By Elaina Palada

Are you feeling nervous about your upcoming live virtual audition? Don’t fret! You are not alone. The Bienen School’s admission staff is here to ensure that everything runs as smoothly as possible and that you have a great experience. Here are some tips to help you prepare and be at your best for your audition:

Check, and double check.

Double check your instrument/program’s audition requirements (undergraduate and graduate) to ensure that you prepare everything that’s required for your audition. It is also important for you to check your email regularly, because this is the Bienen School’s main way of communicating with applicants.

Practice, practice, practice!

Practicing is the number one way to set yourself up for success. Make sure your music is well-prepared before you audition so that you can feel confident and embrace your own personal artistry. It is better to beautifully perform a piece that requires moderate skill, as opposed to struggling through a mediocre performance of a very difficult piece. One more tip: when practicing, don’t just focus on the parts that you already can play!

Record yourself.

Setting up a camera and recording yourself mimics the virtual audition environment, and you will feel more comfortable during your live audition knowing that you set up your computer or camera with the right sound, angle, and lighting. Recording yourself will also show what you might still need to work on. 

Set Up.

It is important to be ready 10-15 minutes before your audition time so that you can be ready to play right when the audition starts. Find a good space to audition in that is well-lit and does not have too much background noise. Queue up any accompaniment if that’s required for your instrument area. Check your internet, sound (use an external microphone if you can), and camera.

Dress to impress.

Even though you won’t be in the same physical room as the faculty you’re auditioning for, it is important to dress appropriately and in something that makes you feel confident and professional.

Put your game face on.

Hype yourself up and get excited! Do a dance or listen to your favorite power playlist. You are ready to slay this audition. Shake off any pre-audition jitters; even a little stretching can go a long way in calming your nerves.

Don’t be afraid of mistakes and technological issues.

Worried about cracking or hitting a wrong note? Don’t be! Concerned about what to do if your internet cuts out or Zoom kicks you off your audition? Know that mistakes will happen, and we all are in this together. We understand how challenging this year’s audition process will be; faculty know what kind of artistic potential they’re looking for.

Be the artist you are.

Be yourself and have fun! Auditioning can feel very stressful because of obvious circumstances, but it is important to remind yourself that this also is an opportunity for you to learn more about whether or not the school is a good fit for you. You’ve put in the work leading up this and you’re ready to show it!

We’ll see you on Zoom soon!

Elaina Palada is a master's flute performance student.