 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: bkmorton
Date: 2004-09-02 01:25
I don't care how many hours that I practice the music. I can NEVER nail an audition. I can memorize the music, record myself, take lessons from several people, praY, and practice until I am blue in the face but I just can't play it "right on" in the auditions. It is not the nervousness that bothers me either. I feel I have hit a plateau/I have practiced all summer and can not tell that I have gotten better. Do you ever have that problem? Do you know how to fix these problems? Practice habits, Audition advice, whatever
Please say I need a new clarinet and it will make all the difference:)
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Author: diz
Date: 2004-09-02 01:28
I'm afraid most people either love them or detest them, (I've not met too many who are grey on this issue) ... I'm a clown at heart, so I always loved the challenge of auditions.
(for the record ... yes, I've done them and been successful)
Without music, the world would be grey, very grey.
Post Edited (2004-09-02 04:38)
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Author: John_May
Date: 2004-09-02 01:56
I'd be awful at them (can't take the heat), which is why I gave up on the idea of following that road and remained an amateur. Those of you who can handle that kind of pressure and still excel, I salute you.
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Author: Contra
Date: 2004-09-02 04:07
I hate them, too. I have the same problems, too. I found a very easy solution to it, though. Become a contrabass or contra-alto clarinet player. Auditions become less of a horrible catastrophe waiting to happen and more of a waste of about 6-10 minutes.
Of course, if you can't do that, close your eyes and pretend you're at home.
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Author: psychotic lil clarinet girl (don't as
Date: 2004-09-02 04:10
Just to put it this way... If I ever succeed during an audition, then and only then will I give you advice... I HATE THEM TOO! My sympathy goes to you... Although I do like the challenge, just not playing in front of people...
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Author: Leah
Date: 2004-09-02 04:46
yes, auditions....this is the time of year for them.
i actually sort of like them for some reason.
however, one of my teachers gave me some really good advice a few years ago that really helped me: psych yourself out beforehand by playing for as many people as possible when you are preparing. then, by doing that, you'll get a chance to see what your nerves to do your playing multiple times before the audition, and then go to the real thing and feel the same nervousness but be able to handle it better.
and you know how you get nervous if you just think about the audition? well when you're practicing think about it a lot. think about all the things that could go wrong that precious day (aka. missing a train, getting stuck in traffic, not having time to warm up, breaking your best reed.....) and then play your audition straight through. that prepares you for the worst possible scenario, which probably won't happen, and then when you get to the audition it will be like "this is much easier" because none of that bad stuff will have happened.
it all comes down to practicing being nervous while playing. if you practice playing when you're nervous and don't just leave it all to the nerves that day, auditions can be less of a bad experience.
also, don't rush to play when you get in the room. a friend of mine told me to take 4 deep breaths before i play to help stop my mind from racing. i think that really helps.
and last but not least, i almost always eat a banana the day of my audition.
Leah
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2004-09-03 19:41
Try video taping yourself - It's more pressure than just audiotaping.
Also try running up some stairs just before playing (when practicing) and you will get the tense feeling similar to the start of an audition when your breath and heart beat are trying to stabilize. Get used to the feeling and it won't scare you at the start of the playing.
I've had 3 students as Finalists in the ICA Senior Div. Competition and they all used those techniques with much success (1 winner).
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Author: mkybrain
Date: 2004-09-04 04:02
I also find that the more auditions u do, the easier they get. Try out for as many things as possible.
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Author: chicagoclar
Date: 2004-09-04 19:16
Do you have the same issues during solo performances?
I used to hate performances and auditions, but then my clarinet teacher forced me to play in a class called recital rep every week. Recital Rep is a class where all of the music majors (along with the professors) come and listen to eachother perform. You only have to perform once a semester, but your teacher can make you perform more. So, he would give me music on Monday and I would have to perform in on Wednesday. Sometimes solos sometimes duets, but never pieces out of my reach, just enough to make me stress out. After doing this a few times, I was feeling much better about performing and auditions became easier. I second the bannana thought, it does really help. Also, find someone (maybe a teacher or professor) who makes you nervous and have a mock-audition in front of them.
Good luck in the future!
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Author: bkmorton
Date: 2004-09-04 23:50
The terrible side is there are a couple people that did better than me and didn't really practice more than a few weeks during the summer. Thats the real kicker! I hate that it comes easy to some people.
As for performances, I like those much better because there is not as much at risk as far as where you are going to be playing throughout the year. I have also heard the pros make some mistakes in performances so I know that it happens to all.
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Author: johng ★2017
Date: 2004-09-05 02:12
I just finished an audition. too. I practiced all summer and made some real progress on tonguing technique. I played for people, ran through the music mentally many times, did the stair thing to see how being breathless felt, had great reeds, and on and on. Well, I managed to accomplish the music nuances I wanted, played at the tempos I had decided on, played in tune and with effective dynamics, the long soft notes held in there without breaking away. No shaking hands. Great, except for the lip vibrato that CANNOT BE DUPLICATED IN NATURE. That's right, it only occurs in the artificial setting of auditions, never in performances. I won the audition, but just another one year contract.....the 3rd year in a row....so I have to do it again next year if I want to stay on. bummer
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Author: LeOpus1190s
Date: 2004-09-05 03:14
you know I used to have the opposite problem that you described.
I would go in and nail auditions almost every single time yet i would psyc myself out at performances.
Now I am not saying my solution works for everyone but I went an say a physcatrist and I have been just as well of in concerts as in auditions.
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2004-09-05 03:27
Everyone Majoring in Music and taking Auditions probably needs psychiatric help.........
;)
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Author: Cindy
Date: 2004-09-06 18:42
I've found that if I talk to the auditioner first I relax a lot more...though not all will be willing to be casual with you. Dunno what I'm gonna do for college auditions, with all those scary people on the board just sitting, staring and listening, and not conversing with me at all until after I play! AAAAHHH! Lol, but, yeah, the relaxing thing is really important. I know we always work in our band with putting students in performance conditions before the performance but with the same pieces, so they get used to performing them. Then, the nerves are out. I like the earlier odeas of performing for other people first.
So many instruments to play........so little time to play them!
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