How To Prepare For Your College Music Auditions

Pursuing music in college is a great step forward as a musician, and though college auditions are demanding, they can also be so rewarding!

As a music major, minor, or participant, you can receive scholarships, be invited to play with reputable bands, and further deepen your relationship with music in the process. Early on, auditions focus on developing your musical skills and building your confidence, but college auditions are looking at your potential as a professional musician. If you haven’t had your college audition yet, you might be asking yourself: 

• How soon should I start working on my audition?
• What’s the best piece to play? 
• How can I practice more intentionally? 

Keep reading to learn more about how you can make your next college audition a success! 

Start With Research!

An easy way to start is to consider what you want out of your college music experience. Are you hoping to become a professional musician? Or are you trying to play in a collegiate band while you work towards a different career path? Are you interested in classical, jazz, composition, or another path? Some schools excel in jazz but don’t have a music therapy program. Having an idea of what your long-term goals are ahead of time will make it that much easier to decide which program to audition for. 

Making sure you understand the requirements of the audition beforehand, including things like time limits or suggested composers will help you showcase your strengths while also staying within your musical abilities. Take care of what logistics you can ahead of time!

This can look like: 

• Registering for auditions and submitting applications on time
• Travel arrangements and accommodations (if in-person)
• Video recording tools (if you’re sending in an audition or pre-screening) 
• Making an equipment checklist (instruments, scores, backups)
• Verify any various audition requirements (not all schools will ask for the same audition materials!)
• Ask any faculty you’re auditioning for if they’re willing to host you for a private lesson
• Find a great music teacher near you with a successful track record for placing students in university music programs

Preparing For Your Audition And Easing Anxieties 

Creating a consistent routine leading up to auditions is a great way to continue building the habit of practicing, which will be even more important once you start college. Not to mention that the more you practice, the more confident you’ll feel on audition day! If you’ve been playing your instrument for a while, you probably have a good sense of how to productively practice, but here are a few tips if you want to mix things up!

• Keep a practice journal: Keeping track of what you’ve been working on will help you be more intentional and productive during practice sessions.
• Set specific goals: Don’t just “practice your concerto”, aim to refine the articulation of a specific phrase, stabilize fingerings in a run, or internalize a tempo shift.
• Vary your routine: The best way to eliminate the dreaded practice slump is to mix things up! You can mix technical work (like scales and arpeggios) with repertoire and sight-reading to stay sharp throughout your practice sessions. 
• Record yourself: Recording your practice sessions can help you spot sections that you need to work on a little more before the audition.
• Invite people into the practice room: Run your piece in front of classmates, friends, or family members! 

Audition Day Tips

It’s audition day! Think of the audition like a professional interview; you’re selling yourself to future teachers and faculty members as well as demonstrating your ability to play your instrument. Here are some tips to help your audition day go as smoothly as possible: 

• What to wear: Choose something well-fitting and professional that you feel comfortable performing in.
• Arrive early and warm up: It’s better to be early and waiting than to be right on time and potentially flustered! Most auditions will provide warm-up areas as well. 
• Practice deep breathing: Deep breathing will help soothe your nervous system and calm down pre-audition stage fright! 
• Introduce yourself: Be friendly and introduce yourself to the faculty or judges! Be sure to thank them for their time after your audition. 

You can also think of a few questions you’d like to ask about the program, practice room availability, or ensemble opportunities. You’re auditioning each school as much as they’re auditioning you, and knowing these answers will make it easier to decide which school to go to if you make it into multiple programs!

After the Audition

Congratulations! You’ve completed your college music audition! Make sure you celebrate your achievement and take some time for self-care after your hard work. You might find it helpful for future auditions to: 

• Consider what went well on this audition and what you can improve for the next one 
• Stay optimistic about outcomes (program acceptance, potential rejection, or being placed on a waitlist) 
• Pay attention to your email for updates, acceptance, deadlines and any other important information!

Even if you don’t make it into your dream program, your hard work and dedication will serve you well for years to come. Rejection doesn’t mean you’re a bad musician, it just means that this isn’t the right fit for you at this time in your musical journey. There are thousands of amazing music programs across the country! 

Go Celebrate! 

Auditioning for a college music program is an incredible step forward in your musical career! Celebrate your achievements and hard work, and get excited about heading to college!