Auditioning at a Conservatory tomorrow...

[MzrtMusic]

Hello to all... I know it's been forever since I've posted anything, and that this is also rather last minute. But, I'm auditioning at the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of music tomorrow. Does anyone have any advice for making it through a conservatory audition? Or any thoughts about the specific school? I've auditioned at two other liberal arts schools, but they were rather smaller and much less formal. I'm not quite sure what to expect. Also, how do I deal with the nerves/intimidation of it all? Thanks so much!

Love,

Sarah

[BoliverAllmon]

I just got back from my own auditions. Now they weren't at a fancy conservatory, but they were at a  very nice school. After performing I quickly realized this. I played my pieces how I wanted to and delivered a musical message in a way that I wanted to. The problem though was that the jurors didn;t necessarily like how I delivered it. So when you go and audition just go and play how you want and just relax. If they don't like it it doesn't mean that you are a terrible pianist. It just means they think differently than you.

boliver

[faulty_damper]

They will probably be looking for
technique - the ability to play the pieces cleanly and without much effort
interpretation/expression - proper phrasing, dynamics, voicing, etc.
talent - ability to do the above.
potential - lacking in one or more areas but excelling in others.  E.g. having excellent technique but poor interpretation (unmusical, i.e. Lang Lang. ).

Nerves?  What is the worst that can happen?  You audition, you don't get in.  Your dreams of becoming a world class pianist fade into oblivion.  You become depressed, suicidal, you kill yourself.  This really could be the worst that can happen.  But is any of this likely?  Probably not.

Or more realistically, you don't get in but continue playing the piano and improve and audition again next time and become accepted.

[whynot]

Well, best of luck!!  Make sure your hands are warm.  Smile.  Show that you're happy to be there and are very interested in the school-- teachers devote their lives to their institutions, and they would rather teach someone who cares about how good their program is than someone who can't tell the difference.  They will expect you to be nervous, so they won't mind about that, but you might!  You may be able to channel some of your extra energy into a new goal, like:  "They may have heard this piece a thousand times before, but they haven't heard me play it, they haven't had a student who cares about it like I do"... whatever you can put in your playing that isn't an additional technical demand.  Play something you like, and play with soul.           

[delpetrarca]

Gd luck!

I have a Q here...
I talked with a student at school (not music school) and she said she could have gotten in Julliard coz of network, but she didn't choose to go. Her statement really made me  ... i mean, i've heard her play... poor tehnique + just OK musicality... struggles through difficult pieces with sound I as an amateur can't even bear... i seriously don't believe her... but i'm not sure... is it true that network works its way in a prestigeous music conservatory with an acceptance rt of 8% or sth. If so, I'd feel real bad for the real talents who try real hard...   

[goose]

Nerves?  What is the worst that can happen?  You audition, you don't get in.  Your dreams of becoming a world class pianist fade into oblivion.  You become depressed, suicidal, you kill yourself.  This really could be the worst that can happen.  But is any of this likely?  Probably not.

Thanks, Faulty Damper, that made me bust out laughing. But don't sugarcoat it, tell it like it is!

Hi, Sarah. I figure a slightly fatalistic attitude can't hurt on these occasions. You're going to go on and study somewhere, right? Whichever path you choose -- and whichever institution accepts or rejects you -- is going to open some doors and close others. And the thing is, you'll NEVER KNOW what the other route would have been like. Perhaps Cincinnati College is the place for you. Perhaps not. So don't worry too much. Just see how it goes.

And, like Whynot says, smile and show you want to be there. That's what I'd want to see as a juror. I'd imagine they're looking for EVIDENCE of talent and artistic vision, not absolute flawless perfectionism. So don't panic if you make a few mistakes.

Good luck! And tell us how it went, won't you?
Goose

[MzrtMusic]

Thanks for all of the ideas. I made it through my audition with no trouble! I won't know how it went for a few weeks, but I'll be sure to post.

Gd luck!

I have a Q here...
I talked with a student at school (not music school) and she said she could have gotten in Julliard coz of network, but she didn't choose to go. Her statement really made me ... i mean, i've heard her play... poor tehnique + just OK musicality... struggles through difficult pieces with sound I as an amateur can't even bear... i seriously don't believe her... but i'm not sure... is it true that network works its way in a prestigeous music conservatory with an acceptance rt of 8% or sth. If so, I'd feel real bad for the real talents who try real hard...

It is true that it helps to know faculty members. I doubt that she could get into Julliard if she really couldn't play, but the musical world is very political. If you play brilliantly, you probably don't have to know someone, otherwise... My teacher had a conversation about me with one of the professors at the Cincinnati Conservatory, and he said that after all of the auditions are over, the faculty members sit down with all of the applications, and read out a name. If any of the faculty members know that person, they automatically get put into a consideration pile.

Love,

Sarah

[janice]

Here is the word(s) for the day:  Firm Handshake

Don't forget!! 

Catch me on AIM tonite and let me know how it went!