Ever wondered how orchestra auditions work?

In this episode, I’m going to give you a behind-the-scene perspective into what only happens behind closed doors in the classical world: the audition process.

Musicians give their everything in these auditions, and it’s incredibly difficult and competitive to win a job. And that’s the term we use— winning a job. Because it is every bit a competition.

We all know that intonation is one of the biggest struggles we have as violinists. Digital tuners and tuning apps seem like a cheap and easy tool that will help you improve, but it’s not so simple.

Like everything, there are pros and cons to working with a tuner, and most violin teachers (myself included) generally don’t recommend them. That said, I think they can be a very valuable tool to some people when learned correctly.

When should you start learning vibrato?

I answer my #1 most asked question as a violin teacher. Listen to learn what I look for before starting vibrato, how long it takes to learn, when I personally teach it, and what you can do to start preparing-- even as a beginner.

The classical world is a bit intimidating if you're just starting out, but attending a live concert is one of the best things to go out and see if you're learning the violin.