How many mock auditions is "enough"?
"The master has failed more times than the beginner has even tried." — Stephen McCranie
Welcome to this week's Peak Performance Mondays. Want to know the best audition advice I’ve ever gotten?
Take as many mock auditions as you possibly can.
Walking on stage for an audition without taking a ton of mock auditions first, is like trying to fly a plane without having ever set foot in a flight simulator.
It’s probably not going to end well…
The question is, how many mock auditions is enough? One? Two? Three? What if I told you five was the magic number...per day.
Yup. You read that right. Five mocks every single day in the weeks leading up to your audition is what I’m asking you to consider.
But I guess I should clarify what a mock audition actually looks like.
Is it:
✔️ Reserving a rehearsal space
✔️ Convincing two or three friends to show up with yellow notepads to be your judges
✔️ Putting on the actual clothes you will wear on audition day
✔️ Running through three or four rounds with a video camera recording every note you play
✔️ Getting your heart rate up to simulate nerves
Or is it just tossing your iPhone on the couch and playing three excerpts on your way out the door to get pizza?
Well frankly, it's both.
Mock auditions don’t have to be elaborate to be effective (although some of them should be), they just need to get you in front of a recorder five times every day, so you can measure your performance under pressure.
Frankly, when it comes right down to it, being able to perform at your best for 10 minutes at a time is really what auditioning is all about anyway, so why not do that as many times a day as you possibly can?
Four Reasons Mocks Will Improve Your Playing
Deadline Motivation: They push you to wrap up loose ends, ensuring you're audition-ready.
Stress Simulation: Offering real-time, in-the-moment feedback, they allow you to adjust and adapt.
Nerve Management: Discover how you react when the pressure's on.
Ease Over Time: Familiarity breeds comfort. The more you do it, the easier it becomes.
💡 Action Item of the Week: Start simple. Record five excerpts today. Don't worry about perfection; focus on the process. This is about learning to perform when it matters most.
And be sure you listen back right away so you can identify some things to work on before you forget what the round felt like.
Getting the most out of a mock audition is a complicated topic, but I want you to start considering the fact that you’re probably not doing nearly enough deliberate practice in this area as you need, to feel comfortable on stage during the insanity that is an orchestra audition.
By the way, I just ran a poll on Instagram asking how many mock auditions musicians did before their last audition.
Pretty interesting, right?
But here's a thought - wouldn't it be even more intriguing to see how many of those who skipped mock auditions altogether didn't advance versus the ones who did over 10 and nailed their auditions?
I would be willing to bet those who are putting effort into mock auditions are outperforming the rest by a wide margin.
🔜 What’s Next? Next Monday, we'll explore a critical part of playing excerpts in an audition…musical character. I’m going to share one of my favorite exercises to make sure you are delivering more than just the right notes to the committee.
Thanks for diving into this week's PPM––now go hit RECORD on that iPhone!
Chris @ Honesty Pill Coaching
P.S. Big news! The next cohort of The Audition Accelerator, open to all orchestral instruments, starts on May 1st. Only 10 spots will be available, and not everyone who applies will be accepted.
Curious?
Sign up for a free discovery call with me using the button below. Not sure if this is for you? Let's talk anyway and let me see where you are at with your audition preparation.
