to your kids in getting something for summer and I hope my kid does too!</p>

<p>Susan</p>

4

<p>Add me to the list of parents who get more stressed about auditions than their kids (and I routinely audition for various things several times a year). Daughter signed up for the Oberlin in Italy program this year. Since she attends that school, they are familiar enough with her playing that no audition was required. It looks like it should be a fun month - intensive Italian lessons in the mornings, rehearsals and practice in the afternoons and performing at the occasional concert or opera in the evenings.</p>

5

<p>
[quote]
I know this is the music thread

[/quote]
</p>

<p>That's okay, Soozie! You know I've butted into the musical theater thread a few times, myself. :) I agree that there are many similarities within the performing arts experience. My kids have done their share of theater and musical theater, too - mostly my oldest S and youngest (and only) D! I sometimes think they'd be happy doing just about anything if it came with an audience.</p>

<p>And you're right, when I add up the piano juries, theater, chorus, etc., I've been to a lot of auditions! When you said 60, I thought, "Wow. That's a lot." Then I started going through the ones we've had, and 60 doesn't seem so far off! (Do soccer try-outs count?) :)</p>

<p>My middle child, who is the performance major, is by nature a perfectionist. It is a blessing in music, because the strive for perfection is what makes him rise to the top. And yet, it means he takes a less than perfect outcome much more personally than most, and tends to flog and second guess himself. It's hard to keep the fire passionate enough without getting burned!</p>

6

<p>I have found that the distance make the auditions easier. I don't really know when they are. I usually hear about them eventually but they are not at the forefront of my thoughts like they were when he was in high school. However, next year he is coming home for a year between undergrad and grad, so I will be much more aware of his auditions. However, I will not be traveling with him to his grad auditions so that will be a lot easier as well.</p>

<p>But yes, getting into music school is only the beginning of the rollercoaster ride. The top of the hill is when they feel like they can do anything and the bottom is when they are ready to chuck it all and go major in finance or something. Those lows can be really hard to ride out and highs sometimes seem too short lived. But I have seen my son grow over the past 4 years as a person and a musician and with maturity he is becoming better able to handle both the highs and lows.</p>

7

<p>Having been a university professor of voice for over 20 years, I can say that for my students, my goal was always for them to feel like they had done their best, and then the outcome was out of their hands and into the realm of personal taste and who showed up for the competition. It was not rewarding for them or me if they won something when they had sung poorly, it was embarrassing. Of course my vantage point was pedagogical rather than emotionally empathetic as a parent. When son was doing his college auditions last year my thinking was that we had to trust the various faculties to accept those students who were at the level appropriate for the school.....it would not be a good experience to squeak in at the very bottom of the totem pole. It does not mean that they cannot be wonderfully successful at the end of the process of training, just that they may be at different levels of easy, natural talent, technique, and preparation.</p>

8

<p>Binx, I have to laugh on the soccer tryouts because she has been there and done that as well (played for 8 years). But now that I think about it, she has been to more than 60 auditions. I underestimated! I think she has been in 45 theatrical productions, so that's 45 right there. I can think of two theater productions in our state that she did not get into, that's two. She has auditioned in NYC at least a dozen times. She has auditioned to get into select choirs and dance troupes about six times. Then there are regional and All State music festivals, and that is about seven times. She auditioned for state scholarships in voice and jazz, three times. I forgot about National Foundation of the Arts auditions. I forgot to add in National Piano Auditions ten times and am not counting smaller piano adjudications. Then there was another state musician award too. And I forgot (can't believe THIS one) COLLEGE AUDITIONS! Then one audition since she is there to get into her a capella group. So, let me see....that is 96 auditions! I didn't even realize this until this thread! Auditioning is a skill in itself and I think in terms of college auditions, it helps to have auditoined many times before. I think my D has a LOT Of auditions ahead of her. The next round is hopefully some for summer stock. We'll see. I could NEVER do what these kids do. Takes guts.</p>

<p>Susan</p>

9

<p>I don't think it gets any easier for the Mom!
Region, State, Festival auditions, College auditions, scholarship auditons...... yikes!</p>

<p>Our DS is auditioning this weekend for Mason Gross (? transfer) and also admission to Easteran Music Festival for this summer.
Audition for Manhattan School of Music (? transfer) in in March.</p>

<p>I wonder if our son finds the pressure more or less than when he was younger. He of few words doesn't share those innermost thoughts!
Although he is certainly more accomplished now than as a high school senior two years ago, he understands the significance of auditioning well now. Two years ago, he was still the carefree, laid back boy.
Quite a bit more mature and focused now; a boy no longer.</p>

10

<p>DD found out today that the state music educators association LOST her All State audition sheet. She needs to take it to her high school director tomorrow. She was wondering why others had heard and she had not...now we know why.</p>

11

<p>Talk about angst and stress for the parents... Here's a good one: S has auditions at Eastman this Friday and CIM on Sunday. He's in school at Interlochen and I am at home, 800 miles away. I have spent countless hours and $$ on his travel arrangements, painstakingly researching flight schedules, public transportation routes, hotels, etc. Today I learned that he has not even bothered to turn in a form that is required to be submitted one week in advance to notify the school that he will need transportation to the airport on Thursday :eek: At the moment, I'm worried more about whether he will even get to the auditions than about how well he'll play.</p>

12

<p>I feel your pain! AARRGGHH!!!!! There is only so much we can do from afar. It is agonizing, but at least you will not have to witness the scurrying, and you cannot do it for him. Good luck.</p>

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<p>It's so funny and sad at the same time, to listen to all of you parents. If your kids are talented in music (or theatre) they will make it. Ultimately it doesn't matter too much where they go. It's how they do when they get there. Graduate school is a place to really stand out from the crowd. So find a school with a solid undergrad program and then let the kids relax. I am getting really stressed just reading your posts.</p>

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<p>Violinmom, you have a completely different take on it than I do. I am glad the process has been much less stressful for you, and you're right about the fact that kids "make it" from all over. I'm even glad our foibles have brought a smile to your face. </p>

<p>I know parents who have been able to remain completely detached from their kid's "process" (for lack of a better word.) I have friends who are the parents of a fabulously talented oboe player, who have been able to keep at arms length -- didn't even attend college auditions with her. They plainly thought it was ridiculous that I flew in from Germany to take S to NYC. They even asked me how I thought he would survive living there, if he couldn't even handle the audition alone. Their D successfully dealt with being stranded by a cancelled flight, almost missing her audition, etc. It hasn't slowed their D down a bit, because she has the drive and passion. It's simply a difference in personality, coupled with a difference in parenting -- a version of "breast or bottle," if you will. Or "stay at home" vs. "daycare." It may not be the choice I would make, but I understand it's not my choice TO make. </p>

<p>But I personally disagree with your statement

[quote]
If your kids are talented in music (or theatre) they will make it.

[/quote]

Unfortunately, every college this year will be graduating many fabulously talented people. And every orchestra, with the exception of a handful, will have no openings. That's not pessimism, that's fact. It's also odds we've all chosen to accept to one degree or another. </p>

<p>There are so many factors along the way that can tilt the playing board one way or another. Talent. Passion. Luck. Being in the right place at the right time. And there are some we have control over. Getting the right teacher as early as possible. Playing in a strong orchestra as early as possible. NOT going to a school where you are already the "ceiling". Taking as many auditions as you can, for the experience. Finding opportunities, through camps, competitions, festivals, juries, what-not, to hone your skills, network, and make a name for yourself. There are those who will cite their parents' involvement as reason for their success, and there are those who will cite their complete independence as the reason.</p>

<p>I agree that attending one undergrad school over another does not seal anyone's fate. But I believe those who coast through undergrad, thinking they can wait to "stand out" in grad school, probably won't get into a top notch grad school. In part, because they've displayed a lack of that very necessary passion, garnering teacher statements that say, "Talented, but not motivated." On the otherhand, there are a fair amount of auditions being won by musicians who didn't even go to grad school, because they excelled at undergrad. (Note that this obviously has nothing to do with whether us parents fretted or not! :) )</p>

<p>While our kids are doing their part in the practice rooms, some of us parents are talking to each other, sharing the uncertainties, triumphs, disappointments. And benefitting from each other's experiences, practically and emotionally. Think of this as our musician parents "La Leche League." ;)</p>

15

<p>mommab - 2 years ago S went to his CIM audition alone. They took excellent care of him! While he was there, he ran into old friends from summer camp, who ended up driving him to the airport after the audition. So I feel for you, 'cause I've been there, but it did go well.</p>

<p>An update to my #2 post. S1's guitar audition got cancelled. The keyboardist got a touring offer, so is abandoning his own band for awhile. S1 is disappointed, but it's a good lesson to "keep his day job."</p>

<p>And S2 just signed up for a competition in Burlington in March. Made his own flight and hotel reservations, too. Nothing left for me to do but worry. :)</p>

16

<p>
[quote]
There are so many factors along the way that can tilt the playing board one way or another. Talent. Passion. Luck.

[/quote]

This is so true. It's good to have alot of passion to sustain you, especially if you don't have alot of luck. There are so many talented and deserving musicians who can't land one of those coveted jobs. There really aren't that many positions and musicians tend to stay in their positions way past normal retirement age. </p>

<p>I guess my question is about how to improve your "luck"? Clearly, talent alone doesn't guarantee a job. Is networking valuable in music as it is in other businesses?</p>

<p>EDIT: Sorry, this might be a hijacking of the audition thread. I will repost.</p>

17

<p>Does this ever bring back memories! As a pianist & flutist in HS, I had my share of auditions & competitions. Then college & grad school, performances & more auditions. I believe I would have changed majors if I knew how to do anything else! That's why I always loved being an accompanist, knowing the focus was on someone else. </p>

<p>Now I have 4 children who all sing and/or play instruments, none of whom will be majoring in music. It is so nice for them (and me) to have music as an outlet but not be constantly judged (performances for pleasure yes, in groups or alone, but seldom "auditions.") </p>

<p>My hat goes off to those with the talent, the passion, AND the nerves!</p>

18

<p>My DS made it out of northern Michigan this morning, just a couple hours ahead of the blizzard that has already dumped more than a foot of snow! He's safe and sound at Eastman, staying in the dorm with a friend from summer camp, and sounds like he's having a great time. His audition is tomorrow, and the next leg of the journey is a flight from Rochester to Cleveland on Saturday for CIM audition Sunday. I hope his weather-related luck holds out, and safe travel wishes to all the other kids on the roads and in the air for auditions this weekend.</p>

19

<p>One of the things that students have to master in order to become professional musicians is how to handle auditions, not only technically but also emotionally. My D is about to finish grad school so we have many years of auditions behind us. Sometimes they've gone poorly, and sometimes well, but over the years she has gotten a lot better at them. The good ones now outnumber the bad ones significantly as she has learned to concentrate on music-making even in these high stress situations.</p>

20

<p>I hope it's okay for me to tag onto this thread. It's very timely as my HS sophomore D has solo and ensembles tomorrow. Last year went really poorly and I am on pins and needles hoping that she'll do better this year.</p>

<p>Yesterday, she had a session with her accompanist, who was terrific. He touts himself as an accompanist and coach and he was. Really helped her fine tune her piece. It was amazing to me to see how a great accompanist is worth the money that I am paying him. Although my D is starting to feel that she has over prepared for her piece, she is over thinking certain parts and wishing to just feel that piece instead of worrying about the passages.</p>

<p>Last year her solo was also an audition piece for a summer program. I think that it was too much pressure for her and she folded. This year (at least at this point) she is not going to go to her summer program. I hope that if things go well, that she might consider the program she went to last year or another program. But if she decides to do something else this summer, that's okay too.</p>

<p>I'll be nervous about this silly little solo until it's over. My H is even worse and is driving my D and I crazy. I have to try to keep him in check and not try to show my nervousness, it's hard. I hoped that this got easier but it doesn't seem so.</p>