<p>I had my Stanford live audition on the bass in Atlanta last Sunday, and I really don't know what tomake of it. I was sooo nervous, but I actually thought I did better than usual. </p>
<p>The conductor was really nice and friendly, but I felt that the audition became a little awkward because he kept stressing the fact I've been playing for 3 years. He asked me this before I played my first piece (Telemann Viola Concerto in G), and then after I finished. </p>
<p>Granted I really really messed up on that piece, but I don't know whether he kept asking because I really couldn't play despite my three years of playing, or because he was impressed .. but after THAT piece I felt like he was really disappointed. </p>
<p>However, I played the Kousetvitzsky pretty well (I rocked the double stops) though I did have a couple of out of tune notes in the triple section .. but he seemed a little happier after I finished that piece</p>
<p>then he began drilling me .. like an interview .. about SATS/Clubs/grades/why I wanted to come to Stanford,, etc. And he was very easy to talk to, but I didn't know if this would be taken into account during the admissions process .. because it didn't seem to have any relevance to my music audition..</p>
<p>I have really mixed feeligs about that audition. I accomplished a personal best, which is great for me, but usually I can tell if I completely messed up or no based on the auditioner's reaciton. Can anybody give me a clue?</p>
<p>Since this was a regional audition, was the person who heard you play just taping the audition and asking a bunch of standard questions, or were they actually in a position to influence the admissions decision? If they were not involved in the decision, I don't think you can read a whole lot into their reactions or questions.</p>
<p>However, if the person were the bass teacher, the orchestral conductor there, or perhaps another string instructor, then maybe it is worth a couple of minutes thinking about how it went. Most people auditioning for music schools on a bowed string instrument have been studying for more than three years, so he may have been a little skeptical at first and was just checking to see if the 3 was correct. If you can nail the Kouss double stops, you are technically far ahead of most third-year bassists, so he may have been surprised by the technical aspects of your playing.</p>
<p>It sounds like you did well on the technically challenging parts of the audition but perhaps not quite as well on the parts where you can show off your musicianship in things like spot-on intonation, phrasing and interpretation. If he was disappointed at all, I would guess it was because he got the impression that some aspects of your playing are not as advanced as your technique.</p>
<p>As far as the questions are concerned, Stanford has some pretty high academic expectations. It could be a good sign that he asked that kind of stuff because he would want to know that any students he accepted would be able to handle the non-music courses that are required. If he were going to simply blow you off as insufficiently advanced for musical reasons, he probably would not have bothered asking those kinds of things.</p>
<p>Sometimes a judge at an audition will try to put you on the spot just to see how you react. They want to gauge what it will be like working with you for four or more years. That kind of thing definately plays into the decision, even at one of the top conservatories where they tell you that the audition counts for everything. Your reactions to stress are an important part of the audition. </p>
<p>I wouldn't worry too much about it. Learn what you can from that audition and put it behind you. Write a thank-you note, request some feedback on how he thought it went and the areas you most need to improve. Then stop worrying about the past and prepare for the next audition.</p>
<p>His name was Jingdong Cai, and he is the conductor for the university Orchestra. </p>
<p>The way they use the auditions in the admissions process is that audition people get together after all of the live auditions and all of the recorded auditions have been submitted and rate them from 1 to 6. Those with a rating of 1,2, or 3 get sent to the admissions office to help with the process, and the rest just don't get considered. I don't think its a HUGE part of the process, because I know a person whogot into Julliard on violin who didn't get in (got a couple of C's), but I know that the rest of my application (transciprt,scores,ECs) is strong enough that if I got a good review, it could really help.</p>
<p>He gave me his card, so I sent him an email asking if he would give me some feedback on what he believed was my weakest point. Hopefully, he will actually reply because I really would like feedback even if I didn't very well. I don't have a bass teacher right now because he moved to Florida, and there are no other bass teachers around, so after this audition I'm starting to become nervous about auditioning for Oberlin and Carnegie Mellon.</p>
<p>You are correct in that the recommendation from the music department is not a big part of acceptance at Stanford. Since Stanford does not have a separate music school--just a music department--a recommendation from the music department is just a little extra push toward admissions. (BassDad, the music department does not have the power to admit or reject anyone.) Stanford does not admit students to particular schools or departments, so your application is right in there with everyone else's. It will mainly be decided by grades, EC's, testing scores, recs, and essays. The audition may be able to help you, but it can't hurt you. (That is what they told us when my son applied there. )</p>
<p>Good luck on your applications! And I wouldn't try to read too much into his reaction, either good or bad. It is just one audition and one person. And they probably try to appear as neutral as possible so as not to either discourage or unduly encourage anyone.</p>
<p>Losing your bass teacher while preparing for auditions is a pretty serious setback. Couldn't your old teacher recommend anyone at all in your area? If you are anywhere on the east coast between Boston and Washington DC, I may be able to recommend someone to at least help get you through auditions. I now recall that you auditioned in Atlanta. I don't know the southern teachers well, but my daughter's former teacher grew up in Georgia and he may very well know someone in that area. If you are interested, I can send you a PM with his email address.</p>
<p>Good luck at Oberlin and CMU - the bass teachers at both schools are outstanding and very easy to work with. They will be impressed by the double stops in the Kouss if you are playing them in tune and up to performance speed. That will not be enough to get you accepted at either place on its own because they get a lot of applicants with fast and accurate fingers. Work on the slow movement of the Telemann in particular so that you can show them the musical side of your playing.</p>
<p>It sounds like you have some pretty good academic credentials, which will help weed out some of the competition at Stanford and CMU in particular. Are you applying to any schools that might be considered more of a safety musically, but still have similar top academic reputations?</p>
<p>The music department at Stanford may not have the power to admit or reject anyone but, given that they send the director of their orchestra clear across the country for auditions, the results of those auditions must have some bearing on whom they allow to become a music major. Jenuinex26 might well be accepted to Stanford on the basis of academic performance but I get the feeling that he or she would be looking elsewhere if a major in music were not possible.</p>
<p>BassDad, I didn't mean that a major in music is not possible. However, at Stanford, students are simply admitted to Stanford itself, not to any particular department. Only after you are actually accepted and on campus do you apply for a particular major. (although you can certainly indicate interest on the application) The audition can be important, as it can help your application if you are particularly good or the department needs your instrument badly that year. It just will not be the most important aspect of the application. (As the mom of one Stanford grad and one waitlist who went elsewhere--the latter my musical son--I am familiar with the procedure.)</p>
<p>The director of the Stanford Chorus told us last week at practice that he was off to the East Coast for auditions. He indicated that he submitted a "wish list" of candidates to the admissions people.</p>
<p>I understand that, from Stanford's perspective, the results of the audition are not the most important consideration when deciding whether to accept a student. I am not questioning your firsthand knowledge of their procedures. However, let's consider things from the point of view of an applicant who has the following characteristics:</p>
<p>1 - they are certain that they want to major in music with an emphasis on performance, </p>
<p>2 - their academic record is such that they would be a strong candidate at a school like Stanford even without a musical audition, and </p>
<p>3 - they want to be challenged in both musical and non-musical classes, possibly to the extent of doing a double major or a double degree.</p>
<p>From this specific applicant's point of view, the results of Stanford's auditions are every bit as important as the final admissions decision and the person judging the audition might just as well have the power to admit or reject them. Even if they wind up being accepted to the school, they are likely to go elsewhere if the music department is not interested.</p>
<p>"Does this audition have any bearing on participation in ensembles or lessons if I am accepted to Stanford?</p>
<p>No. These auditions are only a supplement to the admissions process. They also do not commit the student to studying music while he or she is at Stanford. If a student is admitted, he or she will need to schedule separate auditions for ensembles and private lessons, which take place the first week of the Autumn term. </p>
<p>How does an audition affect my application for admission?</p>
<p>If the audition is given a strong evaluation, the Office of Undergraduate Admission will consider it along with the applicants other materials."</p>
<p>The audition is only an extra, like an artist sending in some sample pieces, like a math genius sending in a list of awards, another indication of a strong EC. A student is admitted on the basis of the whole package. Even if the audition did not go well, if the student is admitted, he/she still has an equal chance to get into an ensemble, since that is determined by auditions the first week of school. A bad evaluation from the music department will not HURT the student's chance; it simply will not be an added plus. It is NOT the equivalent of a rejection by the music department and does NOT mean that student can not major in music.</p>
<p>Wow. It seems that they put a lot of time and money into these nationwide auditions and expect you to do the same. Then they tell you that it doesn't really count for very much and that they will not guarantee you a spot in a particular teacher's studio until after you get there and take the real audition (having by then turned down all your other offers and paid a semester's worth of tuition and fees.) </p>
<p>Since I am of the mind that the interaction with the primary instrumental or vocal teacher is the single most important consideration for music majors interested in performance, that is not a deal I would care to make.</p>
<p>I agree, BassDad. That's why Stanford was not my music major's son's first choice. It's a terrific college, and my first son loved his time there, but it isn't often the first choice for a student who knows he wants to perform music for a career.</p>
<p>The Stanford Symphony is a decent group and getting better. You are not accepted to the music department and will never know how the auditioner felt about your audition even if you are accepted. As others have said, if you do well, you have a tip factor. If you do not, it doesn't matter. Stanford takes students primarily on their academic performance. Now, athletes are a totally different story....
Having said that, they always need bass players...I doubt they get many bass playing applicants...so don't worry!</p>
<p>PS...he was impressed that you've only been playing three years...your repertoire is quite advanced and you obviously have talent. He grilled you because you need the grades/SATs/clubs to get in even if he recommends you so he needed to know before he wrote up your audition. Good luck!</p>