<p>“Found out that there was only one spot, and already had a “star” audition in first round…”</p>
<p>Knowing that someone else had a good (or even great) audition for that single spot can be a problem for an auditioner. However, it is important to remember that the star can only, in the end, accept one position. My daughter knows a kid (through her summer program), her age, on her instrument, who has an excellent chance at snagging a spot at Curtis this year. That kid may very well also out-perform her at the schools she’s auditioning at… but she can’t go to all the schools she’s applying to! </p>
<p>I tell my daughter to pay attention to the general caliber of current students at the school - if she feels that her level is pretty much in line with what she hears at a studio class, then that’s an appropriate place for her to be auditioning.</p>
<p>Congratulations, Bluepearl! Something similar happened to a pianist friend of DS; this young man auditioned at NEC and then was contacted by a faculty member who heard his audition and invited him to come up again privately to meet with her and another faculty member (they have a joint studio). He ended up in their studio and is a sophomore at NEC now.</p>
<p>I think it is a psychological plus for your daughter to be heading into auditions with an early acceptance in her pocket! I hope and expect this will be the first of many.</p>
<p>On our home front: DS decided not to apply for the double degree programs (liberal arts/music) so now there are only two apps left to do. We’re now busy setting up recitals of the audition repertoire.</p>
<p>You never know. All that knowing there is one spot in a particular instrument means is that there is one spot. </p>
<p>If anyone has not yet read Malcolm Gladwell’s new book, Outliers, it’s really good and has some application to music. He quotes someone’s research that says to truly master something (ie. music), you need to have spent 10,000 hours at it. That means our conservatory-level music students who have practiced 4+ hours through high school and then through college will reach that milestone around the end of undergraduate or during graduate studies. His source says it doesn’t matter how brilliant you are, you will not achieve mastery with less than 10,000 hours. By the same token, if you’re incapable, you probably will never reach 10,000 hours. </p>
<p>Another point he makes is that you don’t have necessarily to be the best to be successful at something, you need to be “good enough.” Therefore, although auditions weigh mightily in music acceptances, there comes a point when you just have to be “good enough.” Since schools also look at other factors to ensure gender, geographic, and ethnic diversity, that might also be a factor. And finally, you never know what the other candidates will do. Even if you’re third or fourth out of many excellent candidates and they only take 1, maybe the first three will choose to go elsewhere. </p>
<p>In the final analysis, our kids can only do their best and the rest is out of their hands. Last year, when S2 finished his top choice audition, he (who is very self critical) was pleased and even said that he didn’t think he could have done any better on that day. So even if he had not been accepted and had ended up at his safety, he had the satisfaction of having no regrets.</p>
<p>My son had what he felt was a really bad audition at a top music school. To his surprise, he was accepted there with a merit award. So don’t assume anything!</p>
<p>Yay, another shout out for Malcolm Gladwell. I bought this book for my musician son!</p>
<p>Same story here much like stringfollies. The audition that felt the best was the only school that didn’t take him. The one he felt the worst at still saw that he belonged there, and he does! He said he made mistakes at that audition, and didn’t feel that he made mistakes at any others. I believe teachers can hear beyond the audition–most of the time.</p>
<p>I once heard a music prof say that he/she could judge a auditionee pretty much in the first 30 seconds, just by the way they walked in, their attitude and professionalism, followed by a few notes to determine that they really could play. Most commentary I’ve seen from conservatory faculty says that they’re not looking for the “perfect” audition. They’re looking for a sound, a spark, an interpretation… and I imagine that changes for each individual looking to add to his/her studio.</p>