Professor Stefan Hersh's Orchestral Audition Preparation Guidelines and Strategies

 These strategies were written by Stefan Hersh, Artist Faculty of Violin at Chicago College of Performing Arts.  While the audition strategies were originally written by Professor Hersh in reference to orchestral auditions, they are useful for any and all audition settings.

Philosophy of Auditions 

1.  Audition to WlN, not to learn to play auditions. 
2. Immersive preparation: From the moment you know the list until the audition, THIS lS YOUR LIFE! 
3. Non-defensive preparation: PREPARE TO PLAY BEAUTIFULLY (and well informed musically) as opposed to perfectly.
4. Learn whole pieces and scores: KNOW WHERE YOUR PART FITS lN THE SCORE.
5. Quality of sounds, type of articulation, bow strokes, reed choices, breathing, fingering choices, phrasing, etc., should REFLECT ENSEMBLE SENSITIVITY AT ALL TIMES. 
6. Use conventional bowings, phrasing, breath choices and make them sound wonderful: don't reinvent the wheel.

Preparation Strategies

1.  From day one make the list into a book. 
2. Learn the whole list, not excerpt by excerpt.  Neglect NOTHING! 
3. Listen to recordings, study the score . . . KNOW THE MUSIC not just the notes.
4. As early as possible in the process begin testing yourself with run-throughs.  Measure the work toward the audition day by what happens in the run-throughs.
5. As early and often as possible in the process play run-throughs for others.
6. Record yourself as often as possible.  Use a camcorder to observe and correct.
7. Use a metronome often and for everything.

The Audition Itself

1. Schedule enough travel time: don't be playing hurry up all day.
2. Travel as comfortably as you can afford to.
3. Watch your body chemistry:
   1. Get plenty of sleep.
   2. Drink enough water.
   3. Eat sensibly (keep snacks on hand).
   4. Avoid sugar, excess caffeine, chocolate etc.
4. Warming up
   1. Slow and Steady!
   2. Don't wear yourself out . . . if you are to prevail it will be a long day.
   3. Ignore the practicing of the other applicants . . . 
5. When you play:
   1. Leave "space" around each excerpt: do not hurry!
   2. Play exactly what is indicated, no more no less.
   3. Make each excerpt a beautiful gem that has been seamlessly extracted from the score.
   4. Do not make extraneous noise of any kind.
6. Making the cut
   1. Once out from behind the screen, acknowledge the committee.
   2. Do not sign a contract at the audition!

The Mental Game

1. Set the tone in the practice room for success at the addition.  This means preparing for everything, INCLUDING NERVES AND UNEXPECTED CHANGES TO THE PLAN!
2. Maintain a psychological "bubble" at the audition.  Avoid long "hear to heart" discussions with old friends.  Be courteous to friends and colleagues but maintain your personal distance.
3. Fully utilize the process!  At best, an audition is an opportunity to improve ones playing.  The self-improvement attitude makes the audition a victory regardless of the outcome.