Klarinet Archive - Posting 000108.txt from 1995/12

From: Bob Yoon <st942100@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: GET ME OFF...I need advice
Date: Wed, 6 Dec 1995 03:59:00 -0500

>By the way to all those reading this, I have tried out for some high school
>honor bands on clarinet and they require live auditions for chairing...does
>anyone have any tips on how not to choke on lve auditions? Last year was the
>first time I did live auditions and I did really badly on them because I was
>so nervous. Thanks!!!
>
>Clrinet@-----.com
>Kristi
>
Set up practice auditions with your friends, parents, other clarinetists,
teacher, and band director(in this order). Make sure you try to recreate
the actual audition as much as possible. Here you are starting off with the
people you feel most comfortable with and moving progressively to the
atmosphere of the audition. Eat full meals the day before and the day of
the audition. A pasta dinner the night before is perfect. Avoid dairy
products since they make you loagy. Drink lots of fluid the night before.
Bring bottled spring water to the audition room. I usually bring two. One
for before the audition(for the ride up and during the warmup), and the
other one for the actual audition. A dry throat from nervousness can kill
anybody's chance of having a successful audition.
Here's a clever trick I use. During ausitions, one can get nervous
and play something at the completely wrong tempo and basically shoot
themselves in the foot. Make sure you know which tempo you will be taking
the piece(s), scales, etc. Bring(or borrow) an analog watch, preferably one
that clicks at each second, a perpetual motion second hand is fine also.
Before you play something, gauge your tempo off of the watch. 5 beats per 5
seconds is obviously 60 beats per minute. When you add a beat to the ratio,
you add 12 to the beats per minute so 6 per 5 is 72 beats per minute.
Also, it doesn't hurt to know everything you're supposed to know
absolutely cold. About a week or two before, start warming up in a very
short, economical but effective warmup when you first pick up the
instrument. When you are warmed up, do a self-audition-one shot at
everything. Afterwards, take a break and don't think about the clarinet.
come back in five minutes and reflect on your self-audition. This will
prepare your mind for the audition. Do not play a lot the night before or
the day of the audition. Just follow this regimen. At the audition site,
warm up in the same fashion. This will be your mental conditioning. Just
walk into when it is time and do your stuff. finally do not listen to
anybody else before your audition. It will only work against you. Good Luck.

Bob Yoon