<p>Do you have your kids write thank-yous to the people who hear their auditions at schools?</p>
<p>We did not and I don't think that is appropriate. It might be seen as an attempt to influence the outcome rather than a true thank you.</p>
<p>Wow, really? It's not just polite to say, "thanks for putting me at ease; I enjoyed meeting you, etc."--or something like that?</p>
<p>My daughter did indeed write thank you emails after her auditions. She thanked the teachers who heard her auditions and expressed her continued interest in attending that particular school. She felt that it was a polite gesture and a way of showing sincere interest in the schools. Additionally, after her first audition, which was quite a bit earlier than the others, she also actually asked the teacher if she was in the running for admission. I guess she wanted to gain a little perspective or confidence about the auditions to come. She only asked her chances after that first audition; subsequently she merely thanked the teachers. That teacher did reply with a vague positive answer-something like: "Your audition was impressive, and at this point you are indeed competitive for admission, but it is early in the audition process, so I will hear many more auditions before making admission offers. I will be admitting 3 or 4 students into my studio, and I will be in touch." The positive feedback did make her feel more confident going into the rest of the auditions, but I don't know if it was such a good idea to ask.</p>
<p>My D did not write notes to the adjudicators. I don't think it is necessary but I don't think it would be viewed as trying to influence someone. If she had auditioned for just one person, she may have done it since it would be so much more personal. She did write a follow up email to a teacher at UNCG who arranged to be on her panel because she had taken a sample lesson with her. She thanked her for arranging to be there, and told her how nice it was to see a familiar face.</p>
<p>...It is an amazingly small world in music. Chances are that a college audition is not the last time you will encounter a particular teacher, so building a bit of a personal relationship is a very good idea. Your audition performance or outcome has nothing to do with sincere thanks. And after all, it is appropriate to send thank yous after job interviews, whether or not you nailed the job.</p>
<p>I agree that it seems like the polite thing to do, though my son is loathe to appear phoney, so he gets absolutely green when I suggest that he do this. I was wondering how hard I should twist his arm!</p>
<p>I think a thank you note to an instructor, department head, faculty who had taken significant time "above and beyond" the norm to answer questions, explain the program, or show you the department would be appropriate.</p>
<p>To thank the adjudicators, while done in all good faith, could appear as "schmoozing".</p>
<p>I write thank you notes. All of the professors have been very nice and helpful. One came in just to hear my audition and spent an extra half hour talking with me in her office, one gave me some very helpful advice about my playing and summer programs to look into, and two offered me sample lessons and the opportunity to sit in on their studio classes. They've all gone above and beyond what I expected, and they've been really helpful and kind in this whole process. I'd feel guilty not letting them know that I appreciate it!</p>
<p>Ah, but schmoozing is an essential skill for musicians who are looking for work. In fact, I cannot recall having seen the word used with a negative connotation before. Why not practice when you have an opportunity? </p>
<p>I guess I do not understand how a brief thank you note or email to a teacher who has taken time to evaluate your playing is in any way phony (unless, of course, you are genuinely ungrateful for the opportunity of playing for them) or how it might be construed as an attempt to curry favor (provided that you have not also enclosed a "gift" that might be seen as a bribe.)</p>
<p>bassdad -</p>
<p>the usual sage advice.....thank you okay....bribe bad. just so.</p>
<p>thanks!</p>
<p>BassDad wrote:< ...I do not understand how a brief thank you note or email to a teacher who has taken time to evaluate your playing is in any way phony...></p>
<p>Nor do I. To rephrase what I said, I do feel individual thank you notes to all adjudicators on the panel that sat at your audition committee may well be misconstrued as by one or all as an attempt to curry favor. I also see nothing wrong with saying a brief "thank you" verbally to the panel as a whole at the close of the audition.</p>
<p>And indeed, schmoozing is a skill that must be developed, but also one best used judiciously.</p>
<p>The decision, then, is whether to risk being misperceived as ungrateful for not sending a note or as manipulative for sending one.</p>
<p>As an old engineer, I tend to take communication rather literally and say what I think in precise terms without giving much consideration to how others may interpret what was said within different contexts. This is a constant source of frustration for my wife, who seems very sensitive to such things. When I say that I do not understand how "thank you" could be misconstrued, I am not denying the possibility that it can be taken at other than face value, rather that it simply would not occur to me to do so unless the intent was quite obviously sarcastic or ironic. In other words, I freely admit that I may not be the best source of advice on interpersonal communications.</p>
<p>I think if it "above and beyond" (meaning, like mentioned above, the teacher spent extra time, etc) a thank you note is great. For most panels, the students may not even know who all the adjudicators are. I know my son had one audition with NINE adjudicators, and it would just look weird to write a note to all of them (esp since he didn't know who all nine were).</p>
<p>I don't think that thanking for an audition is like thanking for a practice lesson, which obviously is expected.</p>
<p>Just my opinion, of course.</p>
<p>Wow. Nine? I did not know there were such large panels outside of Musical Theatre auditions. I don't think my daughter ever auditioned for more than two people at a time. I agree that doing nine separate thank you notes is more than a bit much to expect for one audition.</p>
<p>Wisconsin string auditions are heard by the entire string faculty (which is 9). Maybe others too.</p>
<p>i think the whole string faculty listens to usc auditions, too. </p>
<p>i know the whole bass faculty listens to bass auditions at juilliard. </p>
<p>i wouldn't write the audition committee members thank you notes... i'd write one to a professor you got a trial lesson from though.</p>
<p>This is starting to make sense to me now, and, as usual, I should take the cue from my son who always acts out of sincerity. I think his objection was to writing a thank you note to faculty who were there to listen, but did not interact with him much. To him that seemed somehow forced or false. The thank you at the time of the audition was fine and enough. If you feel a genuine desire to thank more formally, then it's right.</p>
<p>My son emailed thank you's to all his adjudicators, and most of them emailed very nice messages back.</p>
<p>I decided not to, but I think it's mainly because at the only place I auditioned (NEC) I saw the dept. head the next day and thanked him in person.</p>