By Jerry Tsai*
If you’re an operations director or personnel manager of an orchestra, you know that the digital age has influenced your organization in many ways. In addition to changing the way you connect with audiences and opening up different opportunities for your musicians, the shift to more digital work has also shaped the way your orchestra can conduct auditions.
Using a virtual live audition format as part of your orchestra’s auditions has a variety of benefits. Online auditions are more accessible, affordable, and flexible for musicians. Plus, they can improve your orchestra’s recruitment process by expanding your reach, while still providing the two-way communication advantage of the traditional audition experience at a much lower cost.
However, all of this is only possible if you leverage the right software. To help you get started, here are four tips for making the most of a digital audition platform
- Find a Platform That Aligns With Your Needs
- Thoroughly Train Your Committee Members to Use the Software
- Create a Detailed Audition Schedule
- Develop a Consistent Communication Cadence
These strategies are helpful whether you host your auditions in person, online, or as a combination of the two. Also, picking the right software is important in order to help you streamline your recruitment, scheduling, and communication processes. Let’s begin!
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Find a Platform That Aligns With Your Needs
To effectively leverage a digital audition platform, you first need to invest in the correct software for your orchestra. Make a list of all of the features you absolutely need, as well as the ones that aren’t essential but would be nice to have.
Some features to consider looking for in your digital audition platform include:
- Customizable applications that allow you to obtain all of the information you need from each musician who auditions.
- Access for multiple reviewers so all of your committee members can input feedback at the same time.
- A user-friendly interface, especially for creating your audition schedule.
- Integrated rubrics which collect committee members’ feedback in real time.
- Robust messaging tools to make both internal and external communications more efficient.
Additionally, make sure that the platform you choose aligns with your orchestra’s budget and has integration options with the other software solutions you use regularly to ensure a seamless workflow.
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Thoroughly Train Your Committee Members to Use the Software
Having the correct digital audition software for your orchestra will only be effective if your team knows how to use it. Teach each committee member how to
- Quickly log into the platform
- Access and navigate application information and audition schedules
- Watch pre-recorded audition video submissions
- Fill out and save rubrics
Make sure that the digital audition software you choose has an exceptional customer support track record in case any of your team members need help completing these activities. The digital audition platform’s customer support team should guide you through the process of launching your software and provide feedback grounded in extensive experience of working with arts organizations like yours.
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Create a Detailed Audition Schedule
One of the biggest challenges with hosting orchestra auditions is scheduling, especially when you’re working in a virtual or hybrid format. That’s why it’s especially important to leverage your digital audition platform’s scheduling features to their fullest potential.
According to Acceptd, one of the most essential audition scheduler features you should look for is the ability to seamlessly use it in conjunction with other essential audition tools. Once you approve a musician’s application, you should be able to move them straight to the audition schedule. Through the schedule, committee members should have direct access to the video chat link for a virtual live audition and the corresponding rubric as well.
On the applicant side, each musician should be able to view the audition schedule and have access to their video chat link in advance so they know when and where to join the audition. If they can’t make the audition time you set for them, make sure they can easily let you know (but not change the schedule without your knowledge) so you can reschedule them.
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Develop a Consistent Communication Cadence
As stated previously, regular communication is a critical part of hosting orchestra auditions. This is true both within your organization to ensure your entire team is on the same page and externally to keep auditioning musicians in the loop about where they are in the process.
In addition to sharing a clear schedule and video chat links with everyone involved, utilize your digital audition platform’s automated communication tools to:
- Promote your orchestra’s audition opportunities to potential candidates.
- Notify applicants when their submissions have been received and reviewed.
- Let committee members know if they have outstanding musicians to review.
- Tell musicians when to expect a decision and what that decision is when your team has come to it.
It’s also important for both parties to be able to send ad hoc messages through your software, whether the content of each message is related to the audition process itself or is simply about a technical question that needs to be addressed. Effective communication creates a more positive audition experience for musicians and committee members alike by promoting transparency and ensuring everyone has the latest information about your auditions.
The performing arts world is constantly evolving, and your orchestra needs to grow and change along with it. Taking your audition management process—if not your auditions themselves as well—into the digital space will help you do just that. And by using a platform that is tailored to the needs of orchestras and similar performing arts organizations, you’ll maximize your ability to streamline your process.
*Jerry Tsai is the President of Acceptd, a Togetherwork company that is the premier recruitment, application, and audition platform for the arts. He is passionate about serving the arts community and loves that art is a way to wind down and enjoy all that life has to offer.