This piece focuses on Berklee College of Music, but the advice given would be useful in most music school auditions - or music auditions in general. Check out all the teachers who are qualified to help you apply and audition for music school by clicking here. 

So, you want to get into Berklee College of Music?

Good luck and good idea. Berklee does a fantastic job of preparing its graduates for jobs in the music industry, and is one of the best places in the world to meet and collaborate with top musicians. Also, its convenient location in the heart of Boston makes Berklee a great place to learn and gig around town.

Here are Berklee's admission requirements and deadlines. After you’ve gotten in all your paperwork and set up your Berklee audition (which can be done all over the world), it’s time to prepare, and one great way to do that is to take one or more lessons with one of the many Berklee alumni or professors teaching on Lessonface.com, as Yonit Spiegelman, a professional bassist in NYC who is not only a Berklee alumna, but also a staff member for the Berklee Day Sessions, recommends.
 
5 Tips to Have the Best Audition Possible, Whether at Berklee or Elsewhere, Straight from the Experts:
 

In this 12-minute video Berklee alumna Yonit Spiegelman gives an overview of what to expect and how to prepare for your audition

1. Know Your Stuff

This is the obvious one. You’ll need to not only be ready to give an authoritative performance for whatever piece you choose, but for any questions the panel might have for you.

“Be prepared for what you will be asked to perform in your audition. Berklee has a set of tasks for you to prepare for besides performing a song or two in the genre you desire, which are improvisation, sight reading, and ear training. Be prepared for it all!” explains Leah Hinton from Henderson, North Carolina, a singer-songwriter and a Berklee grad. 

Composer, arranger, guitarist and Berklee alum Jacinta Clusellas says “For the prepared piece, make sure you choose a piece that is meaningful to you, that really resonates with your purpose as a musician. The piece you choose should be thought through and practiced well in advance. Don't worry about what is it that they want to hear, but rather be confident that the best you can show is whatever music that really moves you.”

“Learning and and applying Jazz Harmony is key before your audition. A great tool for this would be working with jazz standards and The Real Book which is a great resource for practice,” adds Berklee alum and bassist Flavio Lira.

Yonit, who has helped many students with their Berklee auditions and has a wealth of experience preparing for them, says to know the basics of a wide array of musical genres:
“If you’re auditioning with a rhythm section instrument, be prepared to show that you know the basic grooves for rock, funk, jazz, Latin (bossa nova and samba), 12/8 blues, shuffle. If you can, it would also be a huge plus to know how to play in Odd Meter (5/8, 7/8, etc.),” she says. “Reviewing styles that you may not be playing regularly prior to your audition can not only improve your chances to get in, but also definitely help you become a better musician”.

What about scales and improvisation? Well, our top shredding Berklee Alum Ray Suhy says “Know all of your Major scales and their modes in all keys. One octave should suffice for most auditions, but be prepared to do 2 octave and possibly even 3 octave versions. In addition to the Major scale family, know your Melodic Minor, Harmonic Minor, Whole Tone and Diminished scales as well. These are things we should be working on or refreshing all the time as musicians. Don’t cram these in the week before your audition!”

2. Relax

Annalisa Lombardo, jazz vocalist and Berklee grad, insists that you stay calm. "Trust your instincts. When it comes to the day of the audition, know you've done the work to get there, trust in your skills as a musician and focus on your goal for the Day: to have fun, share your music and hopefully make a great impression. The audition’s purpose is for simply looking to get a sense of your overall musicality and how willing and open you are to learn. This gives them an idea of your potential, which is more important than any other factor”. 

Yonit adds, "It's very important that you come prepared physically and mentally to your audition. Sleeping and eating well, perhaps practicing meditation or any other activity that could help you clear your mind should help you deliver a better, focused and enjoyable audition. If you fly in / drive from afar, perhaps plan on doing so at least 2 days before so that you can get a good rest and acclimate. Performing music is a task that demands a lot from our body and soul. We should respect it as such and give it the love it needs! 

3. Arrive Early and Warm Up Beforehand

Yonit suggests to arrive at least 30 minutes early.

“Many people think that being a good musician is simply playing/singing well. There’s actually a lot more to it! When you come to a performance, rehearsal and especially the audition a few minutes earlier, not only are you more relaxed and at ease but also the staff and teachers who audition you could tell that you respect this situation and conduct yourself in a professional manner. On top of that, you get time to prepare all the necessary elements for your performance”.

Tuning your instrument prior to entering the room, warming up and simply taking a few deep breaths can make all the difference.

“Probably the most important thing is to leave time to warm up. Most people don't fully appreciate how important a warm up is. This isn't like a show where you have 45 minutes and if you are still ‘kind of warming up’ in the first ten that is okay. You have a few minutes to show your best. Make sure you are at your best when that time comes.

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