Office of Admissions Blog

By: Gayle Rankin, First-Year Drama Student

I’m a bit late joining the Juilliard blog bandwagon, but I thought it would be cool to reach out to all the international students out there who, like me, thought and think that Juilliard is unattainable. I was very fortunate to have very supportive parents who traveled with me over to New York for both auditions. Coming straight from high school in Scotland to the prestige of The Juilliard School in Manhattan was very daunting for me; I still have to pinch myself every day. After coming through the first audition it was a painful wait to see if I had received a callback for an intense weekend in March – St. Patrick’s weekend – so I had the luck of the Celts on my side. We came a couple of days before my audition so I had time to spend in New York, which just made me more and more nervous.

Group 40 (my class) was the first class to undergo the weekend callback process. I wore a mustard colored woolen jumper to my audition and I remember it to this day as I have a very vivid memory of what happened to the jumper and in turn what happened to me on that day. My nerves had me changing every five minutes. I was sweating, I was freezing – it was bitterly cold outside and New York had been hit by a snowstorm. My dad and I arrived at Juilliard and we were quickly informed that this was to be an interesting weekend; half of the auditionees hadn’t arrived due to travel constrictions because of the weather. Juilliard was busy and there were several cliques of people from the same school or who knew each other from another training programme, and I was sitting worrying if people could understand my accent. Quickly I had no time worry – at all. When they said “intensive weekend” I had no clue that I would be living and breathing the Juilliard life for two days. I felt and still feel so privileged to have gotten the chance to do this before being accepted.

We had a schedule for the two days; we ate, worked and basically lived with the faculty and each other from very early in the morning to very late at night. What shocked me the most was, when we were having breakfast the faculty were all chatting to us, and they remembered us! I didn’t want to get my hopes up and so ate a piece of pineapple (I was too nervous to eat anything else) and changed out of my wooly jumper. We were ushered around the corridors from class to class. I have a specific memory from each class; we had such a mixed bag of opportunity, mask class, movement, voice, theatre games, singing, approaching the play, poetry and we had to show our monologues again. Each class was really exciting and fresh and not anything to be frightened of in retrospective. Being from a different country I had what I thought were massive disadvantages or worries: “Will the exercises be completely foreign to me?” “Will they be able to understand my accent?” “Will I be able to adapt to how they work here?” What I realized is that everyone who is willing to come here and share a part of themselves with a group of people can be understood; the way in which the weekend and Juilliard is constructed is totally international and universal. So any prospective student, whether they are from California or Scotland, the teachers just want you to do well and see how you do it in your part of the world! The exciting part of the callback is the fact the faculty would like to see you work some more and just have fun with them, as most of them are in the room for the classes that you take, which isn’t as scary as it sounds. I remember I was surprised when some of the faculty were laughing during mask class, which put me and everyone else at ease

I remember needing to drink a lot of water after each class (sounds silly); I had either cried or perspired and it really proved all the teachers were really allowing us to experience something. We got the chance to meet some of the first years who would be our prospective second year, they were so excited to meet us and genuinely interested in what we had to bring to the weekend. After doing some classes, eating with the faculty and students we were given a taste of the community meetings the Juilliard drama students have once a week. I was really taken with this idea before I even stepped in the room: a large gathering of enthusiastic people willing to learn more about Art and how it fits into society and humanity. The event that was arranged for us was a poetic performance by Robert Bonair-Agard. I was so touched by his performance.

The memory that will stay in my mind from the callback weekend was the last game we played, in studio 306. I was beside a girl from Minnesota and a boy from Dallas, and I tried to replay everything that had happened during the weekend but I realized it was something that I couldn’t change and even though I had the most fun I still thought I could have relaxed even more and had more fun rather than worrying. Looking back it’s kind of amazing the amount of different emotions you go through during this weekend and the great thing is, they are all integral to your enjoyment and will help in a weird way. Whether you feel nervous, unsociable, detached, insecure or ecstatic and hyper, you will find a way to feed you and that adrenaline will make the experience even more intense.

As for New York the city itself is a piece of art, it’s somewhere and something that can’t be duplicated, something that’s happened by sheer accident of so many diverse cultures existing in several boroughs. Coming to this wonderful, but overwhelming city you can let it get to you and allow it to take over your experience. It’s not something to worry about, I was able to feel safe and comfortable, if a little crazy, on the subway in Times Square and at night in my hotel.

By Monia Estima, Senior Assistant Director for Music Admissions

Actually, one doesn’t need to listen all that closely during audition week to hear them; just cruise anywhere through Juilliard (the stairwells! the bathrooms!) and you’ll be assailed by unearthly vocalises best left to the imagination.

It’s Mónia Estima once more, taking a bit of a break in the week before music auditions to muse on the curious weather we experience every year around this time.  By weather, I mean the mood about the place as approximately 1,500 dance and music applicants descend upon us late February/early March.

Every morning during auditions I grab my latte, my walkie-talkie, and my building maps and pound the floors, to ensure that the music audition rooms are ready to go.  I pass through the lobby where dancers stretch out on the floor.  Orchestral musicians either flex their fingers, do lip-trills, or soak their reeds.  Singers guzzle their room-temperature bottled water, composers pore intently over their scores.  Parents settle in for the duration, awaiting their children’s fates.  Waves of emotion surge and crest; they’re palpable.  Hope, excitement, anticipation, even dread riot through the lobby and, as overwhelming as it can sometimes feel, it’s beautiful.  Here are young people of ambition, determined to take their dreams as far as they can.  It takes a certain fortitude to endure the uncertainty inherent in the pursuit of such passions, a chutzpah that not everyone possesses.  And seeing you all prepare to take on what may be the first serious challenge in your professional careers touches me more than I can express.  (You know, without getting all sappy and whatnot.)

Coursing through all of the above is a current of awe.  For many of you who are auditioning, it will be the first time you step foot inside Juilliard.  Just the name of the place can prove daunting for some.  We know how much more unnerving it can be to actually walk through the halls of history, knowing that “The Greats” once trod the same floors.  But Juilliard is more than a dusty testament to legendary figures in the arts!  It is a thriving, bustling body of energy, comprised of flesh-and-blood people who felt the same nerves you will when you stand before the faculty at your audition.  At some point, they too were awe-struck, they too wondered if they could make it at Juilliard.  So please try to relax: you’re in excellent company!

By the late afternoon a new front comes in from the north, known as fatigue.  It’s felt by applicants who are wrung out from playing or dancing their hearts out, by parents whose anxiety for their children has worn them down, and by some faculty whose departments hear more than 40 hours of auditions (!).  My Admissions colleagues and I too begin to suffer from shell shock-bear in mind that, during auditions, we clock in at 8am and often don’t leave until 8pm or later.  So around 4:30 the vocalizing heard throughout the building is the zombie-like chant: “…neeed…mooore…coffeee!”  (And in case you missed the not-so-subtle hints in my previous blog, we really dig the Starbucks in Admissions.  Just sayin’.)

But happily, the final forecast calls for exhilaration.  You’ve done it!  It’s over!  In Homer Simpson style, applicants shout joyous, “Woo-hoos!” on their way out the door.  (OK, I admit it-I’m doing that too.)    ;-)

*The title for this blog was nicked from the Duran Duran song “Union of the Snake.”

By Evan Kuhlmann, Acting Principal Bassoon, Oregon Symphony. Juilliard BM 2006.

A note from Lee Cioppa, Associate Dean for Admissions: A few weeks ago, when I got the idea to write a blog on audition advice with tips from Juilliard faculty and students, I contacted Evan. You’ll see from his bio that Evan won his current position while still a student here, and I knew that the process he went through to win the job would still be very fresh – and clearly he has highly developed auditioning skills! Evan sent such good advice that I thought he should have his own blog entry.

The 3 weeks before the audition: You have already decided your repertoire, and have a good command of it. This last period of time is more for building consistency than preparing the music. To this aim, practicing for 1-2 hours 2-3 times every day will be much more helpful than marathon cramming sessions.

The day before the audition: Get plenty of sleep, avoid spicy/unfamiliar/dehydrating/junk foods and strenuous physical activity, play a slow and simple melody in your practice session and focus on beauty of sound, relax, smile, laugh, drink plenty of fluids but avoid those high in sugar/caffeine, bananas calm the nervous system, apples and celery prevent drymouth.

The day of the audition: Eat breakfast, and not just a mocha and a pastry at Starbucks. Allow plenty of time for travel. Arriving a little early is helpful, arriving several hours early is not. Don’t hesitate to ask the site staff for help. Be conscious of your energy level while warming up. Smile and say hello to the committee, they want you to do your best also. Remember the beauty of sound (see yesterday). If you are given a suggestion, take it as a good thing and try to thoughtfully employ the advice.

Advice from the other side: Eventually I began serving on audition committees, and here are some thoughts on what I hear. Strong fundamentals are very important, and your command of the instrument is best displayed on a piece of a complimentary level of difficulty. A student that brings their artistry to a piece within their technical command is more impressive than a student that compromises their artistry for a piece beyond their technical command. Teachers love to see a student whose playing conveys their enjoyment, whose preparation conveys their dedication, and whose flexibility in response to suggestion conveys their open-mindedness.

More ideas to help build consistency: Schedule extra private lessons, record yourself, study the full scores of the music you are going to present, listen to your favorite recordings for inspiration, attend live performances, know the English translations of any foreign language musical terms in your audition repertoire, practice with an accompanist, read a book or go see a movie between practice sessions to relax and maintain perspective, play your audition repertoire in your audition outfit to make sure you will be comfortable, etc.

About nerves: I think nerves are great. They’re a reminder that you’re excited to perform. That excitement also means that you care about the music, and you have fun playing it. So don’t forget that we do this because we love it, if you have any questions don’t be afraid to ask, and good luck!

By Lee Cioppa, Associate Dean for Admissions, and guests

It’s hard to believe it’s already February, and our auditions are just a few short weeks away. I’m sure that many of you have already taken at least one audition for another school, and perhaps are even finished auditioning except for here!

While your previous auditions will serve you well at your Juilliard audition due to simple repetition of an experience, auditioning is a craft. It’s something that you can learn and get better at, not just a talent that some have and some don’t. There are some specific things that you can do in your preparation that will improve your audition – you don’t have to actually take lots of auditions to get better at auditioning! So for your weeks ahead, I thought it might be helpful to hear some direct advice about preparing your audition from some members of the Juilliard community.

From Stephen Clapp:

In an audition, the first impression you make will prevail unless something dramatic happens thereafter to change it. So make that impression a positive one!

Begin with your most secure piece in which your artistic personality comes through. Security comes from confidence, the result of knowing a piece VERY WELL (thoroughly memorized, all technical difficulties worked out through slow practice, and numerous successful performances of the piece behind you), and being comfortable in the performance environment (if possible, get a good look at the audition space days or hours beforehand, and picture yourself in that space while practicing).

You will not be able to think while performing, so don’t plan on a mental check list of maneuvers at the weak spots. Practice those spots slowly until the correct physical motions replace inaccuracies and there is no longer a problem, so that your mind is clear to express character and emotion. Avoid distracting situations that will break your concentration (looking at your audience for reactions, shoes or jackets that are too tight, straps that slip, being too cold or too hot).

Plan to enjoy yourself and share your artistic self with listeners who want to hear you at your best.

From Hannah Goldshlack:

Understandably, the Juilliard audition experience can be a daunting one, to say the least. You are likely to be getting thrown tidbits of advice from just about every direction, so the most important thing is for you to stay centered, focused, and be objective about what others are saying. Keep everything in perspective; realize how fortunate you are to have the talent that got you this far, and believe that you are enough. Even if the judges have heard your audition repertoire a thousand times, they have never heard your version of it. Do your absolute best in the audition, and don’t criticize your performance until you leave the room, because the moment you let your confidence and clarity waver is the moment you let your potential slip. All the best of luck to you!

From Jesse Schiffman:

As someone with experience taking college auditions, having auditioned at 9 undergraduate schools and 5 graduate schools, I would like to share some advice that may benefit those preparing to audition.

1. Choose repertoire that flatters you. While remaining within the repertoire guidelines, select pieces that show off the best aspects of your playing.

2. Simulate the audition environment. Give recitals and practice run-throughs of your program for your teacher, friends, and in your own practicing.

3. Be ready to jump around. You will be required to prepare pieces from various musical periods, and it’s important to capture the style and affect of a piece from the moment you start playing.

4. On the day of the audition be sure to arrive at the location in plenty of time to check in, warm up, and find your way to the audition room.

From Tharanga Goonetilleke:

There are two stages that occur before an audition: the preparation period and the day of the audition.

The Preparation period is lengthy (length depends on the individual). The longer you have had your materials the more confident you will be. Do read and reread the audition requirements and know what is expected of you. Inquire and clear any uncertainties you may have in that respect. Be proactive!

After having learned the music and having found your own interpretation for each of the works, it is important to have everything memorized at least two weeks prior to the audition date. After memorization is done, one must rehearse/ practice these works by memory but must also practice them with the score. This is important because this will keep the audition from swaying too much away from what the composer expects and also simply helps you be more score literate. Mental rehearsal (running with audition materials in your mind without actually performing; seeing yourself performing in your minds eye) is a very helpful tool. Being healthy and eating well during this period is of crucial importance. Prepare your audition clothing during this period as well. One should wear something comfortable and something that speaks for one’s personality. However, one must conform to the boundaries of any specifics that may be required by the college/ institution that one auditions for. Pay special attention to the comfort of your foot wear.

Make your travel plans / find directions a few days before your audition. Have any printouts (maps/ tickets) in a notebook so you do not have to think about it at the last minute. Pack all you need to take with you the day before your audition or the day before you travel for your audition.

The day of the audition one must not be thinking about all of the above. Relax and run your materials in your mind if you need to. Eat well and be well hydrated. Know that you are prepared and think positive at every moment. Give it all you’ve got!

But that’s not all – look for an upcoming blog of tips from a recent Juilliard alum who won a professional position with the Oregon Symphony last year – coming next week!

By: Tina Gonzalez, Director of Financial Aid.

Hi! I’m Tina Gonzalez, Director of Financial Aid. While I know you are all busy practicing diligently for your upcoming auditions, now is also the time to start thinking about your financial aid application. Our deadline, March 3, is fast approaching, and although late applications will be accepted, it’s always best to apply on time.

Many students choose to wait to find out whether they’re accepted to Juilliard before they begin to think about financial aid.  I can understand that, since the process is so time-consuming. But think about it – what if you receive the good news that you’re accepted to Juilliard, only to remember that you haven’t submitted any forms and have no idea how you’re going to afford this! Then your excitement quickly turns to panic, and it’s a mad scramble to fill out forms, submit them, and then frantically call our office on a daily basis to see what’s up.  It’s better to invest the time now to apply for aid, so you’ll have more time later to decide which college you’re going to attend.  So, to get you started, here is some useful information about the application process.

First, let me quickly run through the process: detailed instructions on which forms are required can be found in our Financial Aid Application instructions http://www.juilliard.edu/pdf/FinAidApp08-09.pdf. In short, we need essentially the same three items from all applicants: Our own application, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (F.A.F.S.A.) form (or the international student supplement), and tax forms/salary documentation. Once we receive these three items, we can start to put together a financial aid package. We start with the E.F.C. (Expected Family Contribution) from the F.A.F.S.A. form (or international student supplement). This figure is an estimate of how much we feel your family can afford to pay for a year of school. We’ll subtract this number from Juilliard’s total cost of attendance to estimate your financial need. Then we plug in all of the federal and state aid for which you’re eligible: Stafford loans, federal and state grants, work-study, etc. The end result is called your Unmet Need.

Once we know your unmet need, we take the file to the Financial Aid Committee. This group includes representatives from Admissions, Financial Aid and Academic Affairs, as well as the Dance, Drama, Jazz, Orchestra and Vocal Arts departments, depending on your major. The Committee will allocate scholarship funds based on your unmet need and audition results as well as other factors such as educational debt and special circumstances.

Many students ask how they can receive as much aid as possible. First, I can’t stress enough the importance of applying on time. Certain kinds of aid are limited, such as the federal Perkins loan and the federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (S.E.O.G.). We try to give those out as equitably as possible, but once the funds have been spent, they’re gone for the year. It’s also important to fill out the forms accurately, which means you really should have your 2007 tax forms completed before you file the F.A.F.S.A. If you use estimates on the F.A.F.S.A., your financial aid package will also be an estimate. Since scholarship decisions are very time-sensitive, we often accept tax forms from 2006 for scholarship consideration. However, when we finally do receive the 2007 figures, we’re required to correct the F.A.F.S.A., which often leads to a change in financial aid eligibility. I’ve had many families call me because they’re upset or confused when this happens. We realize that the deadline for filing tax returns isn’t until April 15, but if it’s at all possible to complete these forms now, you should do so to avoid confusion later on.

Finally, be sure to contact us if you have any questions or if there’s any information you feel is not being reflected on the F.A.F.S.A. Many families are reluctant to share details about their financial circumstances, such as divorce, unemployment and outstanding medical expenses. We appreciate the sensitivity of these issues, but sometimes we can’t help you unless we know whole story. We promise to respect your privacy and treat your information confidentially and professionally. So, that’s Financial Aid in short! Our goal is to make the application process as easy and painless as possible. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to ask us directly. The office will be open during audition week to collect forms and answer questions, and you can call or email us any time (financialaid@juilliard.edu). Good luck!

More details are available on our website: http://www.juilliard.edu/admissions/financial.html and http://www.juilliard.edu/about/faqs.html.

By: Zack Winokur, First Year Dance Major

The Juilliard Dance audition is an important opportunity to look at yourself in the context of other very good dancers your own age. I think it’s true of almost all high school seniors that we’ve only seen dancers from our relatively immediate communities. I’m from Boston, and before auditioning for college last year I’d met few committed 18-year-old dancers from outside of Massachusetts. So, as I headed to the hallowed halls of the Juilliard building, clad in my most comfortable loafers, I tried to quell my nervousness by getting excited at the prospect of seeing some great dance and great dancers my own age. It was a memorable first glimpse at my generation – the next generation – of dancers and dance-makers.

As soon as I entered the building, I was escorted to the third floor by extremely exuberant and friendly Juilliard dancers. I set my stuff down in a corner in the warm-up studio (there are two studios used: one for waiting and warming and the other for the audition class, solo showing, etc.) and looked around. Everyone, including myself, was eager, anxious and bouncing with nerves. It was pretty early in the morning and I was intimidated by how high people could get their legs up, considering the hour. It’s important not to get too swept up in this sort of intimidation and instead do what is necessary for yourself, whatever this means: sitting quietly for a little, rolling around on the floor, taking a jog around the building, or stretching your leg very high above your head.

The audition is undeniably a pressured situation. This school is rigorous and like any other audition, this one acts as a microcosm of the school environment. Therefore, it is an informative experience for you, and those watching, to see how you’re able to cope with this pressure. Again, it’s important that you simply do what you have to do for yourself. Once I got into the audition studio for the ballet class I felt more comfortable because I could put faces to the previously veiled people who were to be judging me. They looked normal, some were very short, some were very tall, and almost all of them were smiling. I felt supported rather than judged by their watching me. They were my audience and I would perform my best for them.

An audition (particularly in dance) is really different from most other college applications. It can be scary since it’s so public; it’s only about you, not what you put on paper. But remember that it’s public for everybody! Enjoy the fact that you can look at other people as much as they will look at you. Perhaps, the most fun I had at my audition was before we showed our solos. One person at a time was called in to perform their solo as the rest of us waited in the other studio. I should rephrase this however, since no one in the other studio was sitting and waiting. Each person was ripping through the most difficult moments of their solos, the things they looked best in, over and over: multiple pirouettes, high jumps, high legs, high energy. It was admittedly a very weird and kind of silly carnival which was so much fun to watch and be a part of. It felt playful rather than competitive.

I think the key to the audition is exactly that: finding a fragile balance between friendly competition and serious playfulness.

By: Evan Todd, First Year Drama Student

Looking back at the auditions in Chicago I realize how surreal the whole experience was: a thousand anxious teenagers frantically running around a hotel trying to make their 43 auditions in time, stage moms quizzing their sons on their monologues, and girls secretly competing with one another as they belted out the highest note they could reach in the bathroom (as if they didn’t realize their voices ricocheted beyond the bathroom stalls into the hallway connected to the Carnegie Mellon audition room).

But nothing could come close to the atmosphere that surrounded the waiting room at the Juilliard audition. It was as if you passed through a barrier of sound; no one really spoke. Parents, teachers, and students not auditioning hovered around the area only long enough to give a supportive thumbs-up or to remind the person auditioning to breathe. I know I had stopped by the room once the day before, once the morning of, and once just before my audition – you know, because obviously the probability of Juilliard playing “musical rooms” with the other colleges last minute just to shake things up a bit was really high, and I was going to be prepared for everything.

The first thing I remember when I approached “the room” was an attractive redheaded woman signing people in. She was extremely kind and explained everything. Her warm smile and soothing voice put everyone at ease. Obviously she was a decoy, and I was onto their game: she was there to soften you up before they tore you apart in the real audition. My interaction with this “Kathy” woman was short, and suddenly I was in the waiting room re-evaluating everything I had said to make sure I had made a good impression.

Two things happen in the waiting room, other then waiting: you see how you respond to nerves and you see how you respond to other people responding to nerves. Finally Kathy told me that I would be next. She continued calm my nerves with conversation – even though I knew she was the decoy for what would soon by the most intense audition of my life. I was up. Suddenly I remembered some words of wisdom a teacher gave me. “You’re going to spend your entire life auditioning. You can either get nervous about it, or you can look at it as an opportunity to share something you love with someone else in the room. Most of the time, it will be your only chance to perform.” That became my mission. I was not going to “audition” for the school; I was going to share something I was passionate about with whoever was behind those doors.

I entered the room with confidence and did my best to share my work with the bald man with the deep voice and the silent man with the white hair. I sang “Almost Like Being in Love” and then they asked me to do it again – this time as though it had been choreographed by the world’s worst choreographer. I was not a dancer by any means but I whipped out as many leaps and sashays that I could as I belted out my love song. It was fun and I felt good. If I didn’t get to the callbacks than at least I knew I had done the best work I was capable of.

We waited a few minutes for the last person to exit the room and then Kathy came out with “the list”: a piece of paper with two or three (or sometimes just one) names on it of those who had made it to the callback. There were a lot of heavy sighs, but no real commotion. Nobody wants to be the pompous ass that gloats at the Juilliard audition so when I saw my name on the list I turned to my teacher, gave a tiny nod, tried not to smile, and quickly walked down the hall out of sight before the rest of the students could figure out who the people were that had moved forward in the process.

The group that had been called back for that day was fairly small – 8 at the most. As before, we went back into the room one by one. The bald man with the deep voice and the quiet man with the fluffy white hair were now accompanied by Kathy. At this point I realized that my inability to remember names while under pressure was something I desperately needed to overcome. The man with white hair (whose name I learned was Richard) asked me to do my Prince Hal monologue again and had a few suggestions. The bald man with the deep voice (whose name ended up being Ralph) invited me to pull up a chair for an interview. I had no way of gauging how I was doing, so I just relaxed and took this as a chance for them to get to know me better. We ended up spending most of the time talking about the “Film and Literature” class I was taking and why I liked Pedro Almadovar’s directorial style. Before I knew it the interview was over, they thanked me, I thanked them, and I was back into the all-too-familiar waiting room.

The next portion of our callback consisted of a warm-up and a series of group exercises. At one point we were exploring an imaginary pin in as many ways imaginable. Ralph then had each of us recite a tongue twister, take corrections on pronunciation, and repeat it back – everyone desperately hoped they would only have to repeat it once. I had no idea what I was doing in the callback; all I could do was go with the experience as fully as possible.

When we left the room, Kathy congratulated us again for progressing this far in the audition, and explained that in a few weeks we would be receiving an email informing us if we would be continuing on to the final round of callbacks in New York City. It all sounded so thrilling and my heart was pounding with excitement. That email would be the closest experience I would have to getting a letter from Hogwarts. Now all I had to do was wait – which is a lot harder than it sounds.

The audition was finally over and I was actually able to absorb what I had just been through. I realized that I had allowed myself to be so swept away by the myth of what “The Juilliard Audition” would be like, that it had manifested itself in my mind as a monumental impossibility. Any anxiety I had was self-generated and had absolutely nothing to do with my actual experience with the school. Kathy had not been a decoy designed to allay the students before they were ripped apart by the cold-hearted Juilliard faculty. When you find your way to the end of the long maze of audition rooms, squeeze through the crowd of anxious young actors, survive the endless waiting room, and those heavy wooden doors finally open for your audition, you will find something you never expected: people who want nothing more than to help you do as well as you can.

By: Jo Mei, First Year Drama Student

Hi! My name is Jo Mei, I’m a first year drama diploma student, which means I attended college before coming to Juilliard.

I have to say, I remember this time last year like it was yesterday. I remember getting lost on 65th Street and thinking I was going to miss my 9 a.m. call time. I remember how stunned and excited I was at seeing my name on the callback list…but I’m getting ahead of myself.

I should tell you that this wasn’t my first Juilliard audition. I had auditioned once before, during my senior year in high school. It was a complete mess, and it’s kind of a blur to me now because I’ve tried to block it out of my memory. I’d come to the city by myself on the Greyhound Bus. I was overwhelmed by New York City, and as soon as I got into the audition waiting room, I froze because I could not believe that all these people wanted to be actors. By the time my name was called I had forgotten why I was there, because I’d gotten so caught up watching others do their warm-ups and listening to other people’s conversations.

This time around, things could not have been more different.

First of all I came in with no expectations, except to do my best and to prove that I wasn’t scared of this Juilliard place. I was surprised by how nice and friendly everyone from the school was. There were name-tag-wearing students everywhere. They answered questions, introduced themselves, and talked about the school. I chose not to talk to anyone, however, knowing that I’d lose focus.

So when I found out my appointment was second to last, I pulled out my book and read. As my call time got closer, I used the provided practice rooms twice. I’m not saying don’t talk to people and you’ll do well–no, not at all. You should do what makes you comfortable. Keeping to myself for that time before my call time was what I needed to focus. But really, if chatting gets your mind off your nerves, by all means chat away! We’re all different.

What I wish I’d known my first time around was that the Juilliard faculty wants everyone to do great. They wanted me to walk in and wow them and make them say, “OK! She’s in. One down, 17 more to go.” Those might not be the exact words you imagine in your scenario, but you get the idea: you doing well only makes their job easier

So what was my experience in the room? Oh! - Before I even got inside, the guy before me came out with a huge smile on his face. I chose to interpret this positively and think they must tell really good jokes in there. When I walked in, I got so nervous. My voice wouldn’t come out when I tried to say my own name at one point. But the four faculty members in the room took the time to let me settle in. I took in the space of the room, decided where to focus my eyes and had one of the best auditions of my life.

The rest of the day only got easier. I was asked to do a third monologue in my morning session. I was in a dream state for the five hours between seeing my name on the callback list and returning to the school for evening callbacks. There was something like 13 people called back that day (including that guy who went right before me), and we all had a really good time chatting and snacking on food the school provided. Each of us presented our monologues again for the entire faculty. We also went in together to play games involving movement and speech. A lot more students stopped by to say hello and congratulations.

That day, I really felt that if my association with Juilliard ended then and there I would still be very happy. Because I got further than I did the first time, and I knew I did the best I could and had a wonderful time.

So that’s my abbreviated story. If I can get in, anybody can. Just be yourself. Have a good audition, everyone! And please say hello if you see me during at the auditions. I’m the tall Asian one.

By: Monia C. Estima, Senior Assistant Director for Music Admissions

Hey y’all, this is Senior Assistant Director for Music Admissions Monia C. Estima again, blogging at you from the blustery Upper West Side. I schedule all the March Music Entrance Auditions, and that’s what today’s blog is about.

When I begin scheduling, I basically become a hermit and hide away from my colleagues, my loved ones, and all that I hold dear. (Except for music – I crank the alt rock and new wave until I’m mostly deaf. Last year’s play list included The Bravery, Franz Ferdinand, Kaiser Chiefs, Depeche Mode, The Smithereens, and Duran Duran. This year I’ll be grooving to Arctic Monkeys, B.R.M.C., and Hard-Fi as well.)

In past years, I’ve posted a sign on my office door which reads as follows:

Scheduling Auditions – Please Do Not Disturb

(Unless there’s a fire.)

(In which case, you should be running out of here, madly dialing “911″ on your cellular.)

(You’re not still standing there reading this, are you?)

This year, though, I’ll likely do the bulk of my scheduling from home (no, you can’t have the number) so I can slip in some Guitar Hero practice before my son gets home from school (there’s an 80s version!!!!!).

“But how does she do it?” you may ask, “How does she fit over 1300 instrumentalists, vocalists, composers, and conductors into a measly seven-day audition period?” Well, I wish I could tell you; after a few hours of scheduling I experience fugue states which eventually find me at a Starbucks begging for a Grande Toffee Nut Latte, with no memory of how I got there or how many days I’ve been MIA. But I’m told it usually takes me an afternoon (or a day, depending on the size of the department) to schedule all of a particular area. I first schedule folks who’ve put in requests for particular dates on which their departments hear auditions, then “special situations,” and then all other applicants.

Departmental audition dates: Certain days are selected for certain departments because those are the only dates the faculty are available to adjudicate the auditions – no faculty available, no auditions. With some departments – this year, for example, Double Bass – there really was only one day during audition week that we could gather the full department to hear auditions. Tearful pleas for a different date don’t fall on deaf ears, they just can’t be accommodated because faculty members can’t make it. (Honest! I’m a Sagittarius – I cannot tell a lie! Not convincingly, at least…)

Special Situations: OK, well, the above paragraph notwithstanding, I’m now going to sing you a song I wrote called, “The Not-All-Faculty-Members-In-A-Department-Can-Be-Present-For-All- Audition-Dates Blues” (in D-minor, which is a great key for me). Some departments, Violin for instance, have upwards of ten studio faculty members and, because they are premier performing artists as well as teachers, they often have numerous engagements which conflict with audition week. Therefore, out of five potential audition dates, a teacher may be able to attend only two. But don’t fret – my absolute top priority in scheduling auditions is ensuring that your first-choice for a teacher is present at your audition, since, if you are admitted, Juilliard makes every effort to assign you to that studio.

I’m often asked, “Is it possible to change someone’s audition date once it’s been scheduled?”  OMG!  I often reply, “You’ve NO IDEA how difficult that is!” Why is it so hard? Let’s pretend I’m about to schedule – oh, let’s say, oboe. Suppose I’ve got only 50 audition slots to fill. And suppose exactly 50 oboists apply. Once I’ve scheduled them all, all of the slots will be full. My Admissions colleagues will then process the data I provide and notify the oboists of their audition dates/times. And then the oboists (who may possibly be negotiating OTHER auditions in the area) will book their air travel and lodging, secure in the knowledge that their Juilliard audition dates are set. It’s not Juilliard’s policy to ask someone to switch dates with another applicant, thus forcing them to re-book all of the above (and possibly lose hundreds of dollars in the process!). The only way we can change an applicant’s audition date is if someone vacates a slot (by either cancelling the audition or asking for a change that jibes with someone else’s change request).

But on a lighter note (B-flat), once I’ve scheduled all 24 music departments (and my boss, the Associate Dean of Admissions, has rescued me from Starbucks – but not until she’s made me get her a Tall, half-decaf, half-regular, skim Misto), I can catch a bit of a breather. Until, of course, it’s time to focus on audition room scheduling and generating audition forms! (Rumble of thunder, tritones screech in the distance)

*The title for this blog was gleefully ripped from the Duran Duran song “Hungry Like The Wolf.”