How to Win an Audition
I have been a tenured member of the Los Angeles Philharmonic for the last 30 years and I have served on many, many audition committees.
In that time, I've noticed some patterns among the people who play great auditions.
Specifically, there are five things we ALWAYS hear in a great audition:
Rhythm: Please don’t rush! Rhythm is your first priority in an audition. Someone who plays "in the pocket” rhythmically is given high marks right off the bat.
Intonation: If you can play Shostakovich 5 perfectly in tune, you are ahead of the game. Drone practice should be part of your daily practice, but you need to use it strategically. In your daily drone practice, set a count down timer for 120 seconds. Work on a different passage everyday.
Sound Quality: Strive for a resonant and beautiful sound. Here's our criteria: “Is this someone that I want to sit next to for the next 30 years? Can I blend with their sound?"
Articulation: How do you begin and end each note? Are your right hand articulations accurate? For example, are Mendelssohn Scherzo, Mozart Haffner, and Brahms Haydn Variation V spiccato strokes uniquely appropriate and distinctly different?
Phrasing: How do you group notes? Think of this in terms of punctuation—"Let’s eat Bob." vs. "Let’s eat, Bob." Groupings of notes matter as much as groupings of words. Show your experience and your understanding of an excerpt by demonstrating thoughtful, meaningful phrasing.
Stay tuned for part 2 of "How to Win an Audition" next week!