I’m auditioning for university programs with the hopes of getting funding at one of the major state schools for music performance. I’ve done my research and had trial lessons with professors. The professor at the school I’m most interested in recently informed me that I’d have to get a perfect score on their grading system to get funding. How can I interpret this? Apart from practicing technique and practicing in a mock-audition setting, how can I not let the nerves get to my playing?
Knowing your goals when you enter a competitive situation is very important. Good for you for finding a teacher you like, and asking the direct questions.
It seems, from the question above, that you are asking two things: how to get into a school with a scholarship, and how to handle nerves when your future depends on your playing.
Firstly, scholarships often depend on more than one qualifying mark. Not just the playing, but the way you answer questions put to you by a committee, your letters of recommendation, your resume and your previous grades/accomplishments.
I know of more than one instance when an excellent student applied for a school, nailed the audition, and was turned away because of a bad reputation or their attitude. And as many people who were accepted who perhaps didn’t play as well, but shine in their interviews or sample lessons. It is the mark of a good committee that they can see, with creativity, the full person and what they can offer to the school.
And, even if you love this teacher and school, there are many places where you can find happiness. Sometimes “shopping” for a school can resemble buying a used car or your first house – you fall in love with one thing, risk everything to get it, and when it falls through, you realize it wasn’t the only answer, and possibly was the wrong car, the wrong house. Apply for at least 5 places, then make your choice after the scholarship packages are decided.
I have taught at many schools, and it was often the student that the committee denied, and that I spoke up for (offering a sample lesson so I could get to know them) that now has the biggest career, the most impact, and worked the hardest. One was a non-classically trained violinist who barely knew how to shift into third position, but who had a gorgeous tone, ability to improvise, compelling musical presence, and very high marks in school. The committee argued that this person would not be able to play Mahler in the orchestra, but I accepted them into my studio against their advice. They went on to practice more than any other student, and now have an impressively full touring schedule. Another student, who clearly didn’t have the benefit of high-level instruction before applying, turned out to have a passion for building music programs in poor communities. This person is now on the international speaking circuit for their groundbreaking work in communities like this all over the world. A good committee can see your worth.
Secondly, nerves. If you make sure to apply at a number of places, your nerves will certainly calm themselves, knowing that you will have a choice at the end of your journey, not just a single “yes”‘or “no” from the school that has besmittened you. Know your worth. Work hard. Prepare. And in the end, know that it is YOU who is choosing your future, not them.
