Concerto Audition in 24 hrs

[dbrainiak914]

Alright, I'm auditioning for a concerto scholarship about 24 hours from now.  I'm gonna audition on Mozart K. 467 1st movement.  I've practiced it like crazy, and I think I have it (and my cadenza) down.  What should I do now?  I've never auditioned for something as prestigious as this before ($1000 & a gig with an orchestra)... there are only eight contestants, I think they're all on other instruments and they're all from my area.  I'm feeling real good about this.  But what do you guys do in these last hours of crunch time?  I really have the whole thing down, there may be ten or twelve measures here and there I'm not crystal on.  I'm going to a minor league baseball game tonight (mom's singing Nat'l Anthem  ) so I figure that'll help relax me. 

So what else do you guys do in this situation?

[missmarple]

Hmm. I have an international competition in four days' time, so I understand how you feel completely.

If you don't feel confident in some parts, go and practise them slowly. You'll have a way better feeling before the audition if you do. Try to go mentally through the notes and imagine how you want to play them very clearly. Maybe listen to some recordings and try to relax. Also, you could get coloured pencils (fun!) and circle the important/difficult/... parts - anything that would make you feel more confident.

I'm sure you already know all of those things, but they're the only things that come to my mind right now.

[BoliverAllmon]

If you are the only pianist then you have nothing to worry about. Very few instruments can compare to the difficulty and beauty of a PC. Just relax and have fun tomorrow.

[Jonny]

Hey,
       the best possible thing to do is chill. Mentally rehurse the score in your head, make sure u know where the all the orchestral entries are. Just sing it in your head, the second movement is like a beautiful dream as my piano teacher said- just make sure u try to realise that, allow it to breathe don't practice it furiously before hand, that will probably only develop bad habbits, just go through Hanon or whatever u use as a warm up and enjoy it! Hope this helps! Best of luck Jonny

[Teddybear]

Trying not to think too much works for me, but I can't say whether it's good for you or not. Best of luck, anyway. Think how charming and happy Mozart is.

bd

T

[anda]

do whatever you want, as long as you stay calm.
best luck with your audition!

[BoliverAllmon]

Trying not to think too much works for me, but I can't say whether it's good for you or not. Best of luck, anyway. Think how charming and happy Mozart is.

bd

T

especially seeing that someone is actually going to play his concerto.

[sharon_f]

Alright, I'm auditioning for a concerto scholarship about 24 hours from now. 

How did the audition go?

[dbrainiak914]

Excellent.  There was a major mixup regarding accompaniment.  In the information I was given leading up to the audition, it sounded like there would be a second piano.  Then, just a da before, it seemed like theres only one, the guy running it emailed us and sid there would be a piano in each room.  That's bad.  So I email the guy to clarify, get a response an hour before I leave for the audition.  He says "Correct.  A piano in each room."  WHAT?!  So I get there, see a friend on the way who was leaving the audtion (bassoon).  He says there are two pianos.  Inside, I ask this rude lady running the auditionees if there was a second piano.  She says yes, but not in a certain tone.  I go start to warm up, my teacher/accompanist walks in and says "uh, I hear someone playing the Grieg concerto... without accompaniment."  ***.  So I go out and as the rude lady again.  This time a guy pops his head out the door to the stage, and interrupts, "No, theres only one."  Dang.  So I do it by myself.  I only saw one piano, but then again I was so tunnel-visioned once I entered that room.  Turns out, I get home and theres an email wating for me by the guy that organized this, saying there were two pianos, and I hope it worked out alright???  What the heck?  How screwy.

As for the audition, it went very well.  The piano was perfect Mozart sound.  Not too deep, but extremely clear and slightly bright sound, very little pedal sound even if I slammed the pedal down.  Mine, I was very proud of.  I kept the tempo extremely strict, only had three or four slips total.  Everything else was pretty perfect.  I wrote my cadenza, (its TIGHT) the printout with my name on it sure adds more points to me.  I made sure to really express myself, keeping to Mozartian values, tempo and articulation always strict but mood, color, and tone changing dramatically.  I was pretty impressed with myself, hearing how clear, precise, and  even my sixteenth notes were.  I got into it plenty as well.   

There were 8 contestants.  My friend listened to all the ones before I got there, said there was nothing remarkable but a girl who did Grieg and a string player, they were alright.  Said it's probably down to the three of us.  My teacher heard the Grieg and said the girl couldn't keep it down too well.  But there was a girl (going into college next year... what crap) that played Ibert's da Camera (sweet piece), didnt hear it but I've heard her.  Amazing tone, but a little shy when it somes to boldness and musicality. 

She's the one I'm worried about.  I'm feeling real good about this.  Should get results in two days.  Argh.  I'll tell you all what comes of this.

[Teddybear]

Aww, this is so exciting. /o/

I hate auditions. They suddenly change your audition time so that you have to go in just when you've eaten and feel drowsy, and then you go wash your hands and there's nothing but ice-cold water...

T

[sharon_f]

Sounds like it went very well. Most important, it seems like you really enjoyed yourself and were able to let all the craziness with the second piano not interfere with your performance. Congratulations.

[dbrainiak914]

Didn't get it.  I'm so bummed.   

First place was a violinist, second basson, third alto sax.

I guess they don't care for piano too much.  I'm so very mad.  Especially that these winners played with accompaniment, allowing the judges to hear what actually matters to them.

The more I think about it, the better I realize I did.  Argh, back to practicing.

[lagin]

Try not to worry about it too much.  All these competition like things, even exams, come down to someone's oppinion.  I'm sure you played great.

[Dazzer]

lucky you. the more i think about my playing the more i realise i suck

[greyrune]

lucky you. the more i think about my playing the more i realise i suck

lol, ditto there, but then i actually suck where as you don't.

[Bouter Boogie]

Don't worry too much 

Anyway, I luv the piano concerto you play 

Good luck!

[BoliverAllmon]

Don't worry too much 

Anyway, I luv the piano concerto you play 

Good luck!

there's a way of making your own avatar.

[nanabush]

Out of curiosity what did the alto sax play?  I play alto sax too, and I love it!

[dbrainiak914]

Ibert Concertino da Camera.  Awesome piece!