Prepare for Your Music Audition with These Essential Tips

Get ready for your music audition by focusing on solo pieces, excerpts, scales, and sight-reading. Learn what judges look for, including tone, technical skills, intonation, rhythm, interpretation, and attention to detail. Work with your private teacher to select your solo pieces, practice standard orchestral excerpts, hone your scales, and improve your sight-reading skills. Remember to choose pieces that showcase your strengths and bring copies for the judges. Don't wait until the last minute to prepare for a successful audition experience.

• Music Audition
• Solo Pieces
• Excerpts
• Scales
• Sight-Reading

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2. YOUR AUDITION WILL INCLUDE: SOLO SCALES EXCERPTS (ALL BUT YOUTH SYMPHONY) SIGHTREADING

4. WHAT ARE THE JUDGES LISTENING FOR? TONE (YOUR BASIC SOUND) TECHNICAL FACILITY INTONATION (HOW WELL YOU PLAY IN TUNE) RHYTHM CORRECT RHYTHMS INTERNAL TIME (KEEPING A STEADY PULSE) INTERPRETATION (EXPRESSION) ATTENTION TO DETAIL

5. 1. SOLO YOUR MOST POLISHED AND WELL-PREPARED PIECE (TO DATE) STRINGS: ONE SOLO PIECE (2-3 MINUTES) WINDS/BRASS/YS STRINGS: 2 CONTRASTING SELECTIONS (ONE FASTER, MORE TECHNICAL, THE OTHER SLOWER & LYRICAL) ETUDE, CONCERTO MOVEMENT, ORCHESTRAL EXCERPTS (ESPECIALLY UPPER LEVEL WINDS)

6. TO CONSIDER WORK WITH YOUR PRIVATE TEACHER TO CHOOSE YOUR SOLO(S) DON T WAIT UNTIL MAY TO CHOOSE IT. DON T CHOOSE A PIECE THAT S TOO HARD. BETTER TO PLAY SOMETHING EASIER THAT YOU CAN PLAY WELL. MEMORIZATION OPTIONAL. NO ACCOMPANIST NEEDED. BRING 2 COPIES FOR THE JUDGES.

7. 2. EXCERPTS EXCERPTS COME FROM STANDARD ORCHESTRAL REPERTOIRE. FIND THE EXCERPT FOR YOUR INSTRUMENT AT EYSO.ORG. THIS IS REQUIRED (NOT OPTIONAL). FIND THE EXCERPT ON A RECORDING (YOUTUBE, SPOTIFY, ETC.) AND LISTEN TO IT IN ITS CONTEXT. THIS IS IMPORTANT. PAY ATTENTION TO EVERY DETAIL. WORK WITH YOUR TEACHER.

8. 3. SCALES THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT (AND SOMETHING YOU CAN CONTROL) WORK ON THESE EVERY DAY (DON T WAIT). ASK YOUR TEACHER TO WORK WITH YOU. ANY BOWING PATTERN OR ARTICULATION IS OKAY. PRACTICE CONSISTENT FINGERING. WE ARE LISTENING FOR MORE THAN THE RIGHT NOTES: CONSISTENT AND BEAUTIFUL TONE, BOW PLACEMENT, BOW CHANGES, VIBRATO, INTONATION

9. 4. SIGHTREADING THE ONLY MUSIC YOU DON T KNOW AHEAD OF TIME (BUT YOU CAN STILL PREPARE) THE AUDITION: 1 OR 2 EXAMPLES SIGHTREADINGFACTORY.COM PRACTICE THIS REGULARLY (YOU CAN GET BETTER AT IT!) ASK YOUR TEACHER FOR SIGHTREADING PRACTICE.

10. SIGHTREADINGSTRATEGIES TAKE ABOUT 20 SECONDS TO LOOK OVER THE SIGHTREADING. HAVE A SIGHTREADING CHECKLIST. PRACTICE GOING THROUGH IT. STAR SIGNATURES (KEY & TIME) TEMPO ACCIDENTALS RHYTHMS (LOOK FOR DIFFICULT RHYTHMS, RESTS, RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN NOTE VALUES, DOTTED RHYTHMS, ETC.

11. WHAT YOU CAN CONTROL EVERYTHING (EXCEPT THE SIGHTREADING EXAMPLE) THINK ABOUT IT: THERE WILL BE NO SURPRISES IN YOUR AUDITION, IF YOU PREPARE THOUGHTFULLY, PATIENTLY, (AND EARLY). IT S REALLY ABOUT PUTTING IN THE TIME.

12. HOW TO PREPARE START EARLIER THAN YOU THINK. THE WAY YOU PRACTICE MATTERS IF YOU FEEL LIKE YOU RE NOT PROGRESSING, IT S ALL ABOUT PRACTICE. ASK YOUR TEACHER HOW SHOULD I PRACTICE THIS SECTION? WORK EVERY DAY, EVEN JUST A LITTLE. DON T TRY TO CRAM. WORK FOR GOOD REPS . IF YOU CAN ONLY PLAY A PASSAGE WELL 70% OF THE TIME, THE ODDS ARE AGAINST YOU THAT YOU LL PLAY IT WELL IN THE AUDITION. YOU MUST BE PLAYING MORE GOOD REPS THAN BAD REPS BY THE TIME OF THE AUDITION. SET GOALS & DATES FOR YOURSELF BY THIS DATE I WILL KNOW ___ SCALES. BY THIS DAY, I WILL HAVE MY SOLO MEMORIZED. 1

13. HOW TO PREPARE PRACTICE SLOWER. CHUNK. NOTICE DETAILS. STUDY EVERY MEASURE OF YOUR PIECE. PRACTICE SIGHTREADING. FOCUS ON RHYTHM. 2

14. HOW TO PREPARE 3 RECORD YOURSELF (USE A CELL PHONE) THE MORE YOU DO IT, THE EASIER IT BECOMES REALLY LISTEN CLOSELY TO WHAT YOU HEAR STAY POSITIVE. NOTICE WHAT S GETTING BETTER! PLAY SOME PRACTICE AUDITIONS MOST STUDENTS HAVE LITTLE EXPERIENCE PLAYING WHILE NERVOUS . IT JUST TAKES PRACTICE. PLAY FOR YOUR FAMILY, A FRIEND, YOUR DOG. ACTUALLY PRACTICE THE ENTIRE AUDITION, STEP BY STEP, INCLUDING WALKING INTO THE ROOM, SMILING AT THE JUDGE, ANNOUNCING YOUR PIECE, ETC.

15. HOW TO PREPARE MENTALLY WALK THROUGH YOUR AUDITION, AHEAD OF TIME. PICTURE YOURSELF WALKING IN. WILL YOU SAY HELLO? WILL YOU CHECK YOUR TUNING? IMAGINE SETTING UP: WILL YOU SIT OR STAND? IMAGINE WHAT ORDER YOU LL HAVE YOUR MUSIC IN IF THE JUDGE SAYS, WHAT SCALE WOULD YOU LIKE TO START WITH? , DO YOU HAVE AN ANSWER PREPARED? 4

16. THE DAY OF YOUR AUDITION GET A GOOD NIGHT S SLEEP. CONSIDER YOUR PRESENTATION THIS MATTERS, NOT JUST FOR THE JUDGES BUT FOR YOU. DRESS UP, BUT BE COMFORTABLE AVOID CLOTHES THAT MAKE IT HARDER TO PLAY (SHORT DRESSES, BARE SHOULDERS, HIGH HEELS) THIS IS NOT A DAY TO TRY NEW CLOTHES OR SHOES. DARK TROUSERS, DRESS SHIRTS, LONGER DRESSES AND SKIRTS ARRIVE IN PLENTY OF TIME TO CHECK IN & WARM UP (20-30 MINUTES). CHECK YOUR TUNING (OR ASK A JUDGE TO HELP YOU).

17. IN THE AUDITION GREET THE JUDGES WITH A SMILE. MAKE EYE CONTACT. BREATHE. TAKE YOUR TIME

18. WE WANT YOU TO SUCCEED! NO TRICKS OR SURPRISES. EVERYONE IS PULLING FOR YOU! WE KNOW YOU RE NERVOUS. WE CAN SEE PAST THE NERVOUS SOUNDS (AND DON T COUNT THOSE AGAINST YOU). THIS IS NOT LIKE AMERICAN IDOL (ALL THE JUDGES WILL BE FRIENDLY, BUT THEY WON T COMMENT MUCH ON YOUR PLAYING--YOU LL GET WRITTEN FEEDBACK WITH YOUR AUDITION RESULTS). THIS IS NOT A MATH TEST. WE ARE EVALUATING LOTS OF LITTLE THINGS, BUT WE RE REALLY LOOKING MORE AT THE BIG PICTURE NOT JUST WHAT YOUR DID, BUT WHAT YOU ARE CAPABLE OF DOING.

19. AUDITION MINDSET AUDITIONING TAKES PRACTICE: YOU LL GET BETTER OVER TIME. IT TRULY IS A LEARNING EXPERIENCE. TREAT IT THAT WAY. ONE SHAKY AUDITION DOES NOT MEAN GAME OVER. IN THE EYSO, WE EXPECT YOU WILL PROBABLY PLAY IN THE SAME ORCHESTRA AT LEAST 2 YEARS BEFORE MOVING ON. YOUR 2NDOR 3RDYEARS ARE YOUR CHANCE TO SHOW LEADERSHIP.

20. AFTER THE AUDITION REFLECT ON YOUR PLAYING. HOW DID YOU DO? WHAT SPECIFICALLY DID YOU DO WELL? NO REGRETS. BUT WHAT CAN YOU LEARN? TALK ABOUT IT WITH YOUR TEACHER. MAKE A PLAN FOR FUTURE AUDITIONS. WHAT WILL YOU DO DIFFERENTLY?

21. PLACEMENT DECISIONS PLACEMENT BASED ON: YOUR AUDITION YOUR PLAYING THROUGHOUT THE SEASON YOUR ATTENDANCE AND REHEARSAL WORK ETHIC BALANCE IN SECTIONS NEED FOR CERTAIN INSTRUMENTS YEARS OF PLAYING IN THE EYSO

22. AUDITION RESULTS AUDITION RESULTS SENT OUT BY MID-JUNE. NO RESULTS WILL BE GIVEN OVER THE PHONE. SEND BACK YOUR LETTER OF AGREEMENT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO RESERVE YOUR SPOT!