Auditioning is stressful for students of any age. As a music teacher, there are some some things that you can do to help your students with this process. Here are some ideas!
Tip #1: Make sure students know EXACTLY what will be asked of them at the audition.
Not only does this give your students a chance to feel completely prepared, it shows you how well they are able to prepare a piece and how committed they are to learning material. Talent, without hard-work and dedication, will only get your students so far.
Tip #2: Engage each student in conversation before they audition.
Talking before an audition will help to calm down a nervous student. It also shows them that you care about them as a person AND a performer.
Tip #3: Consider allowing students to select their own pieces to perform.
Sometimes you will be surprised by what students are performing on their own time. Allowing them to show themselves at their most confident will give you a great idea of their ability level and musical interests.
Tip #4. Smile and applaud no matter what.
Even if the student makes mistakes or is unprepared, showing enthusiasm after an audition can help the student exit the room without feeling discouraged.
Tip #5. Consider making an audio recording of each audition instead of taking notes.
This allows for you to be fully present during the initial audition so you can go back and critique later. It will also help you in the event you need to compare auditions side-by-side.
Tip #6. Consider having students submit a virtual audition AND perform a live audition.
This can help you see what the student if fully capable of and takes the pressure off of the student to have a “perfect” audition.
Thanks for Reading!
Please like and subscribe for more music education content!
Leave a Reply