How to audition for PMF

PMFアーティスティック マネージャー、ニックによるエッセイ [from Nick]
今回は、オーディションについてよくある質問に答えています。

My name is Nick Akers and I am the Artistic Manager of the Pacific Music Festival. Each year, young musicians auditioning for PMF have lots of questions about the requirements/process, and in this post I have tried to answer the most common questions. Up front, all the info you need is actually on the Audition Information page, and reading through that should be Step 1, but these are things people have often felt the need to double check.

So, dear orchestral musicians from 18 to 29 years old, and conductors from 21 to 29 years old, I hope you find this helpful!

The ideal PMF Orchestra Academy audition video is like this: the musician is alone (no piano!) and their hands are visible. They state their name, slowly and clearly, and then play the solo piece(s). Then there is a cut, or there isn’t a cut – this is the only place a cut is allowed in the video. Then the musician plays the listed excerpts, in listed order. The whole thing is less than 20 minutes.

Really, no piano?

Yes, really.
　*Any accompaniment will automatically disqualify your audition.

What if I forgot to say my name?

It’s totally fine. We provide program details to our audience in Japanese and English. We make phonetic Japanese for everyone’s name (for example, my name becomes “nik-ku”). With applicants from so many language-backgrounds, we can’t always guess the correct pronunciation from the spelling.
If you forget to say your name, we can deal with it later (like maybe I’ll call you), after you pass the audition.
　*Nothing related to saying your name will disqualify your audition video.

Is there any flexibility on the age requirements?

No, there is no flexibility on this. The rules are 18 to 29 for orchestral players, and 21 to 29 for conductors, both “as of July 1 of the year in question.” Unfortunately even one day over/under is not allowed.

Is the concerto I chose considered “standard”? (violin & cello only)

This is a subjective thing, and to some extent you can kind of choose the answer yourself, but we are happy to help you consider specific pieces. What you want is something that audition judges will agree is “standard.” It’s possible that choosing something that isn't well-known to judges will have some negative impact. (Cellists, Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations is fine – please play at least through Variation 3.)
　*Concerto choice will not automatically disqualify your audition, and usually is not an issue.

Can I play a solo piece not listed in the requirements?

No, the clearly listed pieces are indeed required. (Violists, Walton will not be accepted.)
　*Playing a piece different from what is clearly listed will disqualify your audition.

Should I play the cadenza?

If your concerto has a cadenza and it’s unclear whether you should include it in your audition: it’s up to you. How do you feel about it? You want to represent your musicality in the best way possible, in every part of your audition. Does this cadenza help you do that? It’s basically a risky opportunity to show the judges something extra.
　*Playing/not playing a cadenza that isn’t clearly required will not disqualify your audition. Just don’t forget the 20-minute rule!

I’m applying as a conductor. Can I submit multiple recordings?

We want to see something of your ability across a significant span of time, which is why we ask for one long piece. However, we understand that many young conductors have limited opportunities to record, and may feel the need to include more than one video. We will stay flexible on this requirement! Please just keep in mind that we do not want to see a highlight reel, and focus on longer stretches as much as possible.

Why is it preferable to upload my video to Acceptd instead of YouTube?

It’s just easier for us to organize the applications this way. The YouTube option is something we added in order to allow people in countries/regions with systematically unstable internet environments to apply. That is a great thing, but it also complicates our work a bit. Anyway, it’s only about administrative stuff, not musical stuff.
　So *using YouTube instead of uploading to Acceptd will not impact your audition results in any way.

When is ideal to submit?

Acceptd’s servers always slow down in the last few days before our deadline, as everyone is uploading at the same time. And if you have something come up near the deadline, like an illness, an accident, etc. – it happens every year! – then you might miss your chance to apply. With that in mind, we recommend submitting “early.” Like maybe tell yourself that the deadline is 1 week before it really is?
　*Timing of submission has no impact on your audition results. As long as it’s completely uploaded and submitted before the deadline, you're set. So then:

Is there any flexibility on the deadline?

No, there is no flexibility on this. Once our system shuts down, that’s that. Running into this problem can be very, very frustrating, and understandably so. (Some seriously sad past conversations on this come to mind, with people whose videos were almost finished uploading, etc....) Waiting until the last minute is risky – more risky than you might be thinking. Also remember that noon on January 14 in Japan is still January 13 in much of the world! So again, we highly recommend avoiding the problem by submitting early.

OK, I hope this helps as you consider auditioning for PMF!

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You can reach us at audition@pmf.jp with questions about auditions.
But do read through the Audition Information page first to see if what you need is already there.