<p>Hi everyone! I have what is probably a very basic audition question, but there seem to be a lot of knowledgable people on this board so I hope some of you can help me out. I'm planning to audition at some smaller liberal arts colleges in the fall and early winter (St. Olaf, College of Wooster, Westminster, and probably others) on flute. The schools require 10 minutes of music portraying different time periods and styles. I am working on a Mozart Concerto, Hindemith Sonata, and Chaminade Concertino. All of these pieces combined create almost 40 minutes worth of music. How do I know what to play at auditions? Will the listener have a list of my pieces and ask for specific sections, or am I responsible for alloting time for each song? Thanks in advance for any help you can give me. I'm sure my private teacher will be able to help me, but she's on vacation for a little while longer and I'm getting antsy :-)</p>
<p>It can vary. If you are auditioning for someone who is just taping you for later viewing by the faculty, then you could be on your own in choosing what to play and for how long. The person doing the taping may also have some specific instructions for what the faculty want you to play.</p>
<p>If you are auditioning live for one or more faculty members, they may request pieces in a certain order (particularly if you had to tell them in advance what you are preparing or if their audition requirements are very specific) or they may simply ask you to start with whatever you like. Either way, they will probably stop you part way through and ask you to move on to a later part of the same piece or one of the other pieces you have prepared.</p>
<p>It is a good idea to go into the audition with a plan just in case they leave everything up to you, but it is probably more likely that someone will take control of the situation and tell you what they want you to play. At the very least, you should know which order you want to play things in so that you don't waste any of those precious 10 minutes should they simply say, "please play something for us."</p>
<p>I do know that with St. Olaf, my D had to send a prescreening CD - she plays violin, and played the first movement of a Mozart concerto and a Bach partita. It was probably more than 10 minutes, but not too much more. Then when they invited her to audition live, she couldn't (same weekend as All State.) Since she was only auditioning for money, and not to be a music major, they allowed her to audition by DVD. She ended up performing the exact same pieces. They "suggested" that she play different pieces, which she had intended to do. But she won a concerto competition using the Mozart, and needed to spend her time on that piece rather than working up something new. She sent a letter explaining that. As it turned out, she was still awarded a scholarship.</p>
<p>I think had she auditioned live, she still would have performed exactly as she did on the DVD, except I think they may have had her skip the portion of the Mozart that repeats, and go directly to the cadenza. For all I know, they fast forwarded that part. That is kinda what happened at the places where she auditioned live.</p>
<p>If you have time to perfect 40 minutes of music, and are comfortable playing any of them, then you can let them pick. If you have favorites, though, I suggest you only list your favorites. My S had a big enough rep that he was able to offer a much longer list and let the schools dictate.</p>
<p>My D did ask a couple teachers which piece they would prefer when she was first working up her rep. Gave them a choice between the Mozart and something else (can't remember.) Everybody wanted the Mozart.</p>
<p>I would suggest having a list of the music that you have prepared to play typed up with your name on it to give to the person evaluating your audition. Then they can tell you what they would like to hear.</p>
<p>Thanks so much for all of you help! It's going to be a stressful year....</p>
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I would suggest having a list of the music that you have prepared to play typed up with your name on it to give to the person evaluating your audition. Then they can tell you what they would like to hear.
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<p>This was the normal procedure for all the auditions my kids played. From each school, they were given a form to fill out - either at the time of application, or at the time of scheduling the audition - asking them to list the rep they would be performing at the audition.</p>
<p>In a couple instances my D had to re-contact them to let them know she'd changed her selections. It was never a problem.</p>
<p>while you must be prepared with the whole rep list,you won't be playing for 40 minutes straight. Whomever is hearing you (usually a panel) will pick and choose what they want you to play,and usually will throw in something to sight read cold,so be prepared with those skills as well.
M.DeBost (Oberlin flute professor) told D's group at his Flute Institute that he knows within a minute whether he will consider an auditioner for his studio.</p>
<p>Anyone have some guides for vocal music audition at a place like St. Olaf?</p>
<p>Hindemith and Chaminade are both modern, so I would play the Mozart and one of them. Make sure none of the colleges you're auditioning for require a baroque piece. It might be a good idea to work up a movement from a baroque piece just in case.</p>