I had just finished having a violin lesson with Mark Skazinetski (Associate Concertmaster of the Toronto Symphony) he was listening to my excerpts for the up coming Toronto Symphony audition.
After my lesson with Mark he asked me if I wanted to stay for a BBQ, or should I say, Mark’s “famous BBQ”.
I said “Sure, that would be great, who’s all going to be there?” Mark replied, “Peter and his wife Cynthia”. They were two very prominent musicians who were both members of a famous quartet. I knew Peter DeSotto was the founding member of Quarteto Gelato, but I had never met him in person before.
Peter used to be a member of the Toronto Symphony about 10 years ago, so when he heard that Mark had been preparing me for the audition; he was very excited. He began telling me about his Toronto Symphony days and how he ended up winning the job.
I remember being so fascinated with every one of Peter’s stories and thinking, “wow, this guy is so cool”. Near the end of the night Peter said, “Robin, I would love to help you win this job” I knew when he said this that he really really meant it. I spoke to Mark the next day and he said that I should take him up on his offer as Peter is a phenomenal violinist and has been so successful at auditions in the past. Amongst winning the TSO audition, Peter was also finalist for the Montreal Symphony Orchestra. In my mind he must really know how to prepare for auditions.
Violin auditions have got to be the most stressful, taxing, frustrated, horrifying experiences one person can only imagine.
Just the thought of an up and coming audition makes people sick!!
I may be sounding extreme but it’s really true. I, on the other hand, was never petrified of violin auditions, maybe because the first audition I ever took I won! What did scare me though is not having enough experience taking them and knowing that there would be so many more AMAZING violinists auditioning for the TSO job.
I decided to called Peter up later in the week and take him up on his offer. I said, “Peter, would you still help me prepare for the TSO audition?” He said absolutely, “When can you start?” I said right away. We set up a lesson time and I began what I call “Peter’s formula for winning orchestra auditions”! Before I got off the phone with him I have to tell you exactly what he said he wanted me to do that very night I got home.
#1 Clean my room.
#2 Get a recording of every excerpt on the list.
#3 Pen and paper.
#4 A stereo to play the CD’s.
#5 A stop watch.
#6 Mini disc recorder to record myself.
#7 Metronome that has every pitch.
My mom loved the first rule “clean you room” hhmmm, I wonder why?
I drove to him and his wife’s house in Mississauga (suburb of Toronto) for my first lesson. First he wanted to hear me play, so I got out my violin and played the opening of Mozart concerto #4. I knew from the first few comments that came out of his mouth that I was in for the most intense orchestra audition preparation lessons of my life.