Friday, September 19, 2008

What good are auditions?!

There's nothing like an audition to jump-start your playing, or to bring it to a stand-still. Those ten minutes under the gun can teach us more about ourselves and our needs than ten private lessons. Look at it as a reality check, and an incentive to organize a more productive practice routine. This business is about competition, so here's your chance to get used to it. Auditions can either make you or break you. The choice is yours.

A side note: every professional audition should not be taken just for the practice. Your goal is gaining experience, but also building confidence. No one wants to skulk home from every audition trip wearing an L. So only go if you plan on winning. In the meantime, take advantage of as many mock audition scenarios as possible. Now back to that audition room. . . .

There we stood with all of our musical strengths and deficiencies exposed. Humiliating? Well, consider that audition experience as your lesson assignment. It just handed you your agenda, or it should. One colleague used to say that it should always be obvious what to practice. So don't get discouraged, get motivated!

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