Music Auditions

                Music auditions can be very stressful and time consuming.  To get into certain band programs or even having a band try and book a performance at an event, there are going to be auditions involved.  To get accepted is an honor and to not get accepted can be discouraging.  There are many different types of auditions and some can be done through recordings, on stage in front of an audience, or just in a room with a judge.  Many people prefer to do recordings because if they mess up, they can always re-record and perfect the audition.    

                Being a band member, I have done many auditions and have still not gotten used to playing for a score or being judged.  I have observed many people doing auditions and each person handles it differently.  I have seen many people shake and turn red in the face, some people have even fainted because they were so nervous.  There are a few people who don’t get nervous and I would consider those people to be lucky.  A common phrase is “Don’t sweat the small stuff.”  Auditions aren’t life or death situations and shouldn’t be worried about as if they were.  While auditions may determine a person’s future if they are involved in music for a career, they don’t always drastically change a person’s life if they are a high school or middle school band kid.

                Auditions normally consist of an etude, which is a piece of music that can be found challenging and showing how well a person can play.  Auditions become more complicated as a person moves up in music.  Some auditions require people to memorize scales, have solos, and do several etudes.  While that may sound scary, practice makes perfect and helps a person succeed in an audition. 

                There can also be written auditions for some honor bands and other programs.  It would be like a person submitting a resume for a job application.  The written audition would show all of the achievements a person has had in band and many details about the individual person.  Written auditions aren’t always effective because a person can have many achievements that are honorable for a school, but compared to many other people, they are just little accomplishments that don’t determine anything.  I speak from experience, looks can be one thing, but sound quality and ability of a person musically is another.  Auditions are tickets into many band opportunities and should be taken seriously, but at the same time shouldn’t make a person feel terrible inside.