How to Prepare for Orchestra Auditions

Have you ever been scrolling through your Instagram feed, wasting time, and you suddenly see that your "dream" orchestra is holding an audition in four weeks?

What?!? Can I get my act together by then?

That depends. If you've gone through the process of preparing for an audition before, the answer is probably "yes!" But if you haven't, the answer is "no."

I've had students tell me it feels like a catch-22—once the audition is announced, there's not enough time to prepare. But if nothing is coming up, there's nothing to work on. Right?!?

WRONG.

There is a solution—people who win auditions work on the material regularly, not just when an audition is announced. Winning a job in a professional orchestra requires you to know A LOT of music (more than you can learn in a few months).

Audition preparation is a big task. To help my clients, I break it down into five main pillars:

  • Organization

  • Artistic Vision

  • Technical Preparation

  • Mental Strength

  • Physical Wellness

Check out my other blogs breaking down each pillar!

Happy practicing!

gloria lum