London Symphony Orchestra first violinist Maxine Kwok-Adams offers tips for string candidates to coincide with The Strad's May 2014 feature on preparing for orchestral auditions
What is a panel looking for primarily from theorchestral excerpts?
The main things I am looking for when I sit on an audition panelare quite simple – good rhythm, technique and intonation, allwithin a beautiful sound. These are going to be at the crux of agood orchestral musician. The excerpts can feel very disjointedbecause they are just that, short excerpts! But it is important toknow the piece as a whole because chances are you will be playingit at some point in your career so it doesn’t hurt to add someextra preparation.
How would you advise candidates to study theexcerpts beforehand?
In this day and age of the internet, it is so easy and even freeto listen to the excerpts. The most common mistake I have heard inover ten years of sitting in on auditions is candidates notpreparing the excerpts properly. You can easily Youtube / Spotifythe pieces and even better is if you listen to recent recordings ofthe orchestra that you are auditioning for, if possible. Don’tworry about fingerings and bowings in the part you are given; usethem as a guide but if you really feel strongly about changingsomething, go ahead. Think carefully about how you would performthem in the orchestra. Is this passage an accompanying figure? Whatkind of articulation would work within a section? By listening tothe music, these questions should be easily answered. Download afree metronome app and start slowly. This is invaluable as having astrong basis in the rhythm is going to be helpful come theaudition, when most have a tendency to rush due to nerves.
Are there common errors that candidatesmake?
The worst is when the auditionee has obviously never heard theexcerpts before and therefore the tempi and style are completelywrong. There’s no excuse for this and shows a lack of real interestin orchestral playing. Also auditions can be held in everythingfrom rooms the size of broom cupboards to being onstage at aconcert hall. Try to temper the dynamics accordingly. Ideally youwant the panel leaning forward in their seats, not pinned to theback of their chairs!
How do panels weight the importance of the excerptsversus the concerto performance?
Never underestimate the importance of the excerpts. I have heardso many violinists over the years, who were dazzling in theirconcertos, only to fall short when it was time for the excerpts.Remember that the job you are going for will entail you playingthese for years to come rather than performing solos. There havebeen players who were not so strong in their audition concertos buttheir excerpts were intelligently played which won them atrial.
Are there certain concertos which impress the paneland others that are less well thought of?
It’s not the time to play little-known concertos – rather thanthe panel concentrating on your performance, they will beassimilating the new piece. For violinists we hear mostly theTchaikovsky, Sibelius and Brahms concertos but there are so many tochoose from that are standard repertoire. Make sure to alwaysprepare the cadenza in your Mozart and main concerto. Someorchestras r
equest playing the concertos from memory; I personallythink it’s up to the candidate but no one wants to see a playercompletely glued to the music stand.Can candidates be penalised for overlyindividualistic interpretations of their concerto, if technique andsound are good?
In my opinion we all have our ideas of interpretation but Ithink the panel try to leave these at the door. This is when thetrial system comes into its own. In this case, if the player wasexcellent in all other aspects, then they would be offered a trialand observed within the section as to whether they could fit inplaying in a group, or their individual style was too at odds withbeing a section player.
What should candidates wear to create a goodimpression?
Be comfortable! But do remember, if your audition is not heldbehind a screen, that you are on show and you want to create aprofessional impression. I’ve seen ripped jeans teamed withT-shirts (that didn’t quite meet the waistband) to full-on eveningdress. Somewhere in between is best; if in doubt, you can’t gowrong with smart black trousers and a blouse/shirt.
Would the panel expect different qualities in theplaying for a leadership versus a rank and filerole?
You would most likely have a different set of excerpts toreflect the higher position of the job which would include solosfrom the orchestral repertoire. Definitely for any leadershippositions the panel is looking for someone who is more soloisticand individual.
Does it help to have a lesson with a member of theorchestra beforehand or is this thought to be ethicallyproblematic?
It’s not considered unethical since members of the panel willoften have friends auditioning or even colleagues playing for apromotion – so if you feel it would help your preparation andsomeone in the section is willing to hear you play, then try toarrange it. Do bear in mind orchestral musicians can be very busyand are often on tour so don’t leave it until the last minute. Alsobe aware that panels’ decisions are usually decided on a democraticvote, so the person you played to the week before may have lovedyour playing but the other panel members might be looking fordifferent qualities.
Do you have any advice on how to calmnerves?
Firstly, remember, however scary they may look, the panel arenot there to trap you; they want you to play well! Allow enoughtime to get to the venue so there is no added stress with delays totransport etc. Take your time tuning and take some deep breaths toget a sense of the space you are in. Before the actual auditionday, good preparation is the key. As well as your practice, makesure you play to as many people as you can and put yourself in anaudition situation so you know what might fall apart underpressure. Even if it’s members of your family asking you forexcerpts in random order, it all helps!
Photo: LSO string players
© GautierDeblonde
The Strad's
May 2014 issue
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