Find Your Spotlight
- If you never audition, you'll never get the role!
- Auditions come in all shapes and sizes, and can be very intimidating! As the performer goes on more auditions their confidence increases and they become comfortable with the general process, and in turn, perform better!
Below is a list of updated auditions in your area along with material on marketing yourself and performance tips! Discuss this page with your instructor and they will be more than happy to prepare you for your auditions!
*This page is constantly updated and evolving so check back regularly for auditions & advice!!
The following article offers advise to parents on how to make a student's practice time more enjoyable and beneficial, maximizing the potential of their actual lesson! The article refers to musical instruments but also applies to other disciplines in the performing arts such as theater, film, and dance!
Learning to Play: Tips for Parents of Young Musicians
by Ardene Shafer and Christine Stinson
Brought to you by MENC: The National Association for Music
- Help your child set up a special place at home to play the instrument.
- Establish a time each day to play. Some children are at their best in the morning before school. Some parents set a time after the evening bath when the child is relaxed, but not tired.
- Consider using the phrase "playing time" rather than "practice time"
- If possible, be a positive part of your child's playing time. Sit with your child while they plays and ask, "Show me what you're learning." Or, consider learning to play the instrument with your child.
- Praise your child for each step forward.
- Never make negative remarks about how your child's playing sounds. It takes time and effort to produce musical sounds.
- Encourage other family members to applaud the child's efforts. Positive attention is a great motivator.
- Remember that there are always peaks and valleys in the learning process. You and your child should expect times of discouragement, accept them, and focus on the positive face that they're learning to make music. Remind them that everything worth doing takes time and effort.
- Provide positive role models. Bring your child to hear amateur or professional musicians perform. Take your child to movies that show musicians in a positive light, such as "Music of the Heart."
Practice Tips for Middle- and High-School Kids
- Help your child set up a regular time every day to practice.
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Help them establish a routine. This may require some consultations with the teacher. A typical middle schooler's half-hour practice routine might include:
- Warm up -- 1-3 minutes
- Play a fun, familiar piece -- 3-5 minutes
- Work on a new or difficult piece -- 10-15 minutes
- Work on technical requirements, such as scales or other technique builders -- 5 minutes
- Play something fun to conclude the session
- High school students may have more technical problems to work on, but they also have the ability to practice longer in a more concentrated way.
- Help your child understand that playing only familiar songs will not help her improve.
- Explain to your child that learning happens in stages. Sometimes a student will work on something for a long time with no apparent improvement, and then discover a sudden leap in ability. Other times, learning happens very quickly. The important thing to stress is that consistent practice will yield results.
- Help your young musician set practice goals. Keeping a journal, not just a practice chart, helps track the peaks and valleys of learning a new piece or improving fundamental skills.
- As a parent, don't make judgments about the musical quality of your child's practicing. Learning an instrument requires lots of squeaks, scratches, and wrong notes.
