There is a thread about NCO Open Day in the Forum, and I thought another thread on NCO audition may be opened. I understand from their website that they started auditioning from then 5th October, and continues till 22 October. Any comments from parents of musicians who have gone for the audition? Were the NCO people friendly?
Full Version: Nco Audition
QUOTE(HanonMum @ Oct 17 2009, 11:04 AM) 
There is a thread about NCO Open Day in the Forum, and I thought another thread on NCO audition may be opened. I understand from their website that they started auditioning from then 5th October, and continues till 22 October. Any comments from parents of musicians who have gone for the audition? Were the NCO people friendly?
Friendly, put you at ease - what you would expect really. Two people in the room, will tell you who they are.
Practice your audition piece well, know it well and practice, practice, practice your sight reading. You get two tests one which you can go off into a room on your own and look at for 10 mins (prepared) and one you are given in the room to play straight away (unseen). Cannot emphasise how important it is to be comfortable with this. Have a mental list ready to check off when looking at it . . look for all the little tricks, changes of key, rhythmn, accidentals etc etc.
Also don't turn up in jeans and a hoody, they don't expect a suit . . but smart casual (non jeans open neck shirt for boys, skirt and blouse for girls) They are keen on smartness and why not show them you are too.
It's a good job that we never knew that about the smartness thing!!!
My daughter always wore what was most comfortable to her NCO auditions. It was always jeans!!!! She was in the Under 13's last year and is in the Main Orchestra this year, so I guess it doesn't matter too much really!!Violinma
QUOTE(noisyhouse @ Oct 17 2009, 04:08 PM)
QUOTE(HanonMum @ Oct 17 2009, 11:04 AM)
There is a thread about NCO Open Day in the Forum, and I thought another thread on NCO audition may be opened. I understand from their website that they started auditioning from then 5th October, and continues till 22 October. Any comments from parents of musicians who have gone for the audition? Were the NCO people friendly?
Friendly, put you at ease - what you would expect really. Two people in the room, will tell you who they are.
Practice your audition piece well, know it well and practice, practice, practice your sight reading. You get two tests one which you can go off into a room on your own and look at for 10 mins (prepared) and one you are given in the room to play straight away (unseen). Cannot emphasise how important it is to be comfortable with this. Have a mental list ready to check off when looking at it . . look for all the little tricks, changes of key, rhythmn, accidentals etc etc.
Also don't turn up in jeans and a hoody, they don't expect a suit . . but smart casual (non jeans open neck shirt for boys, skirt and blouse for girls) They are keen on smartness and why not show them you are too.
My daughter, aged 9, had her first ever NCO audition today. There was a huge range of attire being sported, from best party dress to jeans. My daughter simply wore her school uniform since she was going back to school afterwards.
She found the experience quite unnerving despite the fact that the 2 adjudicators were very friendly and tried to put her at ease. It was the meticulous adjusting of the video camera to capture her bowing arm properly that I'm sure worried her a little (I was in the room accompanying). She said she was also put off by them whispering to each other and (apparently) pointing as she played. Anyway, she did her best and we'll just have to wait and see- very good experience whatever I'm sure.
She found the experience quite unnerving despite the fact that the 2 adjudicators were very friendly and tried to put her at ease. It was the meticulous adjusting of the video camera to capture her bowing arm properly that I'm sure worried her a little (I was in the room accompanying). She said she was also put off by them whispering to each other and (apparently) pointing as she played. Anyway, she did her best and we'll just have to wait and see- very good experience whatever I'm sure.
We have ours on Friday - this is the 23rd so sounds like it may be right at the end. I'm so glad I read these posts as I was wondering about attire and the warnings about the camera etc are very useful. Our teacher has tried to change the fingering this week but my daughter is firmly resisting as it could just throw the whole piece! I agree the pieces need to be very familiar.
QUOTE(violinma @ Oct 19 2009, 10:42 PM)
It's a good job that we never knew that about the smartness thing!!!
My daughter always wore what was most comfortable to her NCO auditions. It was always jeans!!!! She was in the Under 13's last year and is in the Main Orchestra this year, so I guess it doesn't matter too much really!!Violinma
I'm not saying that despite playing well you won't get chosen if you are in a hoody or jeans (my son's chosen clothes 99% of the time) . . it's just that if you want to show the panel that the audition means something to you, you can do it by what you wear. If you talk to adjudicators they will say that they like to see people smarten up a bit for a performance - and an audition is a performance. And I don't mean bow tie or party dress . . . . just something that says I haven't just come in from the garden.
When he did his first NYO audition my son opted to smarten up a bit and the, then, principal of the section was in the same group audition, in a suit . . . . my son thought it was a bit ott until he spoke to the lad who said he wanted to create a good impression from the moment he walked in. Each year my son has opted to go a bit smarter and I'm glad that after 4 years this is his last as he could end up in white tie and tails at this rate!!
QUOTE(noisyhouse @ Oct 17 2009, 04:08 PM)
QUOTE(HanonMum @ Oct 17 2009, 11:04 AM)
There is a thread about NCO Open Day in the Forum, and I thought another thread on NCO audition may be opened. I understand from their website that they started auditioning from then 5th October, and continues till 22 October. Any comments from parents of musicians who have gone for the audition? Were the NCO people friendly?
Friendly, put you at ease - what you would expect really. Two people in the room, will tell you who they are.
Practice your audition piece well, know it well and practice, practice, practice your sight reading. You get two tests one which you can go off into a room on your own and look at for 10 mins (prepared) and one you are given in the room to play straight away (unseen). Cannot emphasise how important it is to be comfortable with this. Have a mental list ready to check off when looking at it . . look for all the little tricks, changes of key, rhythmn, accidentals etc etc.
Also don't turn up in jeans and a hoody, they don't expect a suit . . but smart casual (non jeans open neck shirt for boys, skirt and blouse for girls) They are keen on smartness and why not show them you are too.
QUOTE(Claudia's Mum @ Oct 21 2009, 08:46 AM)
We have ours on Friday - this is the 23rd so sounds like it may be right at the end. I'm so glad I read these posts as I was wondering about attire and the warnings about the camera etc are very useful. Our teacher has tried to change the fingering this week but my daughter is firmly resisting as it could just throw the whole piece! I agree the pieces need to be very familiar.
Good Luck, hope it goes well
Thank you Noisy House. Setting off soon when Claudia comes back from school. I am feeling quite nervous on behalf of my daughter but she will take in in her stride.
After reading the attire comments and me telling her she shouldn't really wear jeans & UGGs, she is adamant that she will go in her school uniform (worried about what I might tell her to wear). Guess that's OK as she's going straight from school.
Fingers crossed it goes OK!
After reading the attire comments and me telling her she shouldn't really wear jeans & UGGs, she is adamant that she will go in her school uniform (worried about what I might tell her to wear). Guess that's OK as she's going straight from school.
Fingers crossed it goes OK!
QUOTE(Claudia's Mum @ Oct 23 2009, 11:14 AM)
Thank you Noisy House. Setting off soon when Claudia comes back from school. I am feeling quite nervous on behalf of my daughter but she will take in in her stride.
After reading the attire comments and me telling her she shouldn't really wear jeans & UGGs, she is adamant that she will go in her school uniform (worried about what I might tell her to wear). Guess that's OK as she's going straight from school.
Fingers crossed it goes OK!
Good luck! It is best for your daughter to be comfortable in what she is wearing. School uniform is perfect!
[quote name='Claudia's Mum' date='Oct 23 2009, 11:14 AM' post='887373']
Thank you Noisy House. Setting off soon when Claudia comes back from school. I am feeling quite nervous on behalf of my daughter but she will take in in her stride.
After reading the attire comments and me telling her she shouldn't really wear jeans & UGGs, she is adamant that she will go in her school uniform (worried about what I might tell her to wear). Guess that's OK as she's going straight from school.
Fingers crossed it goes OK!
How did she feel it went?
Thank you Noisy House. Setting off soon when Claudia comes back from school. I am feeling quite nervous on behalf of my daughter but she will take in in her stride.
After reading the attire comments and me telling her she shouldn't really wear jeans & UGGs, she is adamant that she will go in her school uniform (worried about what I might tell her to wear). Guess that's OK as she's going straight from school.
Fingers crossed it goes OK!
How did she feel it went?
Thanks HanonMum and Noisyhouse.
Actually it went as well as it could have done. The people are really friendly and immediately put you at ease. When Claudia's accompanist got the pieces muddled up started on the wrong one, they laughed, which diffused the situation and she started again and everything was fine.
On the clothes thing I think you can wear what you like, no need to worry about being smart. Of the children I saw, 2 were in school uniform, 1 in jeans and 2 boys in trousers and white shirts (could have been uniform too).
Also in the letter it said there wouldn't be an opportunity to warm up & play the pieces through beforehand but they did actually make sure that everyone did get a 5 min warm up - this is dependent on the venue apparently and if you arrive 15 minutes before as they suggest.
Everything was very efficiently organised too. Really impressive.
Actually it went as well as it could have done. The people are really friendly and immediately put you at ease. When Claudia's accompanist got the pieces muddled up started on the wrong one, they laughed, which diffused the situation and she started again and everything was fine.
On the clothes thing I think you can wear what you like, no need to worry about being smart. Of the children I saw, 2 were in school uniform, 1 in jeans and 2 boys in trousers and white shirts (could have been uniform too).
Also in the letter it said there wouldn't be an opportunity to warm up & play the pieces through beforehand but they did actually make sure that everyone did get a 5 min warm up - this is dependent on the venue apparently and if you arrive 15 minutes before as they suggest.
Everything was very efficiently organised too. Really impressive.
Wonder when we will hear results...
QUOTE(violincjj @ Nov 5 2009, 07:32 AM)
Wonder when we will hear results...
From what I remember they stagger them, youngest orchestra hear first then the main orchestra hear close to Christmas. I think it's from last week in Nov onwards if that helps
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