Tips for Auditions
NEW Resource! Audition preparation tips for winds, percussion and jazz.
Auditions vs. Festival Performance
Unlike a performance at a WSMA Music Festival, the outcome of an audition often involves additional recognition or placement in a music organization. Auditions are usually required for state and national Honors organizations, summer music camps, acceptance in a collegiate music performing ensemble or department, or chair placement. Proper preparation for an audition requires many of the same steps as preparing for a WSMA Music Festival with these additional guidelines:
Audition Performance Goals
A successful audition performance demonstrates accomplishment of technical skills and musical artistry which goes well beyond the dynamics on the printed page. The three simple steps to achieving this goal are:
- Practice Slowly
- Work on difficult passages using a metronome. Increase speed only when you have comfortably mastered all musical elements at slower tempos.
- Practice Often
- There is no substitute for practicing. Perform for others before your audition. Record your performances, self-critique AND invite others to critique you.
- Perform with Confidence
- Your audition selections should be performed with emotion and confidence. Put yourself in the music, and practice communicating with your audience as you master the technical aspects of your music.
Sight-Reading
Most auditions require performers to sight-read. Practice sight-reading at least once per week. Read through unfamiliar pieces of music. Before you sight-read, check your music for the following musical elements using the STARS* acronym:
S – Sharps or flats in the key signature
T – Time signature and tempo markings (text, if you’re singing lyrics)
A – Accidentals and Articulations (bowings, accents)
R – Rhythm (isolate difficult rhythm passages, and subdivide them)
S – Signs (dynamics, DC al Fine, repeats, changing meters or tempos, etc.)
*STARS acronym is from Essential Elements Comprehensive Band Method. Copyright Hal Leonard Corporation Milwaukee, WI All rights reserved. Used with permission.
View a step-by-step sight reading practice guide here.
Winds/Percussion/Strings/Piano Auditions
Memorize all required major, minor, chromatic, and/or modal scales. Be prepared to perform as many octaves as possible in even tempos using the correct articulation pattern, if any were provided in the audition requirements.
Vocal Auditions
Be sure you ask for proper coaching on language pronunciations, style, and phrasing. Schedule an accompanist for your audition or obtain a recorded accompaniment in the correct key and tempo.
Audition Timeline
At Least Three Months Before the Audition
- Submit the audition registration form. (Regisration opens November 1 and is due in early December)
- Obtain a copy of the audition requirements.
- Carefully read through the requirements and ask your teacher to clarify any questions you have.
- Choose your solo and obtain a copy of the music.
- If your solo is more than 3 minutes long, determine the 3 minutes of music that you will perform.
- Instrumentalists only: obtain a copy of the required etude.
- Create a practice schedule allowing time to for all audition requirements (scales, etude, solo, sight-reading, etc.).
- Schedule several lessons with your music teacher before the audition.
One Month Before Your Audition
- Record your performances often, evaluate your performance and invite others to hear you perform and provide feedback.
- Ask your music teacher for assistance with all audition requirements.
- Continue practicing ALL audition components several times per week.
One Week Before the Audition
- Obtain an original copy of your solo for your audition evaluator from your music teacher.
- Practice performing all components of the audition without stopping.
Audition Day
- Dress professionally. This is an important day.
- Arrive in plenty of time to register, find the warm-up area and your audition room.
- Warm-up the way you’ve been taught to warm-up. Don’t imitate others, or be intimidated by others.
- What matters happens in the audition room, not the warm-up room.
- Arrive at your audition room at least 10 minutes before your scheduled time.
In the Audition Room
- Smile and show confidence.
- Breathe! Take the time to collect your thoughts and focus before you perform.
- This is your time to demonstrate your skills to the evaluator.
- It’s ok to make mistakes. No one is perfect.
NOTE: All auditions are anonymous. The evaluator will not provide any feedback to students during or after the audition. The evaluation form is confidential and is for the use of the selection committee.
When the Audition is Over
- Thank the evaluator.
Congratulations!
You took the initiative to audition, and you followed through with your commitment. Be proud of what you’ve accomplished because you gave your best to your audition performance and you strengthened your skills in the process.
Audition Results
Audition results will be emailed in mid-March.
