Former QCGU Senior Lecturer - Flute
Audition testimonial
As a musician, you will find yourself doing auditions over the years from school bands and orchestra, through to auditions at tertiary institutions, and then later perhaps for orchestras and ensembles.
Essential audition tips
- Find out as much as you can about the institution or orchestra holding the audition
- Know the orchestral excerpts from memory if you are really keen to do the audition (you don’t need to perform them from memory). There are so many flute players who would love that same job, so learn the excerpts while you are still an undergraduate student, and take any opportunity to perform the excerpts or the Mozart concerto etc. relevant to your instrument
- Record yourself in advance many times, and then listen with critical ears and learn from your recordings. These can be so useful
- Listen to recordings of the repertoire many times to make sure you understand the context of the music you are preparing (particularly excerpts).
- Accept that you will not pass every audition. Sometimes I’ve had students that will not get through the first round of an audition, and three weeks later they are one of the last 3 chosen for a trial in a different orchestra. Orchestras may look for different things, so you may not be suitable for all of them. It is ok to learn by the experience, and normal to feel a sense of disappointment if you feel that you have not achieved your goal this time.
- Be prepared to do many auditions. You will learn and get better with each one!
Good luck!
