Piano auditions

[pianoslav]

Hi,
So far all of the new students I have taken were either starting from scratch or beginners in level 1 or 2. However, now for the first time, I have scheduled an an audition with a more advanced student (at least that's what her parents tell me), and I plan to audition her to see what she knows and can do. The problem is, I've never done this before, so I'm not sure what to do during the audition. (I'm only calling this an "audition" because this is when I plan to find out her level, but I will take her up regardless of her level.)

I plan to ask her to play the most advanced material she has worked on until now, but I feel that if she has already learned this material, I will not get a sense at what she truly understands and is capable of doing because she would have worked on that piece for a while. Sure, it will show some of her technical abilities, but it won't give me a sense of her strengths and weaknesses. (For example, a student may play a rhythmically confusing passage only after the teacher has demonstrated the passage to her many times without actually understanding why the way she plays the passage is correct.) So in addition, I plan to give her some pieces of increasing difficulty to sightread, and based off of that, figure out some of what she understands.

Other than that, I really don't know what I should do during this audition. Does anyone have any suggestions about what I should do to objectively place a student at a certain grade level? What activities would you have her do, besides play what she already knows and sightread some new music, to determine what she knows?

Thanks in advance!

[h_chopin148]

Maybe ask her some questions on theory, ask her to play some scales.  Also, ask her what her other previous repertoire has been.

[quantum]

Ask her to play music she loves and is passionate about.  Inquire about examples of music she is hoping to study under you.  Request some technical pieces if you wish, but don't try to micro control the audition.  Give her leeway for at least one free choice piece. 

Give a sample lesson, say 5 to 10 mins, using your usual teaching style and techniques.  Work on a section or specific technique in one of the pieces she has brought to play.  Observe how she responds, and if she would be a fit to your studio. 

Along with the sight reading, you may wish to include some simple duet playing to examine her ensemble skills.  Also inquire about her musical creativity, ask her to improvise or bring along some written compositions. 

[pianoslav]

Hey guys, thanks for the advice. I just had the audition and this was pretty helpful to find out her level. I did have her play some scales and talked a little about theory. I think the part about being relaxed was also pretty important because even though she seemed worried about impressing me, I could tell she was more or less at ease, making my job of asking her questions and analyzing her skills much easier.

Also the sample lesson was a great idea. I think I used almost everything suggested here. Thanks again!