<p>UT Butler usually falls a bit behind in sending information right away. They send out a date. Later they send out a time window ranging about an hour giving you an idea of when your audition will be. It won’t be until you get to UT on audition day that you’ll know when exactly your audition time will be.</p>
<p>Thanks gyoun09, </p>
<p>UT Butler emails says to expect schedule January 24th for Feb 1st audition. At least we are in state and don’t have to worry about flights. We will probably plan to stay in the Austin area Friday night and possibly Saturday night since we have relatives in the area. The website indicates that my S’s instrument is “full” for that particular audition date. I can’t imagine how many students they are able to audition in a single day, but probably a lot if they are in 15 minute increments. Yes?</p>
<p>Remember lots2do, there are meeting, breaks and luncheon scheduled in that day, so that takes time out of the audition day. Maybe not quite as many students as you would think!</p>
<p>Hi lots2do – My daughter auditioned at UT Butler last year (january – and super hot) for violin. She went the day before for a sample lesson and a cheese and cookie get together in the afternoon/evening. She spoke with some current Butler students, so that was worthwhile. Audition day seemed pretty crowded during check in, but everything went very smoothly. Donuts and coffee. Students at tables with brochures, catalogs available to answer questions. School administrators floating around to answer questions. No problem finding a practice room for warmup. The audition process itself went well – began with Brian Lewis (who is amazing, btw), bounding out of the room and saying in the warmest, friendliest tone imaginable – “You ready kiddo?” – followed by actual playing and a nice conversation with the judges, which included Sandy Yamamoto, who was also super warm and friendly, and someone else I’m blanking on. The only compulsory thing beyond the audition was a theory exam (very basic). Tours were available, but you’ve already had that. There may have been another meeting for parents/students that day, can’t be sure, but if there was, I didn’t go. As I recall, she was done pretty early in the afternoon, and then went off to tour the campus and Austin with a friend (from summer camp) she bumped into who was also auditioning and happened to be an Austin native. All in all, her experience was extremely positive. A wonderful place and a well-run audition.</p>
<p>P.S. On that day at least, they didn’t audition a vast number of violinists…I’m thinking 15, and that included grad students. Also the auditions were pretty much always shorter than 15 minutes – probably around 10 minutes or so at most.</p>
<p>Thanks String Pop, </p>
<p>Helps a lot to have an idea what to expect. I have wondered if the audition is normally in front of more than one person. I think my son is expecting most to be one on one. So thanks for that. He has a week before UT audition and it seems his calendar is full of performances and things that prevent him from getting in much practice on audition pieces. This week alone he has had an all day rehearsal, a youth orchestra concert side by side with a professional musical organization, an extended band rehearsal with guest composer John Mackey and two days of All Region band rehearsal and performance. Just finished with All State auditions. And auditions for his summer program. </p>
<p>With three long pieces and all the scales on the list of audition material, I suppose they can ask him to play any of that. But with a 10 minute audition, it seems he could best use his time polishing a few, but not all the pieces. </p>
<p>Thanks for the UT Butler specific info.</p>
<p>Not sure what it’s like for other instruments, but my daughter always played in front of 3 or more of the violin faculty. Pretty much all of her auditions were on the short side and didn’t include all the rep or full performances ever of anything – less than two pages of the concerto, less than a page of Bach movements, Paganini etude (less than half a page) was requested at Eastman and nowhere else. At Butler, she had prepared an additional piece that they never asked for at all. Never asked for scales anywhere. Short auditions, if they happen, should not be construed to mean anything in particular – positive or negative. They listen to as much as they need in order to make a decision. Anyway, have a great time in Austin!</p>
<p>Just one person in the room would be extremely unusual.
lots2do- You’re using logic, but your son simply has to have everything prepared for those auditions. If he has to put something aside, well, scratch that because he can’t since he has previous commitments that he must honor. Everything on the audition list must be polished and ready to perform and a panel member can ask for anything that they have specified. As my old violin teacher told me many times, “Get up earlier and go to bed later. You’re young and a few weeks aren’t going to kill you”. He was correct because I don’t have any recollection of the sleep deprivation but I do remember every acceptance and rejection.
Your son will get through this although you may find yourself mentally exhausted and on first name terms with the guy in the closest wine shop! Breathe deeply, this too shall pass…</p>
<p>Red wine it is! Thanks for the encouragement. I’ll let you know how it goes. My DH will be taking DS to the UT audition. DH is an alumni, so he knows his way around. Although it has grown and changed a lot since he attended. </p>
<p>I will be home with DS16 who will debut in high school performance of Hairspray.</p>
<p>I’ve never heard of anyone being asked to play scales in an audition even though scales are generally on the requirement list.</p>
<p>As one professor said at an info session, “We don’t need to ask you to play your scales; we can tell from your performance whether or not you practice them.”</p>
<p>A dead silence fell over the room.</p>
<p>Best quote of the day, stradmom!!</p>
<p>Exactly. Ugh- not sure about this site redesign.</p>
<p>Amen. Seems like a lot of wasted space.</p>
<p>I don’t like this new site at all!</p>
<p>Actually, I’m coming around. I wish there were not so much white space around the posts, and I wish we could get back the function that allowed us to set the most recent posts to show at the top. The message feature is vastly improved.</p>
<p>I feel like a certain degree of anonymity has disappeared when Facebook photos are being posted now. I didn’t sign up through Facebook–so I’m curious–are you all seeing any photo of me, or is it the generic CC photo? </p>
<p>I’m seeing the generic CC icon, Clarimom. I like the ‘like’ option. Haven’t tried the message feature, yet.</p>
<p>The only reason you see this big chicken is that I uploaded it to test out the profile picture option. I was too chicken (<–pun alert!) to connect to my FB. I have no idea why anyone would integrate this forum with FB.</p>
<p>OK, new ‘logo’ now I see Glassharmonica 
Nice</p>
<p>Got audition schedule today for Saturday. An hour block for audition time. Will get actual time and room number upon check in. And a later time for theory test. Lots of food options listed and lots of tours and q and a sessions.
Schedule very much like StringPop described. Hairline crack has appeared in DS’s one and only instrument. Just another bump in the road. </p>