How to prepare for a string competition audition
The major youth and young-artist string competitions screen applicants by recorded video before any live round, usually a continuous, unedited take. The prescreen is something you can rehearse exactly, so treat the recording as the competition.
What they evaluate
Typically a concerto movement plus contrasting works, often including unaccompanied Bach, frequently with the applicant visible on screen. Screening juries weigh intonation, rhythm, tone, control, and musical shaping.
The prep, step by step
- 1Confirm the current cycle's repertoire and rules, including whether you must be on screen and any no-editing requirements.
- 2Build each piece to a level you can repeat, because you will record it several times to get one clean continuous take.
- 3Record under real conditions, full pieces, no stops, and keep yourself in frame if the rules require it.
- 4Score every take on the five dimensions and re-record to fix the weakest one, not just to survive the piece.
- 5Submit your best honest take well before the deadline. Splicing or pitch manipulation is usually disqualifying.
Common mistakes that cost the seat
- Underestimating how many clean continuous takes it takes to get one you would submit.
- Breaking an on-screen or no-edit rule and getting disqualified on a technicality.
- Programming a piece a notch beyond what you can deliver cleanly on camera.
Frequently asked
What does a string competition audition evaluate?
Typically a concerto movement plus contrasting works, often including unaccompanied Bach, frequently with the applicant visible on screen. Screening juries weigh intonation, rhythm, tone, control, and musical shaping.
Is a string competition audition recorded or live?
Most string competition auditions are a recorded or video submission, often a single continuous take. That is good news: you can rehearse the exact thing you submit and re-record until it is your best honest take.
How do I practice for a string competition audition?
Build the material slowly and clean, then record full run-throughs and score them on tone, intonation, rhythm, tempo, and musicality, the way a panel listens. Fix the weakest dimension before the next take. Your first scored take on Orchestra Kingdom is free, no signup.
Know you are ready before you walk in.
Record your prep. The panel returns an Advance, Callback, or Not Yet verdict plus five-dimension scores. First take is free, no signup.
Face the panel