In July, I am auditioning for an orchestra. The competition is going to be fierce as there is a very small number of flute places and I want to do the best I can. I am playing 'Suite Antique - Ostinato', and study number 6 from 'The Flute Players Companion Vol 2'. I am always nervous before any test, could you give me some advice on performing to my best, and on playing either of those two pieces? Thanks

i too want to join an orchestra later in my life

im not sure about the pieces you are playing because im just around grade 4 at the moment...

but when u audition, make sure you dont look scared...potray the look as if you are having fun! put loadsa feeling into the pieces you are playing

and look at the judges straight in the eye...
they dont want to see flautists who are scared or nervous.


and just give it your best shot!

Good luck!

Oh the Ostinato Movement of the Rutter is nasty! I did it for my advanced higher practical and the only time Ive ever played it right was in the Exam!! lol! Its a good fun piece to play despite being difficult! Just get a really good staccato tonguing going especially at the beginning. If you have troouble with the F sharp major scale bit then take it out play it really slowly more importantly take the last I think its three but I could be four notes of the scale and just keep playing them coz the fingerings are difficult to get fast put it together with the rest and hopefully it should work! Just keep counting all the way through and dont get flustered! Finally look forwards to this dont look upon it as a big deal coz thatll make the whole thing worst! Enjoy it if your well prepared then theres not much that can go wrong! These people want to see you doing well they dont want you to do badly so they really are on your side I know it may not feel like it but they are really!!

All the best

Jen
xxx

Try Doug Yeo's web site - although he plays trombone his tips for auditions are suberb.

Good Luck

Dougl Yeo's Website

nicki_flute,

Just let yourself be calm, always remind yourself to play "the best", and keeping yourself calm and feel relax.

My experience is, you have to get up earlier and warm up yourself before you get to the audition place. Usually an orchestra do have 1 or 2 pieces on your choice, together with some sight-reading and scales exercise. May be some discussion time also, to tell what are your experience towards orchestra.

Relax and believe yourself.

Thanks to everyone who has posted! Your tips will really help. Although I am getting frustrated with my flute this past week.

Good luck nicki! My orchestra auditions on saturday! Just relax and enjoy the experience i suppose is my advice!

I have an audition for an orchestra soon, the adive is good thanx. The only real problem I experiance is I get slightly breathy when I get nervous which makes the peice a little shaky but I just have to force myself to relax.

hey
after having done lots of orchestral auditions, my tips are;
1. look confident, if the panel think you're ready to show them your best, then you might just play to your best.

2. find the right piece of music.
make sure it shows your best playing, but try to pick something that you've worked on recently, exam piece etc. If you've played it recently, you should still remember where to come in with all the piano entrances, and it should be of your highest standard.

3. know your piece. if possible, get a recording or two if its a famous concerto movement etc. if not, ask your teacher for stylistic advice if they havent already told you.

4. work on sight reading. i know its the last thing you want to do, but if you're a good sight reader you'll be a great player for a good orchestra. find any music you havent already played before, look on the web for audition material for sight reading (im found a whole web site dedicated to horn excerpts so there must be one for flute).

tip; if you're bad at tonguing, pick a fast-ish piece so that they'll give you a slow piece of sight reading. sounds like crazy logic, but it worked for me and i got into a national orchestra!

5. if something goes badly (hopefully it wont!) then dont let the panel know. no screwed up face or sighing. this is especially important for the sight reading, imagine a top pro sitting in a performance, and giving a great big sigh and a to the audience!

6. smile and try to look happy. enjoy it (if you can!) cos if you wanna make it big you'll have to audition lots for orchestras.

if you get it, thats great, but dont rub it in the faces of your peers who didnt. equally, if you dont get in, its not the end of the world, and im sure there'll be an orchestra in your area that will be happy to take you!

hope this helps
hornplayer