Last week (Sunday thru Tuesday) we held auditions for three viola positions in the Oregon Symphony. The committee did recommend three candidates to fill the positions, but I can't divulge names as of yet because they have not yet received letters of intent and other niceties. It has been about a year since I last served on an audition committee, and it had been two years since the last viola audition. I noticed some things firsthand and heard some things from the people managing the auditions that inspired me to write this blog entry. The subject is what to do and what not to do at any audition. Here goes - and this I must preface with the caveat that these are my own opinions, and I am in no way attempting to be complete or exhaustive in this list!

1. Arrive early. Remember the adage: "Early is on-time, on-time is late, late is unacceptable". Not only do you risk being seriously stressed for your audition, but the reshuffling required when just one person is late for their slot is larger than most people would imagine. Just get there early - you're going to have to wait around anyway, why not at least know that you're in the hall.

2. Be polite to the people running the backstage action. Believe it or not, we often ask the people who are running candidates from warm-up rooms to stage about the temperament of the candidates, and if there were any problems with them. Besides that, many people who you see backstage at auditions are members of the orchestra, and possibly members of the section you'd like to join. First impressions are lasting.

3. Don't bring your family. They can come to town with you, but don't bring your significant other, child, or pet into the hall with you. There will be no one to look after them, and if you are spending all of your time looking after their welfare, who is warming up for you? Leave the family unit(s) at the hotel.

4. Check your tuning before you step on stage. Do the serious tuning in the warm up room and in the wings before you come out. You can do a brief check when you get to the music stand, to get a feel for the acoustic, but don't do a "full tune" out there, or you may risk the committee "tuning out" before you play your first "real" note.

5. Check the order of the excerpts (if they are given before you arrive on stage) - then double check the order again. Make sure your music easy to access without excessive shuffling (many people use binders with page covers these days, a great idea). If you are unsure of which excerpt is next - signal to the personnel manager or proctor and quietly ask them, they will be glad to assist you.

6. Don't start to play before you are ready, but don't take five minutes to begin, either. As long as that moment or two of composing yourself seems, it probably seems twice as long to the committee. They're staring at the screen just dying to hear you do your best, and the wait can be excruciating. Take your time, but don't milk the moment.

7. Wear nice clothes to every round. The backstage people see the sweatpants and t-shirts. When you get to the finals, wear dressy, but comfortable clothes. Men - wear a suit, it really does make a tremendous impression, and a good pair of dress shoes. Otherwise, a pair of dark dress slacks are great, along with a shirt appropriate to the climate. Women - a dress, skirt or pants are all appropriate, but remember that this is a job interview, not a date! Also remember to wear heels only if you are used to playing in them.

8. In the finals - if you are asked to do something (either by the principal or the conductor), and you don't understand the instructions, don't be afraid to ask for clarification (the best way to do this starts with "Do you mean...?" Look the person in the eye and speak at a comfortable, but formal conversational volume.

9. Be gracious to your fellow auditioners. If you are advanced, it is not a good idea to pump your fist, jump in the air and yell "who's bad? that's right, I'm baaaad!!". Congratulate the others who have advanced and express your condolances to those who have not advanced (and you know that there are a few there who you've bonded with during the inevitable down time). Likewise, if you've not been advanced, congratulate the advancers, and avoid shouting "I've been robbed!!" until you're at least out of the building.

10. Bring food and water. You'll burn a lot of nervous energy from the moment you wake up the day of the prelims until you go back to your hotel room that night, and being hungry and "bonking" right before or during your round is not a happy situation. Many people bring bananas and bottled water. If there are some protein bars that you're fond of, those are good, too. I'd also recommend bringing a couple small squares of really good dark chocolate - it's a quick energy boost, and can be a great way to either celebrate a successful round or a good step towards self condolances for the one that got away.