003 - sharon sparrow's guide to audition success

sharon sparrow, flutist in the detroit symphony, wrote the book on audition prep. literally. it's called 6 weeks to finals, and it's the only book out there, i think, that walks you through a step-by-step guide to preparing for an orchestra audition. it feels empowering to know that there's not some magical sorcery behind winning an audition. nope: there's a clear, step-by-step strategy that anyone can follow. and it works: it's exactly how she prepared for and won her audition for the detroit symphony, and many of her students have won auditions using the same process. i was lucky enough to speak with her about audition preparation for today's podcast.  you'll learn: how she won her job at the age of 35 while taking care of two toddlers, 3 things that can earn you more yes votes from the orchestra committee, and how to break down mental practice into 3 essential components. thanks to matthieu from canada for his great question! if you want to ask a question to be answered on a future episode, go to robknopper.com/ask. and to learn the 5-step audition preparation process i used to win my met opera audition, download the audition cheat sheet at robknopper.com/auditioncheatsheet.

Om Podcasten

hi, i’m rob. i'm a percussionist in the met opera in new york city, and my goal is to help you win an orchestra audition quicker and easier than i did. during my decade-long career of (mostly) failed auditions, i've struggled through disappointment, rejection, intense nerves, and hopelessness. but i've personally overcome each of these to win my job. i've also helped musicians all over the world break through their struggles to get to finals and win auditions. with the right work ethic and preparation methods, i truly believe that anyone can win an orchestra job like mine.