Flying Blind: A conductor’s guide to taking an audition, part two

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Congratulations! You have successfully navigated your way through the first round of an orchestral audition. Despite a few curveballs, you managed to move to the next phase. Now what? 

If the orchestra holds a second round that is not designated as a semi-final, most of the rules from the preliminary round will hold. You will still play behind a screen, communicating only with the personnel manager or proctor. By this time, you will have learnt what to expect and how you sound in the space. 

Speaking of learning experiences, what happens if you do not advance? The best advice I can offer is to avoid overanalysing the outcome. You will never know what the audition committee was thinking or feeling. Hopefully, you believe that your performance met the standards you set for yourself, which is what matters most in this scenario. You may have gained some insights, now that you know the process firsthand. Then again, the lessons from this experience may not apply next time, considering the potential for different repertoire, audition guidelines, and acoustics. Perhaps this was not the right job for you anyway.

For those who make the cut, the parameters change for the semi-final round in which three to ten musicians vie for a single job. Your allotted playing time will now almost double. You might be asked to repeat a passage, perhaps playing it faster, slower, or with more dynamic contrast. It is still in the purview of the committee to move the audition along, but take your time, if you need it, between excerpts. 

A movement from a Bach solo sonata may be added to the mix at this stage. I have my reservations about this requirement because it has almost nothing to do with the job, although it might be relevant for a titled position. Interpretively and even technically, this is demanding music that carries some risks. 

These days, many young instrumentalists try to emulate the historically informed performance ethic that has evolved since the 1970s. Orchestras will bring in specialists to conduct this branch of the canon, but the question should be raised: How are you supposed to play it in an audition situation? 

Don’t panic. Play it the way you have prepared it. Do not try to make an adjustment just because you think that the musicians and conductor might want it performed a certain way. If they cannot accept you on your own musical terms, the job is not worth it. 

Don’t panic. Play it the way you have prepared it

Sometimes the music director is on hand for this round. That person, in theory, is supposed to control the process on the other side of the screen. More than likely, however, the section leader of the group that has the vacancy will be leading the semi-final proceedings. A few orchestras have been lowering the screen in this round, while others just in the finals. Most keep it up throughout. 

Remember that although this is a competitive process, comparing yourself to other candidates will do you no good. Rather than getting distracted or intimidated by the music coming from the surrounding practice rooms, focus on why you are there and on the elements that you can control. The bar is set by the individual committee members who are listening, and they often disagree with each other. Everyone will have their own method of judging. It could involve a point system, a simple plus or minus sign, or detailed notes. 

Does the instrument you are playing affect the evaluation of your audition? Of course, the answer depends on the quality of the instrument and what properties it brings. Although I know of cases in which successful candidates obtained a better instrument for their audition, I advise against it if the adjustment is too radical. Stay with what you know, unless your instrument is truly inferior. If that is the case, allow adequate time to fully acquaint yourself with this temporary replacement. 

At the conclusion of the semi-final round, the personnel manager usually collects votes by secret ballot and tabulates them to determine whether each candidate has secured enough support to move to the finals. Over decades in the business, I have been surprised by the results numerous times. Gone are the days when the music director had total control over hiring the members of the orchestra. 

Now, you await the committee’s decision. We will discuss the finals and beyond next time.

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