my student got runner up!

“kick my ass.”

that’s one of the first things that tom reaves, one of my students, told me when we first spoke. i was like, “YES. AWESOME.”

backstory: he had never advanced at an audition. he was struggling with his preparation and not seeing the results he wanted.

i really did kick his ass.

so, starting with lesson #1, i really did kick his ass. tom is an awesome student...he’s willing to try anything and he’ll get really intense about it. he soaked up new information like a sponge, and over the course of about a year, he really became an audition machine.

and…yeah. he had some huge success recently. it’s great.

i brought him “into” the auditionhacker studios so he could explain to you exactly how he transformed his audition process.

want to nail your next audition?

here's the 5-part audition preparation method i used to win a job at the MET orchestra.

(for any instrument!)

1.jpeg
Featured
episode 8 graphic.001.jpeg
4 ways to get better audition comments

it's episode #8 of the auditionhacker podcast, and i'll go over my best methods for getting better feedback.

Episode 7 Graphic.jpeg
how i recorded the delécluse album

it’s episode #7 of the auditionhacker podcast, and i’ll go over:

  • how i spent 6 months perfecting the 12 delécluse études,

  • the special strategy i used in preparation, called “the magical shrinking self-recording workflow”,

  • how preparation needs to be structured for a recording vs. a live audition, and

  • my best tips and strategies to make a recording session go smoothly.

Episode 6 Graphic.jpeg
how to design an audition-winning lifestyle

it’s episode #6 of the auditionhacker podcast, and i’m going over: 

  • the legendary and now-defunct practice of challenges, 

  • adopting the olympian mindset as a musician, and 

  • the most accurate indicator of future audition success. 

the complete guide to self-recording

i've worked with hundreds of musicians on audition preparation. and nothing - NOTHING - has been as effective and life-changing as when they start self-recording the right way.

how to build rock solid rhythm
how to build rock solid rhythm

imprecise rhythm is something that can get you cut from an audition IMMEDIATELY (regardless of your instrument). and great rhythm is something that an audition committee can sense, both consciously and subconsciously. hearing someone play in the pocket just feels good.

well, i have a few tricks up my sleeve to straighten out my rhythm, and today i'm sharing one of the most effective strategies.

will auditions ever come back?
will auditions ever come back?

4 reasons why they definitely, absolutely, unquestionably will.

cheat+sheet.jpg
how to hack auditions

in today's episode, i'll go over:

my audition journey and how i ended up winning the met opera job,
3 of my favorite audition hacks, and
the one thing that's so much more meaningful than the result of the audition.

how to make an audition day plan
how to make an audition day plan

things i do on audition day:

warm up by playing on the hotel pillow,
watch vast amounts of tv shows on my phone, and
never drink coffee.

how 3 musicians deal with audition day
how 3 musicians deal with audition day

when i was in detroit in february i got to interview three great DSO musicians on how they approach audition day. pretty fascinating to see how their approaches are so different from each other.

how soloist augustin hadelich organizes his practice
how soloist augustin hadelich organizes his practice

i’m endlessly fascinated with how musicians practice (as you know). so i was fortunate to talk to augustin hadelich, international violin soloist, about how he gets ready to play a different concerto with a different orchestra every week.

rob knopper

hailed by @nytimes as needing 'louder triangle notes'. recorded delécluse: douze études for snare drum, percussionist in @metorchestra.

Cart (0)