Auditioning for UBC school of music

[imperfection]

I heard that Vancouver is really nice. How is it boring?

It isn't boring if you're a senior. The universal health-care is good as usual, senior centres are everywhere, and a huge part of the city is very quiet and the air very fresh. So you could literally spend an entire day sitting on the side of the road drinking a cup of Latte. I guess it's also the perfect city for kids because the school is really relaxed and you don't even get your first real homework assignment until grade 10. Everything before that is basically like a game, designed for you to have fun. So, for kids, no homework, a bunch of pretty beaches and parks for them to run around in, what else could you ask for.

But for the rest of the population who actually has better things to do in their lives, it's boring as hell. All major buses in the city come to their stops in 40 minute intervals. 'Nuff said. You want to get anywhere? Think again. Stay home and sleep, it's not like there are interesting things to do outside anyways. Especially for teenagers who don't find slides and swings and climbers entertaining. Of course, that is just the tip of the iceberg, it will really require you to live here and experience the lifestyle here for yourself. Maybe you don't find it boring at all. But to me it's hell.

But then again, before moving to Canada, I used to live in one of the most exciting and restless cities in Asia ( as well as in the world), so in comparison Vancouver is especially dull to me.

P.S. JCampbell, I'm been to Victoria once, and I will go there again next year to do audition for Uvic, in case UBC rejects me. Looking forward to get broed together over there. 

[M forever]

But then again, before moving to Canada, I used to live in one of the most exciting and restless cities in Asia ( as well as in the world)

Where was that?

[Joe_Campbell]

P.S. JCampbell, I'm been to Victoria once, and I will go there again next year to do audition for Uvic, in case UBC rejects me. Looking forward to get broed together over there. 

That's quite a coincidence. I'm auditioning for UVic, Victoria Conservatory, Lethbridge, and Memorial. In the spirit of competition, I hope you get into UBC!

[imperfection]

That's quite a coincidence. I'm auditioning for UVic, Victoria Conservatory, Lethbridge, and Memorial. In the spirit of competition, I hope you get into UBC!

Haha, thanks! Are you auditioning for BMus in Piano performance? I'm not, just general studies, then maybe switching to Music education later in 2nd year or something. Let me know about your audition repertoire when you have them ready! Oh, and are you applying for September 09 like me?

@M Forever: HK, you can tell from the flag in my avatar. However, since 1997, the red one with the quintuple-pedaled  Bauhinia flower in the middle is used. I prefer the old British colony one.

[Maciek]

In case anyone wants to know: I am the one who removed the two previous posts - a superfluous, off-topic trolling-through-baiting attempt and one ensuing response.

Have a nice day.

[M forever]

Did I write those posts? I probably did. I don't remember.

@M Forever: HK, you can tell from the flag in my avatar. However, since 1997, the red one with the quintuple-pedaled  Bauhinia flower in the middle is used. I prefer the old British colony one.

I think the new flag is much nicer. I am generally not a big fan of colonial stuff.


About the original question, what toledobass said is very true. Practicing performing is as important as practicing technical stuff and details and all that. Context is very important. People often play much better when nobody listens because they aren't afraid to make mistakes and enjoy the playing as such. That is the ideal state. Playing should be fun. Playing for tother people should be fun, too, not an ordeal. It has a lot to do with a talent for showmanship. You have to want to play for other people because you enjoy it. The performance and being-on-stage aspect is more important than technical "perfection", even in auditions and test situations. If you come across as someone who enjoys playing and who likes to play for other people, technical blemishes and accidents are much easier forgiven than when you do not communicate with the "audience", no matter if that is an actual group of listeners or just a few jurors or whatever.
The other probably most important aspect of performing successfully is to simply not give a shit whether you make mistakes or not. You can't go back and undo them anyway. You should work on really not caring if you make mistakes during performances, then you will make far less mistakes.

[imperfection]

Did I write those posts? I probably did. I don't remember.

I think the new flag is much nicer. I am generally not a big fan of colonial stuff.


About the original question, what toledobass said is very true. Practicing performing is as important as practicing technical stuff and details and all that. Context is very important. People often play much better when nobody listens because they aren't afraid to make mistakes and enjoy the playing as such. That is the ideal state. Playing should be fun. Playing for tother people should be fun, too, not an ordeal. It has a lot to do with a talent for showmanship. You have to want to play for other people because you enjoy it. The performance and being-on-stage aspect is more important than technical "perfection", even in auditions and test situations. If you come across as someone who enjoys playing and who likes to play for other people, technical blemishes and accidents are much easier forgiven than when you do not communicate with the "audience", no matter if that is an actual group of listeners or just a few jurors or whatever.
The other probably most important aspect of performing successfully is to simply not give a shit whether you make mistakes or not. You can't go back and undo them anyway. You should work on really not caring if you make mistakes during performances, then you will make far less mistakes.

Very insightful advice from a former professional performer, M Forever. Thanks for that, really.  I remember reading somewhere from a blog of an orchestral player, he wrote "Technique doesn't win you auditions. Style does." I think that is because way too many people out there have godly technique, but not many of them really have that musicianship deep inside. Now that you've said making technical errors are forgiven if an interpretation and stage presence is good, I will focus more on that.

P.S. And just to show my gratitude, I even changed my flag to the new one. 

[Gustav]

@M Forever: HK, you can tell from the flag in my avatar. However, since 1997, the red one with the quintuple-pedaled  Bauhinia flower in the middle is used. I prefer the old British colony one.

were you or your family one of the many who fled Hong Kong because of the Chinese takeover in 1997?

[M forever]

"Technique doesn't win you auditions. Style does." I think that is because way too many people out there have godly technique, but not many of them really have that musicianship deep inside.

Actually, there is very few people with "godly technique". It may seem to you like that because you are still on a pre-student level yourself, but really good players - technically and musically - are quite rare. Top orchestras often have to look for a while to find new people. They have lots of applicants and many of them are quite highly qualified, but few are really good. "That musicianship inside" alone isn't worth anything unless it can be gotten out. For that, technique is needed. Good musicianship usually forms its own technique over time and that is apparent in the way somebody plays.

[imperfection]

Actually, there is very few people with "godly technique". It may seem to you like that because you are still on a pre-student level yourself, but really good players - technically and musically - are quite rare. Top orchestras often have to look for a while to find new people. They have lots of applicants and many of them are quite highly qualified, but few are really good. "That musicianship inside" alone isn't worth anything unless it can be gotten out. For that, technique is needed. Good musicianship usually forms its own technique over time and that is apparent in the way somebody plays.

Agreed. Don't you think that players with good technique but have no idea what they're doing are quite common these days? The ones that are heavily advertised by the recording companies and agencies (sometimes with sex appeal) to milk money out of clueless consumers.  I find it highly disturbing that many DG classical album covers now feature glamorous "celebrities" in minimal clothing. That should stick with pop CDs, no?

[M forever]

There is a difference between "good" and "godly" technique.

[imperfection]

There is a difference between "good" and "godly" technique.

Yes, but not that the majority of the public can tell the difference between the two (I myself sometimes can't). Because, like I said, nowadays, if they see a good-looking cover with hot guys/girls on it, and some clueless critic like David Hurwitz wrote some fancy praise at the back of it, they will buy it. Many performers with good or godly technique are hailed as rock stars too, because to the majority, physical technique is apparent to the eyes (and ears) but musicianship is not. So they go "WOW...So cool!!" when they see Lang Lang's hands moving at 80 keys per second, and idolize him.