Hi! Im 18 and have just finished my A levels. I decided last year that I wanted to apply to a music college instead of university, however it was a last minute decision and I attempted to learn the audition pieces in a month. None of my teachers really knew much about music colleges and how to prepare me for auditions, so I didn't know what to expect and just applied to all the major ones I could think of. (RAM RCM TCM RNCM and RSAMD)

Unfortunately, I did not get a place, although I made the final round at the RAM and the reserve list at the RSAMD. Im taking this as a positive sign and hoping that I will have more luck next year. I don't know how many people get put on the reserve lists, so I don't know if I am just taking false hope from this. Does anyone know how big reserve lists are?
At the time of the auditions I only had grade 7 flute and piano, now I have passed my grade 8 flute with a high distinction, maybe this will help also?

Im curious because Im trying to decide whether to take a gap year and try again, and what I can do in that year to improve my chances.

Also, if I apply again I don't know if I should apply to fewer colleges so that I can concentrate more on those auditions. Any advice on which music colleges are best for flute would be greatly appreciated!

Thanx

I can't comment on which colleges would (in theory) be better for flute, but yes, if I was you I would definitely apply again next year.

You got through this year extremely well, especially since you hadn't quite got to Grade 8. To get put onto reserve lists, and through to final rounds is a sign that you show real potential as a future professional musician - and potential is what they look for in auditionees, not outright talent or immediate stardom.

Don't know how long the reserve lists are these days though - I was at music college in the mid-90's so I'm not really qualified to say.

As you mentioned, it might be better to concentrate on applying to a few less colleges (perhaps those you'd really rather study at), but at the same time still keep your options open and really keep in mind the positive experience this year has given you. Perhaps work towards DipABRSM standard (you don't have to take the exam), as this is often the standard at which applicants have got to when they audition. Get all your technical stuff in pristine order too...then....knock'em dead next year!!

Good Luck

Thanx for the advice. Im looking into DipABRSM, thats definately something I'll consider doing next year.

If you can think of anything else that could be worthwhile doing, please let me know! I need all the help I can get! lol!

Thanks again

You've actually done very well indeed. I had a pupil get into the Birmingham conservatoire after getting on the reserve list - so you may even get in this year. Competition for flute must be intense indeed and if you can have a gap year and work say four hours practice a day on your flute plus any extra reading / piano practice etc that might help (don't know what they ask you to do other than play) then surely you ought to be in with a very good chance next year.

Liz

I know a really fantastic flautist who didn't even get on the waiting list for Birmingham, so WELL DONE! and yes, it seems it would definitely be worth your while trying again.

Just as a matter of interest, what were the auditions like? I'm applying for a few colleges this year but I really don't know what to expect. It seems really scary

Thanx everyone. I'll keep my fingers crossed.

Normah, I was pretty scared for the first one too, but everyone was really friendly. They all made me feel welcome.

I actually dropped my flute in one of the practice rooms before the audition and I had to go and ask the tutor to fix it because the footjoint was falling off as I played!

I had to perform two contrasting pieces, then there was some sight reading and a short interview. The usual kind of questions, why do you want to study there, what experience do you have, that kind of thing. At one college they asked me to transpose the piece I had just sight read up a tone. That threw me a bit! (Im practicing that this year! ) Some had aural tests, I had to say if the chord they were playing was major/minor etc, and I think I had to sing something back from memory. Not all of them did aural tests though, and they weren't as difficult as I expected (I usually HATE aural tests, so if I could manage them then that proves they were OK! )

Some had workshops where we had to perform a section of the pieces we had chosen and the tutors gave us some feed back (just in small groups, 5 or 6 people). It was like a mini lesson! That was really useful, but I think they only did that at two out of the six I went to.

Don't know if thats any help! Feel free to pick my brains if you think of anything else you want to know

Good luck

And you never know, I might bump into you at the auditions!

Firstly you need to, in consultation with your teacher, decide firmly where you would like to study....its no good trying to do all of the colleges, and getting to none of them becuase your pieces werent pristine. to be fair, they wont care if you have dip ABRSM, I spoke to Peter Gane, Head Of Wind at Guildhall, and he said that he would not differenciate between people who had only grade 4, and people who have dipABRSM, as the person with grade 4 may be an alround better player, whereas the person with the diploma has just worked on that for a lond time.

Finding a college which fits you is very important. the most important part is finding a really good teacher. Have a few consultation lessons with teachers from different colleges. Although for wind, the top three are probably guildhall, the college and the academy (with an honourable mention to the Royal Northern)

Above all, enjoy yourself when you are at your audition.....cos thats wot music is all about, and maybe i'll see you at college next year!!

That must've been really interesting!

Definitely!! Certainly sounds like they put people at ease a lot more than they did a few years back - it was like being put on trial. At least workshops and activities divert your attention away from what can otherwise be quite a stressful situation.

Huh??

Not quite sure what you're actually saying there, but you make it sound as though someone with Grade 4 could apply to music college.

In theory, yes, the applicant's last exam might have only been Grade 4, but their playing standard at the audition would need to be post-Grade 8.

Music colleges won't take full-time students at Grade 4 standard.

No the DipABRSM doesn't have to have been taken to apply to a conservatoire, but playing to that level is a real asset when audition day arrives. Take it from someone who's been there and worn the t-shirt

THe last exam i did was grade 4.....and my playing standard is good enough to get me into music college, the point i am trying to make is that graded music exams
mean next to nothing.....does that mean that someone who just did grade 5 bassoon is better than me...###### no...

regards

bb

Thanks for the advice baroquebassoon. I am trying to narrow down my choices now.

Yes, maybe I will see you at college next year!

The workshops were really fun! It was great getting to hear some of the other applicants playing, you know better what you're up against then! I made some friends too, cos you get to know a bit about the people you're there with. It doesn't all have to be nasty and competitive, everyone was willing each other on.

Of course you dont stand a chance if your playing only averages a grade 4 standard, but the point here is that the colleges do not go on your grade certificates, they look to see for themselves what you can do in audition, therefore having grade 8 or dip. is not necessarily a help - however you will need to be at the equivalent standard.

Someone with only grade 4 could apply and be succesful - just because they havent taken the higher exams does not exlude them of they are of the same standard.

Incidentally it seems a commonly misconstrued idea on this forum that the exam certificates you have achieved are always indicative of your playing standard. In fact all that any certificate offers is one way of proving ability, plenty of people still have the ability without having sat the exams.

...and at the other extreme it's possible to sit exams, at least at a lower level, (not dip, I would imagine!) and get quite high marks even if your all-round playing isn't nearly as good as your grade pieces would indicate... they're definitely not the be all and end all of how good you are.

Hello!

Just to say thanks again for all your advice, but it will no longer be necessary..............as I GOT IN! HOORAY!


I got a phone call yesterday from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama to offer me a place! Im sooooo relieved!

And I suppose that I prove the point that they really are looking for potential at audition rather than grades and certificates, I only had grade 7 flute!

There's hope for everyone!

WOOHOO!


Good luck to everyone else auditioning next year, if I can do it, so can you!

Well done!!!

well done....

i wish i will have the same luck this coming term....as i'm going up to RAM, RCM and RNCM for auditions.... i'm scared to death.... it will be terrible if i can't get in...

Wow, that's fantastic! Really well done! Do you know anyone else at RSAMD?

Thanks everyone!

Yeah, I went to the Edinburgh Flute Course a couple of weeks ago and I met a couple of people from the Academy then. I think one of the other girls I met when I auditioned got in too

Good luck liebe_klavier

Aww Well done lucy Im so pleased for you! See,we told you, you were a really good player? Let us know how you get on!

Love
Jen
xxx

Well done with getting your place - that's ace! A friend of mine reckons flute is about the hardest instrument to get into college on - there's almost as many applicants on flute as on violin, but only about 3 or 4 places per college!

I'm in kind of a similar situation, so know exactly how you felt!.. am on the reserve list for the RNCM (on oboe), and would give anything just to know my chances.. absolutely dying to get in there, felt the place had such an atmosphere!

Also.. with regard to a comment earlier in the topic: I'd say to anyone, just from personal experience, that its probably generally worth trying for more colleges, not less.. i only applied to 2 colleges (the rcm and the rncm), because i only really wanted to go to the rncm, but it would have made far more sense to have applied to a few more, just because now i'm facing the prospect of another gap year.. and i'm really ready to leave home now! However, if you aren't phased by the prospect of a gap year, then yeah, it's fine to just apply for the ones you really want to go to.. and much cheaper too!

s xx

Well done for getting the place.

As for how many colleges to apply for, I'd go for as many as possible. The competition is so tough that applying to two is only going to narrow down your chances even further. Most places just ask for contrasting pieces, with only a couple specifying what to play, so you should only have to learn 3-5 pieces really

Congratulations and well done! Maybe I'll see you in concert when you have a world tour next time!

congratulations lucy, that's fantastic - enjoy it!