<p>I know it's a pointless waste of time. Does anyone have info about audition panel reactions and what to expect?
I've had 3 auditions so far all at prestigious schools in TX and East Coast (no names or instrument for privacy if OK) and trying to understand what to expect based on teachers' comments. I bet they are incredibly nice to everyone anyway so it's entirely pointless. How often does it happen that they will be very nice and tell someone they sound beautiful or had a great audition, ask questions about life/upbringing and then not let them in? What are some definite signs someone will not get in? Is it good or bad when they listen to a lot/or a little? I only went for one music school for undergrad which I thought I would not get in so I wasn't too worried, but doing big audition tour now and going crazy. I keep running into so many people at auditions who sound great. Also which schools answer before April 1st? Sorry I know this is all speculation but I need speculation. Thank you.</p>
<p>Don’t keep stressing, because you really can’t infer anything from a panel’s demeanor. They all try to be polite and put you at ease but if they are on a tight schedule they might not have as much time to spend as on a lighter day. And don’t forget that they haven’t heard everyone yet nor have they sat down and looked at grades (yes, they do that for grad school applicants)- they need to have the entire picture in front of them, for you and for all of the others so that they can put together a workable studio. Just do your very best and let it go for a while.
Don’'t hold your breath on the 4/1 notification date either. Yes, they’re supposed to let students know by that date, but it just doesn’t happen all of the time. Last year for instance, my D and her friends were still hearing from schools at the end of April, and not because they were pulling off of waiting lists either- the schools just hadn’t done what they were supposed to by the deadline. If you don’t hear on 4/1, you can certainly contact the schools to find out when they are hoping to let applicants know.
Now, deep breathe and just keep swimming!!</p>
I just want to add that sometimes they barely seem to look up at you, give no feedback. And then you still get in. And I’ve heard plenty of stories of auditions that seemed to go so splendidly–and there were compliments and all kinds of warmth–but then the applicant was rejected. On balance, your favorable experience does bode well, but it’s just so hard to know. Best of luck to you!</p>
<p>I agree that there is just no way to read what an audition panel is thinking. My son also is finding the grad school auditions more stressful than the undergraduate–and he did 8 undergrad I think. Perhaps because the expectations of the level of playing are now much greater–the last time when one heard a really great player before you, it could very well be a grad student–but now the tables are turned, and the stakes are higher as well. I’m wondering how much weight is put on the audition itself–it was our understanding that it was basically ALL about the audition, and the paperwork was only looked at in the case trying to decide between two people. But if it is as MM says that they look at the whole package, then it gets even more difficult to get a feel for those auditions. One thing I’m wondering about–during the undergrad process, my son sent in updates to admissions when he had some accomplishments after the audition. Is that something that should be done for grad admissions? He hadn’t even thought about it, again I think because he is thinking that they are only judging on his audition.</p>
<p>Ditto to what the others have already posted. Good signs are if they invite you to stay for a sample lesson after the audition. One place that son auditioned the studio teacher told him he played incredibly well and that he would hear some positive things back from him. (Son had him as a teacher at a summer camp. too.) The teacher then came out looked me up to see if we had any questions and to say that he loved how son played and reiterated that we would hear good things from him. Son was super excited. Well, just before acceptances were sent out, son’s private teacher got a call from the studio teacher and explained that he was very sorry but son was at the top of the wait list due to political reasons… So until the acceptance letter is in your hand, you can’t read anything into it.</p>
<p>Just so you know this is how things went at my son’s first choice school. It also is the school he ended up attending. My son was told by his teachers (who attended this school that certain people would probably talk to him and ask him some things.) Auditions were running late. My son was the last audition for the morning. He played a piece. He sight read and did some ear training. He did not get to play half of the things he prepared. The panel said nothing and were stone faced and told him he was done before he felt like he had even showed them who he was and then they were up and rushing out the door to go get lunch. My son was positive he was not going to get accepted. But he did. So I am not sure you can read anything into the panel.</p>
<p>There’s a famous (infamous) story on the MT and Theater forums here (See January 24 by austinmtmom) about misinterpreting a panel’s reaction (or getting a really unreliable positive signal)</p>
<p>I guess a false negative is worse than assuming you’ve been accepted based on what the panel said and then receiving a stone cold rejection a month later. :/</p>
<p>As others have said. you cannot read anything into what the audition panel does or says, because there are so many factors in the audition process. A panel could tell someone ‘they play lovely’, and reject them, because either a)there was only 1 open slot and it went to someone else b)there were no open slots (and yes, schools do that, which i think is reprehensible if they don’t say "we don’t currently have projected open slots) or c)none of the teachers who had slots wanted the student…and yes politics plays into it,.a teacher might love the kids playing, but a teacher with more pull might get the slot said first teacher thought they had…other audition panels look like “Old Stone Face” from the original SNL days (when they had muppets on the show), and the kid gets in; some kid plays for 25 minutes and doesn’t get in, another kid gets stopped after 5 and gets in…you just never know. Sometimes serendipity plays in, like a kid auditions at two schools where the same teacher teaches at both places, has a so so audition at school B, but teacher says the kid is really good and just had a bad day…it happens.</p>
<p>And yeah, grad school seems a bit more shall we say chaotic then undergrad, at one school my S ran into problems with studio assignment because the admissions department was frantically trying to finish grad school admissions, and this was well after 4/1…::)</p>
<p>I really don’t understand why they say anything at all. They know the kids are nervous and anxious. And will read something into any and every word that is said. My daughter has had faculty see her in the hall after her audition and come up to compliment her and all I can think is, “Why!?” Now we have to figure that out. lol I keep telling her that she does not have any acceptances yet so it’s just a nice compliment and that’s all. </p>