<p>Hey everyone, I am soon to be audtioning at The Hartt School on the 17th of February. I have been playing piano for about 10 years now, and I feel as thought my sight reading ability as become very strong and is one of my dominant skills..Although, I decided a bit too late that I wanted to focus on music after high school, causing me to be very behind on my four pieces to prepare. I have been very stressed out, and I need some sort of advice.</p>
<p>What is the enviornment like at an audition? Do they look for dynamic ability, and knowledge of how to really PLAY the piano and enjoy it, rather than playing an outstanding piece just to be able to play it. I don't really know what to ask, I have been stressing out way too much. I know its late, I have been also asking for help from my jazz band instructor at school, every day after school. I DONT KNOW!</p>
<p>Just any tips, advice, even breathing rhythms help, lol. Thank you!</p>
<p>My kid is not a piano player..but I'll tell you what he did. The schools gave several choices of primary audition pieces. He was told it was better to play a less challenging piece and do a terrific job than to play the most challenging piece and play it poorly. That is what he did. He picked a piece he both enjoyed, and had the technique to play well. And for his instrument, he had required orchestral excerpts...and he learned those also. Here is what I would suggest...you have probably already chosen your audition pieces. That being the case, you should learn them as well as you can...using all the components of playing that you can incorporate well into your playing..dynamics, tempo, notes...general musicality. My son found that he did best when the pieces were committed to memory even when he could use the music. Make sure you get there in sufficient time to warm up...physically, mentally, and temperature (it's mighty cold here right now...wear warm gloves when you are outside). Then...relax. Go into your audition, and play your pieces. Try to have fun.</p>
<p>Mattyo- My son is a fifth year double degree viola performance/music ed major at Hartt. If I recall, this year there are 3 audition dates, February 17th being the last. </p>
<p>There normally is ample room. The staff was friendly, and the whole process was fairly well organized. Had some of the best bagels I've ever had as part of the welcome brunch table. I believe they assign you a practice room, but as a piano major, you might need a bit more than the standard upright in the majority of rooms. Ask, as I'm sure they have special piano practice rooms.<br>
The music school is all within the two wings of the Alfred Fuller Music Center.</p>
<p>You'll probably be slated for a theory exam while there. If this is your first visit, make sure you check out the practice rooms, performing spaces, etc. Talk to a professor or three. You (or your parents) might catch a recital to kill time and ease tension. </p>
<p>Regards the actual audition, most schools are looking for a representation of your playing skills. If you've practiced thoroughly and thoughtfully beforehand, it should not be a big deal. Don't stress out and overpractice while waiting for your time slot. Instead, warm-up and run through but not so much as to burn yourself out or start to second guess. Relax. Have fun.</p>
<p>Also, the strenght of your audition couple with an interview ('m not sure if the interview is a requirement for all music majors) would be a major factor in determining any merit aid may be awarded. The key is to play your best, and all else will follow. </p>
<p>Based on two piano auditions so far (experienced vicariously for me!) for two applications for next Fall, what seems to be pretty routine is to allow you to pick the first piece, then to ask you to play portions of the other pieces (at both, the etude was one of them), then to do sight-reading -- in both cases, fairly difficult (a Mendelssohn in one, a modern Russian piece with 6 sharps in the other). In one audition (with 4 professors), they were friendly; in the other, the two professors did not look up, did not say hello at the beginning or respond to "thank you" at the end, but the professor who took the students in and out of the room was friendly and encouraging. Of course you have to have the pieces memorized (except for certain modern pieces, e.g. Ligeti). There was no interview at either of the auditions. It seems that they are more interested in musicality than technical perfection alone. Take a deep breath and do your best! Good luck.</p>
<p>Usually you get to pick your first piece. Then they will pick the rest. D has been through 3 piano auditions so far. She was never asked to play the contemporary piece. Two were in the department chair's studio. In both, there were 5 piano faculty. The first one seemed friendly. The studio looks like a living room. The second one was really nice. When she walked in, they all stood up, introduced themselves and shanked hand with her. Due to her special circumstance, the chair talked to her afterwards and after she replied, one faculty joked about her e-mail name. They were extremely nice.
The third one was in a concert hall. She was led through the stage door and enter the stage. The faculty sat far back in the audience seats in the dark. When they stopped her in the middle of a piece, they would just tap the pencil loudly. D didn't like that at all. Also, when the person who led her to the stage exteneded his hand, she thought he was going to shand hand with her (due to her previous nice experience) so she tried to shank hand with him. But he just said "I just need your paper work". She thought that was rude.</p>
<p>apology for the mis-spelling. Where is the edit button? I meant shake/shook hand. I am still not quite awake yet. all these audition and concert trips have tire me down.</p>
<p>To avoid confusion, this is cut & pasted from the Hartt weblink in my post above: </p>
<p>"... All majors will interview with their audition committee. Undergraduate instrumental auditions are unaccompanied. Applicants may bring their own pianist or audition without accompaniment"</p>
<p>My recollection back from '02 was that my S interviewed with both the music ed as well as the instrumental departments, due to his double major. I can't
remember if other majors interviewed back then or not.</p>
<p>Now it appears an interview across all majors is required.</p>
<p>To clarify...sometimes...but not all the time...the audition committee hearing your instument (including voice) will ask you a question or two during your audition. They consider this an "interview". There is no separate interview for music majors at Hartt except for music education students who have a separate interview as part of their audition day schedule. For everyone else, it's playing their audition and doing a theory placement test.</p>
<p>Hey everyone, I'm currently a freshman AT at Hartt so if you have any questions feel free to ask and I'll help however I can. My email is <a href="mailto:glejzer@hartford.edu">glejzer@hartford.edu</a>.</p>