Hey I`m going for another big audition soon and just wanted some advice. You see I play for a major Irish youth orchestra which consists of four different orchestras. At the moment I play in the Concert Orchestra which is 2nd highest but last year I tried out for the Symphony which is the highest one.
During the audition I thought I played everything fine and I thought the the sight reading went o.k. so I was wondering what do the auditioners look for in an audition? I`d understand if I wasn`t good enough but the guy that got it can hardly read music and totally screwed up his sight reading! It might sound like I`m bragging but I know I am well capable of getting into it.
So I`m going for it again in next week and I just wanted to know what the auditioners will look for and what I should try to do.

Leprachaun

The panel is looking not only at your technique and sight-reading abilities, but also at your musicality and personality in your playing. They don`t just want to hear a machine spitting out the perfect notes and rhythms. I think it`s also important for the audition panel to see that you are confident in what you are performing. And of course, they will want to hear a polished performance of whatever piece you have to play. Good Luck!!

From my own experiences, judges put way too much emphasis on rhythm and technical accuracy. It`s almost as if musicality, expression and phrasing are the minor points of an audition.

I can`t count the number of times I`ve listened to people with beautiful, clear sounds and the phrasing and musicality of a world-class singer passed over for people who played everything in tempo with perfect technique.

Is this just an American thing? Do judges from other countries put more clout in expression than perfection?

When I went for an orchestra audition they seemed to be just as concerned with tone and projection as with technical ability. I think in most cases you need both. Even if you are technically brilliant it`s not worth you being in the orchestra without a nice clear tone and being able to play in tune.

Tim what auditions are you going to? Maybe in Band techique is the most important thing, but during orchestra auditions tone is critical. Ask any college professor and they will tell you they look for tone in flute players audition. It is upsetting to see someone in front of you who doesn`t have as a good as technique but I think when it comes to solos you need a flute player with great intonation and musicality. My scales are very fast and I believe my technique is great but my teacher is mainly working on tone with me because it`s something I need to improve.

When I was in college we had to assist with the university and local high school region auditions. The judging was done by a panel, and there were usually only one or two flutists on the panel. The audition results were always quite a surprise to myself and the other assistants and volunteers. I felt bad for the kids who were obviously genuinely gifted, but were beat by the "machine gun" kids as we called them.

I agree with ashley! Anyone could play the right notes and all the technique probably. But can you do more? How musicaly and expressly can you play?? For my age, not all 14 year olds can do that. And I got in a high school honor band because i was able to play musicaly and emotionaly. And i`m just a freshman^^ Yep, and tone is a beautiful thing which i need to improve one.

one will never fully know the answer to this question, even those of us that have been through many an audition. Keep the following things in mind, some are repeating what others have said:

be yourself, don`t blast, don`t whimper away either
count correctly, counting mistakes will make the difference many times
play in tune
impress the panel with how soft you can play and how much range of color you have
don`t play each piece the same, especially the same tempo, don`t use the same degree of vibrato all the time
be able to sight read proficiently
if the panel is in sight and not behind a screen, play over their heads not to their feet

NICE! that`s good advices..cool. that helps me too^^

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Also ppl do better at auditions then they think. It's because you practiced so much..you know how perfectly it's supposed to sound like. And one little mistake will think that your audition was HORRIBLE, like OMG I STUNK. Well, you know what?...probably you did GREAT!!!!^^

One more thing...remember that the audition panel WANTS you to do a good job, and for pro auditions, they are LOOKING for someone good, so they are really rooting for you, not the other way around

Thanks for all the great advice and especially to Patrick I will keep it all in mind. I hope I get it this year as I feel I am much more capable. Unfortunatley there are twelve flutes are going for two places but I`m hoping because I tried out last year that it shows I really want this. I can only hope...

I have also wondered what audution panels are often looking for. I think one of the most important thing about an audition is what you play and whether that piece reflects what they need a flautist for and what repetoire you will be playing if you are successfull. I often use Syrinx as a good audition piece as you can demonstrate your flexibility and tone and as it can be play fairly freely it is much more open to interpretation and you can show your musicality and sensitivity towards musical ideas. However, there are occasions when a audition panel has a fixed repetoire list which they may ask you to select a piece from.

I got my fingers crossed for you Leprachaun!