Auditions

Auditions are extremely stressful for many people. It is completely normal to be frightened about going into a room to perform for someone you do not know. Oftentimes if you are auditioning for something, it means you care about the activity and you want to do well in the audition. If you are not scared or anxious at all, it probably means you do not care about the result of the audition. Many people struggle dealing with this stress and it causes them to perform worse, making them seem less skilled than they actually are. In order to perform well in auditions, you must first master how to control your emotions and not let them affect your playing.

I, like many others, used to deal with major stress issues when auditioning for something, whether that be to secure a spot in All-State or simply the chair auditions for our high school band. I am not entirely sure how I overcame these fears, but I do remember that one day I put my foot down and decided I was no longer going to let nerves affect how I do in an audition. I was sick of being disappointed in myself for letting my fears get the best of me, so I simply decided that was never going to happen again. From then on, I have always walked into an audition room completely calm. My mother, a professional flutist, once told me, "Do not act cocky, but walk into that room with confidence, like you have already earned the spot." Some of my peers often mistake my calmness as a lack of care, like I mentioned previously. The opposite is actually quite true. I force myself to be calm and not let my nerves affect me because I care deeply and I am determined to do my very best in the audition. Whenever I walk into an audition, my goal is to absolutely ooze confidence. Often times, I do this very well. I work very hard to prepare the music and I am confident that my skills as a musician will earn me a good spot anywhere.

Many older, more experienced musicians may be able to come up with lots of different strategies you could use to calm yourself down or manage your nerves before an audition. However, unfortunately I do not have any helpful tips that could be of use. I know you have probably heard it a million times, but the only thing I can say is to be confident. Every time you step into an audition room, you should act as if you have already earned a spot and as if you own the room. It takes a lot of practice to fully master how to be in control of your emotions, but if you work hard enough, you can eventually overcome the stresses and fears associated with auditioning. Let me be a testament; you will feel one hundred times better when you walk out the room knowing that you performed to the best of your abilities and you did not let your nerves get in the way. Even if you do not achieve what you originally had in mind, it will feel wonderful knowing you can overcome your fears.