Audition tips?

[rebel1ns]

hey everyone, ill be playing in an audition this weekend, and ill be playing the following 3 pieces:
Beethoven Sonata Op2 No3 in C Major
Bach Italian Concerto (Presto)
Chopin Etude Op10 No4

anyone have any tips about how to approach this? ive been practicing quite a lot this week and also im planning to get to my audition early so i can warm up...anyone have suggestions on my repertoire(how to play them well)? i think my repertoire may be a bit too easy though..none of them are technically difficult with exception of the etude..but hopefully it works out well

thanks

[dj]

don't worry about the difficulty of your pieces. unless the school you are auditioning for is super hard to get into, those should be good enough...concentrate more on playing the pieces you have well. relax and dont feel rushed at the piano...there is no hurry to start playing...take as much time as you want to collect yourself at the piano before you start playing and yeah getting there early is a good idea...i got to practice for 45 minutes b4 my auditions and it helps a lot. good luck!

[faulty_damper]

Also, don't over-practice, especially technically demanding pieces as these require much use of your muscles which can fatigue.

[BoliverAllmon]

don't try to play the piece to make them happy. Play the piece how you like it and how you want to play it. Even if the jurors don't like the way you interpreted or played the piece, they will can see that you meant to do it that way. if you try to do it in a way to make them happy, then you won't be completely into the music and they will see that.

boliver

[rebel1ns]

thanks for the replies 

[Pianostudy]

The full Op. 2 No. 3?  Most schools only require one movement of a Beethoven Sonata.

[rebel1ns]

^my bad, yeah its only the 1st movement

[Pianostudy]

I have trouble with the opening third trills.  What have you found to be the best way to play these?  I play the C-E with 1 and 5, and trill to the B-D with 2 and 4.  What do you do? 

[rebel1ns]

yeah i had a lot of trouble with them too when i first started. but i realized that C-E with 2 4 and B-D with 1 3 is easier for me...i use this for all of the thirds in the piece...iono if itll work for you though cuz everybody's hands are different, like my teacher thinks that the fingering you use is more comfortable..

[bravuraoctaves]

No matter how badly you play, always smile.

[etudes]

for me on the audition day i never practise the whole repertoire
i only just warm up my hand and then take all the score and read it the whole without piano

[Pianostudy]

do you dress up for your auditions? what do you recommend for attire?

[pocorina]

Here are some very good tried-and-tested techniques for passing an audition. Tried and tested by MOI, of course! 

If you are a girl: wear a very short skirt and a lot of make-up. Spend several hours making your hair look sexy and finally, flirt outrageously with the examiner. 

If you are a boy: play well.   

As you can see, there is a lot more you can do to help yourself and bluff your way through if you are a girl. As i am.  

[tds]

i think my repertoire may be a bit too easy though..none of them are technically difficult with exception of the etude..but hopefully it works out well

thanks

i think everyone will ( if he/she has not ) eventually hit a level where he/she realizes that nothing in the piano repertoire is ever easy. best, tds

[rebel1ns]

the audition went so-so ...i guess my bach and beethoven were quite good but does it matter that i played a wrong note that was very obvious in the chopin etude?? it's the part right before the main melody comes back in..i mean, i recovered and played a real good ending, but i played it wrong during the audition, where in my practices i never played it wrong that badly..

so...if i played some wrong notes it means i wont make it right? cuz i actually had 2 auditions today, in the 2nd one my beethoven had around 2-3 parts where i messed up, and i couldnt get the thirds in the beginning very clearly, is there a certain number of wrong notes u can have until its intolerable..and if its obvious (like my chopin) is there still a chance that i can make it?

so..to make a long question short i guess, do judges judge how musical your piece is over how many mistakes you made??
thanks

[BoliverAllmon]

the audition went so-so ...i guess my bach and beethoven were quite good but does it matter that i played a wrong note that was very obvious in the chopin etude?? it's the part right before the main melody comes back in..i mean, i recovered and played a real good ending, but i played it wrong during the audition, where in my practices i never played it wrong that badly..

so...if i played some wrong notes it means i wont make it right? cuz i actually had 2 auditions today, in the 2nd one my beethoven had around 2-3 parts where i messed up, and i couldnt get the thirds in the beginning very clearly, is there a certain number of wrong notes u can have until its intolerable..and if its obvious (like my chopin) is there still a chance that i can make it?

so..to make a long question short i guess, do judges judge how musical your piece is over how many mistakes you made??
thanks

I was told that mistakes are expected. it all depends on how you recover.

[Kassaa]

Judges look to your technique and your musicality, they will write down that you played some wrong notes, but if the other things were good, they don't care about the wrong notes.

[jlh]

That's very true.  They don't expect flawless performances from undergrad auditionees at all.  They want to see what kind of POTENTIAL you present.  Would you be a good investment of their time in teaching you?  Wrong notes come with the business, they're almost inevitable, and it happens to the best of us.  When they happen, the judges want to see how well you recover -- does it completely ruin your concentration and the flow of the piece, or do you get back into it easily?  A few wrong notes or finger slippage shouldn't hurt your chances.  Judges look deeper than that, and if you don't make it in, it shouldn't be only because of that.

[robo1001]

Hey guys, I've got an audition next Thursday for the Purcell School and will be playing:

Chopin - Scherzo no.2, Bb Min
Schubert Impromptu No.2, Op.90

I also have to play one flute piece, but was wondering how much they care about the aural tests in the audition? I am actually more worried about the aural and the sight-reading than the actual performance, so any tips?