Audition Anxiety and Putting Your Students First

As a teacher, your job doesn’t stop at the end of each lesson. Going out of your way to provide ongoing support and advice is one way the best instructors set themselves apart from the rest. Sometimes, it’s as simple as being a familiar face at an audition. Read on for NY voice teacher Deanna C.‘s story…

One of the most challenging aspects of music education is to get students to throw away performance nerves. For students in my area, this form of anxiety tends to be heightened each year when NYSSMA (New York State School Music Association) season rolls around. As a music educator, it is your goal to help students overcome this fear by any means necessary. Success is met when your student’s needs become your first priority.

One NYSSMA season, I had a student with severe performance anxiety. The day of her audition she called me in complete panic mode. In an attempt to calm her nerves, I cleared my schedule and had her come to my studio. We did warm-ups and then ran several mock auditions so that she knew exactly what to expect.

While this seemed to alleviate some of the fear, she was still shaken up and asked if I would accompany her to the audition. Of course I said yes, knowing how helpful familiar faces can be during emotional times.

After we were signed in, there was nothing left to do but wait until the judge was ready. She began to pace as her anxiety kicked into overdrive. I took her aside, hoping to distract her mind from the nerves. We went over last minute Italian pronunciations and the steps to make sight singing easier.

The girl in the time spot ahead of my student was leaving the room, meaning we only had a few minutes left. Now it was time for a pep talk. I told her that I was proud of all the hard work and passion that she had put into her lessons. We had over-prepared for this audition so I knew that she would do extremely well.

The judge was at the door calling her name, with a bright smile on her face. “See, she looks friendly! You can do this!” I whispered and gave her the thumbs up. She took a deep breath and then calmly walked into the audition room.

After several weeks had passed, we received the audition results. Not only did my student receive the highest mark in her entire school, but she had also gotten a perfect score. I was so proud of her that I went out and purchased little treble clef earrings as a congratulatory present.

I learned from this experience that when you put the students first, you will always have a positive outcome. As a teacher, I strive to be 110% aware of my students needs so that I can help them flourish as musicians. I love watching my students succeed because it gives me a sense of pride and I know that I have done well.