The Insider Knowledge of Orchestra Auditions

I just finished listening to 25 cello audition recordings. All of the players were good, solid cellists. A couple were outstanding. I could tell that all of them put a lot of time and effort into preparing their auditions.

Unfortunately, they skipped the most important part of their preparation.

What did they do wrong? They didn't play their excerpts for someone who actually plays in an orchestra and has sat on an audition committee.

How could I tell?

Because there were too many details, big and small, that an experienced orchestra player would have mentioned to them. These details are not obvious, until you've spent a bit of time as an orchestra player. They're also not obvious if you're just looking at the sheet music and commercial recordings.

Why did it matter?

Because these details signal to orchestra pros that the candidate REALLY knows what they're doing. We can tell that either they have experience, or they took the time to work with a pro who pointed out the important details.

Ultimately, the player who takes the time to really understand how the excerpts work within the entire piece is the person who is going to get the job.

“But I know my concerto was great! And I played the excerpts exactly as written. Why isn’t that good enough?”

Because playing in an orchestra is an art. It requires you to know way more than what is written on the page. Just as you try to find subtleties and beauty in your solo, you must do the same for the excerpts.

And none of that stuff is written down anywhere.