Region Audition Success

From years of teaching & personal audition experience (youth & professional), there is a formula to overall audition success.  I have listed below top 10 elements I believe to be crucial to Region audition success.

10. masterclasses/clinics/summer camps/competitions - There are sometimes clinics available by other teachers to students attending different schools.  Check out local universities & flute clubs for such events.  Attend summer band camps to meet different players from other schools.  You can also attend flute oriented masterclass sessions often held in the summers at different locations around the state, as well as the country.  Also look into local or national solo competitions.  It will not only make you a better player through the preparation, but will also give you another competitive environment to practice in.

9. sectionals - Many schools now have weekly sectionals to aid in learning the music.  This wasn't always the case, as many students in the past had to rely on themselves & private teachers.  Take advantage of sectionals & be grateful that you have them available to you.  Even if you know the music already, you are also indirectly helping your colleagues by keeping the music together through section playing.  You may also inspire the younger players!

8. family/peer support – this is important in just overall confidence.  What has always helped me along & not give up is the support of my family & closest friends to keep my confidence level up when I felt indifferent, defeated &/or hopeless about an upcoming audition, or performance.  You can use them as sort of a support group or even your own cheering section.  Play for them, especially if they make you nervous!

7. equipment - Most high school students should be playing on an upper level instrument (ie, silver head with silver-plated or silver body), & it should be in good working mechanical order.  Have your flute checked for leaks & overall wear & tear at least once or twice a year, as this can affect the response of notes in all registers, as well as sound.

6. sight-reading – During off times where there are no required etudes & solos (ie, March-July), practice sight-reading & learning different etudes & solos.  This indirectly will actually help you learn music easier & at a faster pace so that by the time you do receive the required etudes, it will take much less time to learn them & more time spent perfecting them… as well as practicing on other things!

5. confidence, not cockiness – Good musicians, at the youth & professional levels, are a dime a dozen.  It can be easy for many players to think highly of themselves without taking into accurate account where they actually stand amongst other players.  First, you must assess what is realistic for you compared with your competition.  Then, figure out how to get your level as high as you can for yourself.  If that does happen to be the best in your Region or Area, that is great, but there are always better players in other areas.  If it is not your personal best, or if you still want more, figure out how to get yourself there… but be realistic about it.  For many players, making the Region band or advancing to Area is a great accomplishment.  There realistically is only a very small percentage of spots for All-State.  Also, there is no room for egos.  It does no one any good to boast to competitors.  Let your ability speak for itself.  But most importantly, you have to believe in yourself.  It’s better to give it your all than to not put the full faith & effort & then wonder if you could’ve done better.

4. work ethic/drive – Everyone knows individuals that excel at academics, sports, or other activities.  These people usually don’t get there by accident.  Read up on success stories by people in music, sports, the corporate world, & such to get ideas on what drives them.  Then figure out if you have the will & drive to excel in your musical endeavors.  Even if you don’t have it completely instilled at the time, you can always develop this drive if deep down you have a particular goal in mind.  One must be goal oriented, & also educated on how to reach those goals.  Also learn from competitors’ achievements (without seeming nosey, of course).  For example, most players that succeed at the Region level have often been doing well since middle school.  There is usually a hierarchy to achieve a desired goal, such as Region Band 1 year, Area the next year, & maybe All-State in another year.  At the Region level, grade level is not very significant, but tending towards 10th-12th grades.  However, if you haven’t gotten to a particular goal early on (example, region band freshman year), keep in mind that most older players have often had to work up to that level as well.  Sometimes players do well in the 1st year or 2 of auditions, & most others peak later.  Only you & your teachers can assess how far you want & can realistically go in the process.  If your goal is to make All-State, most wind players are juniors & seniors, & there are always exceptions.

3. talent – A player doesn’t have to have had piano background or musical parents to do well, as many players end up naturally talented in music on their own… some even with minimal effort.  But talent alone can only get you so far.  If you have been told repeatedly that you are talented, you still must practice to enhance that talent & keep it above & beyond competitors of varying talent & work ethic.  On the flip side, I have heard from some players I knew who claimed they weren’t talented at all & just worked really hard.  I have since concluded that there is obviously varying degrees of talent.  Therefore, one must figure out his/her own level of talent, & assess how much they need to work with it.

2. lessons - the majority of students who do well at these auditions are in private lessons.  For high school, a large percentage of those enrolled in lessons are also signed up for 45 minute or hour long lessons.  The extra lesson time can make a big difference because you get through much more musical detail than you would with 30 minute lessons.  Continue lessons through the summer & breaks.  Also consider this: TMEA publishes statistics on All-State students, such as SAT scores.  Most students who reach the All-State level are not only very intelligent, but are also enrolled in lessons (about 97-99%).  As you can see, it is extremely rare to get to the All-State level without private lessons.  Fortunately, i was in that very small percentage & had the opportunity to play with TMEA bands, yet I also had realized that i would have done better in the process if I had had lessons available to me.

1. practice, practice, practice!! - To learn the music is not enough.  Even with lessons, a good instrument, & a desire to succeed, a player absolutely must invest individual practice time in order to do well at auditions.  While a small percentage of talented students could squeak by with minimal practice time (just like a smart student could do well on a math test without studying), most high school students should expect to put in practice time of at least an hour 4-6 times a week.  For students aspiring for Area & All-State, 30 mins to an hour extra should be added to an hour of practice time.  Keep in mind that the vast majority of Texas band students are also extremely busy in the Fall with marching & often have difficult coursework.  Each individual must figure out a consistent practice schedule & stick to it.  And remember that it’s not only just a matter of drilling the music, but also continuing fundamentals such as long-tones, scales, arpeggios, sight-reading, & such.

Best of luck in your musical pursuits! ~ Rachel Lopez