ISBN 9780825882715. 9 x 12 inches.
The purpose of this book is to provide high school students with or without a private teacher with a comprehensive collection of materials that will satisfy the needs of most college/university music auditions. Many schools have specifi c requirements that can usually be obtained from their respective web sites. This text includes the most frequently requested audition requirements from online websites at many universities, and if it is the only guide that you purchase, you will be able to present a representative, well balanced audition. The editors of this collection have drawn from experiences as college/university music professors and from experiences supervising entrance auditions for large and small university music programs. This collection will aid students by exposing them to the expectations of the audition process, assisting their preparation for this process, and creating a comfort level that allows students to present themselves in the best light possible. This book is an indispensable guide for every student considering auditioning for any collegiate music program.
Auditioning for entrance to a school of music is one of the most extraordinary and exciting opportunities afforded aspiring young musicians. You are setting out to create the future path that your life will take. Your career in music can be truly thrilling if you keep in mind that those thrills are based in dedication and hard work. The auditioning committee will listen to you with open minds. They stood in your shoes many times and they want you to do well. Just as they are evaluating your performance, the audition affords you the opportunity to evaluate how you feel while playing for them. These are the professors who will become your mentors and teachers, so it is important that you feel good while projecting your very best effort at performance. Undoubtedly, you have loved making music for quite a few years. Your parents have helped you acquire a suitable instrument and have spent much time and effort in getting you to lessons, rehearsals and concerts. They will now help you make your way to the auditions at the several schools you have applied to. Your teachers have patientlyasometimes not so patientlyashown you what you need to learn. They have guided you through the process of preparing materials for performance with an eye on perfection. Once you have selected the schools you would like to attend, you begin to prepare the music that is listed as a requirement for entry. Only you can go through the actual process of careful preparation so that you feel ready for this wonderful opportunity to demonstrate your skill to the faculty at the school of music. You will dedicate hours and days of your life to getting everything ready to perform to the best of your ability. You need to study the requirements of each school very carefully so that you do not waste either your time or that of the auditioning committee by not being really ready. You can try out your program on your family, friends, in a recital and for evaluation by your orchestra conductor. If you think of your audition as a job interview it will help you to realize that this is a formal situation with its own protocol of proper dress and good manners. Keep in mind that music schools have auditions for the purpose of selecting students to become a part of the college program. They want hard-working students to go through a four-year program in preparation for becoming performers, teachers, recording artists, conductors and composers. If they think that you have the right combination to succeed in the music world, the faculty will help you to develop in the direction that best fits your interests and abilities. Often, they see all of this during the audition process. So give it your very best shot by studying all of the suggestions in Protocol: a Guide to the Collegiate Audition Process. Use the musical material in the book or use music selected under the guidance of your teacher. Do not self-select music, thinking that you want to play the most difficult piece you can find in order to make a special impression. That kind of unwise decision may just help to determine an unwanted result. If anything, select music that is easier than you think you are capable of performing, so that you can play with excellent musical taste and artistry. Concentrate on clean technique and good intonation. Let your bow arm breathe life and fire into your performance. Before you start to play, breathe deeply, smile at your audience and enjoy this opportunity to present your very best performance.
