Help! Has anyone auditioned for Yale before? What should I expect?

February 6, 2017 at 11:31 PM · I have never auditioned for Yale, but here is how auditions usually go: You prepare the required pieces; if they need to be memorized you memorize them. Some schools require accompanists, and usually one will be provided for you if it is required. You arrive 45 minutes to and hour early to warm up and wait outside the room 10 minutes before your scheduled time. Your audition probably will not last longer than 15 minutes. You will not get an interview, and you probably will not talk to the judges. The judges might ask you to play a certain piece, and they will hear a section of it. Then they will ask you to play the next piece, etc. Or they will ask you which piece you want to start with, and you will choose the piece you are most comfortable with. Remember to appear confident even if you are not. I don't know about the Mozart cadenza. Congratulations on passing the prescreening and good luck at your audition. Depending on how far away you are from the US, you may want to fly in at least a week or two before your audition to get used to the area, the new time zone, things like that.

February 6, 2017 at 11:55 PM · My college audition experience is nearly forty years out of date, but some of this is not at all how my auditions went at Oberlin and at Indiana. It isn't like a blind audition for anonymous judges. One of the purposes is for faculty members to see if they might want to teach you. I definitely DID speak with the professors who were hearing my audition at both Oberlin and Indiana. Most likely you will be asked which piece you want to start with. Writing your own cadenza is a plus, if it is good, and I suggest mentioning that to the professors before starting your Mozart.

Bruce Berg would be better able to answer this question.

February 7, 2017 at 01:03 AM · My audition was for a much less competitive school, but for me the conversation after I played my pieces felt almost as important as the playing itself. I'm a late starter in terms of taking playing and practicing seriously and so my audition wasn't all that impressive, but I think he picked up on me being motivated and determined to learn and make up lost time in the conversation/interview that followed, and in the end I got in.

Someone told me that in most situations, teachers at colleges are looking for teachable students, not necessarily just amazing players so it makes sense that they would talk to you to get to know you a little bit.

February 7, 2017 at 08:37 AM · It is for an AD/MM and not a BM, so expect to play the majority of your pieces with accompaniment. You played the Mozart in your prescreening application, therefore you shouldn't be required to play it at your Live audition. I'd have to have more coffee to remember. It'll help to know a little bit about the pieces you're playing. They may make you play the entirety or stop you at a certain point. If you can memorize everything, then I'd advise to do so.

Other than that, it's just a normal audition really. Be early, warmed up, dress up, etc etc... Think of it more as a recital. In fact, that's how you should think of it for the level and degrees you're at. I'm sure you've got a healthy CV so you should know the drill. All in all, relax and congratulations making it to the Live audition portion.

February 7, 2017 at 02:42 PM · If you have some firm prior notion of how it's all going to go, that's when you'll have trouble. The candidate who can go with whatever happens and still play well will be successful. Next time you take your violin out of its case, pretend you're at your audition and suddenly Heifetz is there. In other words, F# minor, four octaves in fingered tenths, please!

February 7, 2017 at 05:17 PM · "F# minor, four octaves in fingered tenths, please!"

I feel almost impious asking this, but could Heifetz even play that scale? Could anyone, or at least anyone else=)

February 8, 2017 at 03:00 AM · F# minor! haha hope that doesn't happen in the audition.

Thanks everyone for the kind reply, they are very helpful! :)

Hopefully I can get used to 17 hours time difference quick enough...

February 8, 2017 at 04:21 PM · That program is very competitive. If possible try to arrange a lesson with one of the teachers either before or after your audition. Expect a cordial and welcoming atmosphere at the audition and be prepared to ask a couple of insightful questions. The only person I know personally on the violin faculty is Ani Kavafian. She is a super nice person and a fine musician. If you decide she is the person you would like to study with, do not email her. Telephone her; she is not good with keeping up with email. I would not mention the cadenza. Let them be surprised if you get to play it.

February 9, 2017 at 12:26 PM · Actually Ani Kavafian IS the one I want to study with! I am not sure if I could have lesson because I am just coming to US 3 days before the audition - which is already an audition program.. But I'll try to contact her :) Thanks Bruce!