This Friday, September 6, the Houston Ballet will be having an audition for Third Flute and Piccolo. Since several flutists have had questions for me as well as played for me in preparation for the audition, I have been giving a lot of thought to taking an audition successfully. Here are some tips that I have compiled from these musings:
1. Jeanne Baxtresser, teacher and former Principal Flutist with the New York Philharmonic said one time to think of an audition like an extended cadenza. I really like that! We need to perform and play these little snippets of music as if they were all part of some larger work, sort of an organic whole as opposed to several completely separate pieces. This of course does not preclude changing styles according to the demands of the excerpts, but I think when we play from a larger concept, we keep our focus and concentration.
2. Recently I read a tip concerning dynamics. Essentially you can never do too much. It’s like wearing stage make-up. When seen off the stage, it looks grotesque and exaggerated. But under lights and from a proper distance, the make-up makes the face look natural and normal. I’m sure you have heard all of this before, but it can’t be stressed enough that you need to over-do the dynamics and phrasing. You are the only one playing, so make your audience (the committee) really listen.
3. I was given a terrific piece of advice that really changed my auditions as well as my performing in general. Most of the small mistakes we make are nearly inaudible to a committee, so it’s important to just move on. Of course we need to get on with things as music is an art always in forward motion. But we sometimes forget to bring our emotions with us too and not obsess about a minor error. Haven’t you heard amazing performances that if asked, you would not commented on a note perfect performance, but rather on the emotion, flair, energy and musicality that reached you? This is what should happen in an audition for you to shine above the rest.
4. Lastly, there is the idea of our own Personal Victories (PV’s) There is always going to be someone at the audition who plays better than you (or at least sound that way whipping off those 32nd notes in the warm-up room!) and someone who is not as good as you, (or maybe you just think that of the quiet focused musician not warming up in the warm-up room!) In the end, it all amounts to us setting a standard for ourselves, i.e.: I will play this audition confidently, or I will get through the Delibes without needing a breathe, or I will show up to this audition! The idea is to compete with your own personal best and try to achieve your own goals regardless of your competition. We ALL have something to offer as musicians. I can’t imagine why we would want to play if we didn’t!
Practice hard, play your best and insist on having fun. Your time to play is yours, so own it.
