<p>Is it common for parents to feel exhausted after an audition round? My D did two of her auditions this weekend and I have been completely wiped out! She certainly is too, but I didn't expect to feel so tired myself. These schools were only 1 and 1.5 hours drive from our house but we were gone most of the day Friday and again on Saturday. </p>
<p>She's got two more auditions on the calendar, including the one for the school which is her current first choice. It has been an intense 6 months and I am more than ready for this college selection process to be over. My older D's experience was a breeze compared to doing music auditions.</p>
<p>Boy do I hear ya! (and we're not even talking college auditions yet!) My Jr. D just finished a round of auditions for summer music programs, including a trek to Boston (3-hr drive for us) for a shot at BU/Tanglwood Institute. Actually we both got home that Sunday feeling exhausted but glad that we'd had a "sneak peek" at what she may be facing next year. My H has it easy -- he gets to come on college visits/tours, but NOT auditions (he makes her too nervous).</p>
<p>Hang in there, Fiddlemom, it's almost over. I have to say however, that the three weeks of waiting between the last audition date and the April 1st notifications were probably the longest three weeks of my life. I was convinced that I was far more stressed out than S, but I guess he just didn't show it. The good news, though, is that it IS only three weeks. Good luck to your D.</p>
<p>Two in one weekend is hard on anyone. Daughter had an audition at NEC on Sunday afternoon a day after one at Curtis. She slept in the car much of the way from Philly to Boston and from Boston back home. I, on the other hand, was completely wiped out by Sunday night. March of her senior year was definitely the slowest I have ever seen the clock run.</p>
<p>We just finished up yesterday and I feel like I could sleep for at least three days. D did five auditions over four weekends and we both agreed that we couldn't possibly do one more. On the ride home yesterday, I realized that it's more than the physical tiredness and emotional ups and downs of the auditions themselves. A huge part of our lives has just ended. We've spent years getting ready for conservatory auditions and it's all over. All the planning, research, work, practice, competitions, classes, rehearsals - done. Even though we don't know where she'll be accepted, there's not another thing that we can do in the next 30 days that will change the outcome. I suspect there will be an emotional letdown at some point, but right now all I can think about is I never have to nag her to practice again! :-)</p>
<p>StringMom- 5 auditions in 5 weekends! Wow! At least my D's 5 are spread out over 2 months. She's done 3 with 2 to go. Since we're still in the midst we haven't yet breathed the sigh of relief of it being all over. I am beginning to see that this phase of our life will soon be done and trying to envision what the next phase will look like. Waiting for results so we can see what the true possibilities will be will be torture!</p>
<p>I'm seeing that the feelings are very similar, even though my D is not auditioning for the very top schools. One school on her list is frequently mentioned here. Another is probably in the next group and the last 3 are more local or regional music programs.</p>
<p>I have always contended that the auditions are harder on the parents than the kids. Only half kidding.</p>
<p>In my case, and I suspect most of us, I work very hard to allow my child to focus solely on music. I deal with the travel arrangements, run interference for slip-ups, keep other nosey kids or parents at bay, make sure kid has optimum conditions for sleeping, eating, etc. And try to do it all as inconspicuously as possible, so it goes smoothly for them. It's emotionally stressful. It was made easier by my S2's attitude that what was supposed to happen would happen. And by my D's somewhat detached attitude - she isn't auditioning as a performance major, so there is less stress attached.</p>
<p>Not a parent, but I can vouch for my mother - she's exhausted!</p>
<p>I play the flute, and we've had straight auditions this month each weekend, each school at <em>least</em> three hours drive away. Add that in with dealing with the competitive flute atmosphere is enough to wipe out almost anyone.</p>
<p>Thank you, embrangled, for a voice from the musician side! I was also exhausted last year when I did auditions with my daughter, but must also say that we both enjoyed the fact that we did the traveling together, and we've now got an endless stock of stories about the competitiveness as well as about some of the nice support from other auditioning families. All in all, I guess I'm hoping she'll invite me along when she auditions for grad schools!</p>
<p>My stomach is already churning for next year after reading your posts. Congrats to all of you parents for getting this done!!!! Best wishes to your kids!</p>
<p>The wait is the worst! With all your classmates starting to declare their colleges for next year, all the music kids are like....yeah...I'm still auditioning, so shut it. But we survive, somehow. ;)</p>
<p>Even from the student point of view, I really appreciated having my mom there for my auditions...we had such a blast, even with all the anxiousness. We're going up again this weekend - four hour drive to Minneapolis, straight into the blizzard! :P - so that should be interesting...</p>
<p>embrangled- hoping for safe travels for you and your mom this weekend. I'm so glad you have been able to enjoy your time with her, even with all the stress of the auditions. Savor these times and let them become great memories.</p>
<p>I've been enjoying all the one-on-one time I've gotten to spend with my D as we've done college visits, extra lessons for audition prep (and the associated driving- where we live nothing is terribly close-by), and the auditions themselves. We are creating some good memories and bonds of mother-daughter friendship. Next year she'll be away- not too far in our case- and I'll miss her but I know she'll be doing the music she loves.</p>
<p>With only 1 more to go, the months of spreadsheets and travel arrangements, voice up and downs, details and empathy are almost over. I would not trade this time with My D for anything, no matter where she decides to go next year. I can sleep then. Maybe :)</p>
<p>StringMom hit it on the head.....
after all the years,all the prep its just...over...and theres nothing more to be done but wait out the results.
I must say,S #2,non musician was a breeze,even with Scholarship Interview weekends,compared to D#1 and the music stuff.</p>
<p>Over soon? ha. Starts all over again. MY dd1 is back doing the grad school rounds. Actually she's done 100% of this on her own, all I've gotten were a text message and a phone call after audition one and two.
I went with her to all but Curtis and U. MD. The one thing she felt was important to her at that time was that having a parent there helped her avoid dealing with the other kids til after she played. For her she needed total focus. One fun part is I got to meet some of her summer camp buddies, with parents, and one stayed in my house for the NY auditions since his family couldn't afford to come too.
So she's dealing with this while DD2 is waiting for acceptances to college. They seem ok. I'm shot, exausted and fretting and I didn't even go on the auditions.
For the parent of a junior, I can't say enough about doing a summer program if possible - Kinhaven is her favorite-and finding a way to have a private lesson or two with teachers. It lessens the anxiety of suddenly seeing these top teachers for the first time.</p>
<p>I can second the vote for a good summer program; and agree that Kinhaven is absolutely first rate; DD spent a wonderful summer there after junior year when she decided to try the conservatory route, and her Kinhaven teacher prepared her very well for auditions, and gave additional guidence about schools and teachers, and D returned for the summer after seinor year to reconnect with friends and help prepare for the first college seating auditions as well; A truly magical place in many respects!</p>