You’ve managed to bag that music audition (Whoop! Congratulations!) and now wondering about the best way to get prepared. Worry not. Alongside our audition preparation workshops, here are some top tips to help you get started:
In an audition…
What are they looking for in a Musician/Performer?
- Ability level
- An honest idea of who you are, what you do and how hard you work.
- An enjoyable musical experience
- A good comfortable performance
- A prospective student/performer/bandmate
- Variety in performance
What will get in the way of showing what you can offer?
- Running late
- Nerves (use them)
- Comfort:
- Stay hydrated
- Clothes (can you play in your clothes)
- Go to the toilet
- Do you feel like yourself?
- Hunger
- Stress
- Being under-prepared musically
Make sure you have it! (your performance)
- Practice
- Play for teachers and peers
- Play and perform in front of family and friends
How can you show that you know your stuff?
- Perform it
- Think in advance about what they’ll ask
- Body Language: Don’t let it do you down
- Do you have questions?
Tackling Nerves
- Breathing for four and out for six (Get control of your breath whenever you play)
- Talk about it!
- Take your time: Don’t rush tuning and warming up etc.
- Try to normalise the situation: visualisation and practice in awkward situations.
- Accept nerves
- Meditation and Mindfulness
- Grounding yourself
What to expect:
- Table: 1-3 people taking notes
- A warm-up room
- Simple questions and chat
- Performance
- Interviews
- Ask questions
Don’t Forget:
- An audition is a chance for you to share who you are, what you do and how hard you work with a panel, enjoy it!
- Take your time, don’t rush to start or finish a piece. If you need a moment to tune then take it.
- Mistakes aren’t the end the world – don’t panic, a good recovery will get you brownie points.
Further help…
To get in touch with the WACI team, email: waci@rcs.ac.uk and keep an eye on our calendar for upcoming workshops.