<p>DD did her first live audition yesterday (vocal performance) - she had a good experience & now I think will be pretty confident going into future auditions. She came out of the room with a smile on her face - phew! As suggested in another forum, I played the role of walking coat rack and carried the shoes, sweater & accessory bag - nailed it!</p>
<p>Congratulations to your daughter! It really helps to have a good one under your belt.
And congratulations for nailing your role as well. There is a lot of embarrassing parental behavior out there which can add to their students’ stress. We saw parents standing with their ears to the door of the recital hall, parents who tried to waylay faculty as they emerged from auditions – yikes! A talent for holding coats and being unobtrusively supportive is a great thing. Your daughter will thank you!</p>
<p>It’s not a bad way to spend the season, really, when you think about it. You just need to develop the knack of being practically invisible while still being able to hold coats, boots, tissues, throat drops, hair brush, elastics, a water bottle, music, notebooks and still keeping an eye on the clock after you’ve committed the day’s schedule to memory. Just when you get used to it, it’s all over.
Listen when she needs to talk (they seldom want our opinions but need our ears), be unfailingly polite to everyone because this world of music is very small and always be early and prepared for the worst (that way, you’ll be pleasantly surprised when things go as they should!). Carry folders for all of the materials that you’ll be given at each school so that you know where things are when they’re needed.
Treasure this time with your daughter; it will never be like this again, but you’ll always have the memories…</p>
<p>Mezzo’sMom summed it up perfectly! One other perk is that you get to meet a lot of other walking coat racks. I’ve picked up a few great friends during these travels!</p>
<p>Yes, it really was a nice day! After the audition, D changed into sneakers (looked great with her audition dress & black nylons) & we wandered the campus & ate in the dining hall, then she conked out for most of the long drive home. I’m kind of looking forward to the next audition!</p>
<p>I have fond memories of that audition season. As crazy and hectic as it was it was a time for DD and I to forge closer bonds that have held for years. It was the last time she needed my help with the process. And I too was the coat, bag, water lady. Stepped away when she wanted me to and was close when asked. </p>
<p>She took it over after that and manages all the audition details and travel herself now. An important skill for this career! But we learned together how to manage and weather it and she keeps me up to date now as her auditions progress.</p>
<p>It is an interesting process,to say the least. In my case I primarily acted to make plane and hotel reservations and make sure S ate,other than that,he took care of it,I didn’t go to the audition at all ( just as well,flew cross country,then back to another audition,with a bad respiratory infection).</p>
<p>One note,there is a lot of potential angst to come,waiting to hear if they made it,then angst about schools and teacher,didn’t end for us until 3rd week in April …but it does work out, I promise:)</p>
<p>My younger daughter is NOT a musician, so it will be so much easier when it is her turn to apply. No music supplements, no plane tickets, no having a DVD professionally made, no half-hour file uploads , no buying special outfits & accessories (oh, the hours it took D to pick out the right color lipstick…). Really - you just write an essay or two & send in the application, and that’s it??? Seems almost boring!!</p>