Post - Audition Reset

Most players in their 20’s go into the world of professional orchestral auditions unprepared for the emotional toll of “audition day” and its aftermath.

The stressors start weeks before, when you are learning your excerpts. Then continue on the day of the audition with the unknowns of a high-pressure situation and performance anxiety.

Finally, the emotional stress after the audition if it “didn’t go your way”.

The audition day can be the most stressful performing situation you will encounter.

You may be under financial pressure and need the work. Or you may have expectations that having practised hard for years you should now be winning auditions or at least getting through the first round.

You may be expecting yourself to do a “perfect” audition.

Then there’s the pressure of self-doubt. Have I prepared well enough? Am I good enough?  The what if’s…

At a certain stage in your career auditions do start to matter!

Auditions aren’t for the faint hearted, but they are unavoidable if you want an orchestral job.

Most professional orchestral players will have done many auditions before they succeed in getting a job.

They are also an amazing opportunity to find out more about yourself, how you react under pressure and what deeper issues auditions may bring to the surface so that can be gently worked through.

Common reactions to not winning a job or getting a trial:

·      Disappointed in the outcome or how you played – gutted.

·      Angry at yourself or the audition processes.

·      Frustrated that you didn’t play better when you thought you had prepared so well.

·      Frustrated that you thought you had prepared and played well but still didn’t get through the first round.

·      Feeling a sense of failure, that you have let yourself down or perhaps let other people down eg your parents

So, focusing on the days/weeks after the audition day. On a practical level ask for feedback from the panel if possible – even if it is conflicting it can still give you insight into your playing and areas to work on. Assess what went well and what you can improve on, both in your preparation and on the day. Be clearer on what you can control and what, on audition day, is out of your control.

However, it is the days after the audition, when emotions are running high and you are exhausted that you may be tempted to make decisions which affect your future. These are big decisions and they need mental and emotional clarity. This is where EFT-tapping can be pivotal, either as a self-help tool or with a skilled Emotional Freedom Techniques practitioner.

You may have a goal of what a successful audition means for you. You may have worked on your mindset and self-talk. Hopefully you have a process in place so you can learn from how you played in the audition.

These can certainly buffer us from the audition aftermath, but they are a logical approach and emotions aren’t in our head.

Emotions are the language of the body. They can take us by surprise.

This is where a mind/body technique such as EFT-tapping comes in useful.

It is important to acknowledge and be with whatever you are feeling from a place of kindness and acceptance. These emotions can be motivating for you but if you get stuck in them it is difficult then to think and see your way forward clearly.

EFT-tapping can quickly calm your body, your mind and the emotions you are feeling, bringing you back to mental clarity.

The tapping itself can help you reframe your experience creating possibility, insight and resilience.

What you are feeling may remind you of a past audition, a disappointing performance or a sense of judgement and failure.

The Emotional Freedom Techniques can process these past memories and in neutralizing this emotional charge you can find that the current audition aftermath is more productive and much easier to deal with emotionally.

If you need a post-audition reset you can contact me through my website to set up a free 20 minute call. This will clarify for you if EFT or Performance Coaching could be helpful to you.