Auditions | The Musicians Olympics

Jurors who leave their cell phones on a table during the day, anonymous candidates who are identified by a number… No, we are not in a room in the courthouse attending a trial, but at the Conservatoire de music from Montreal during an OSM audition day.

On this beautiful Sunday in September, we have an appointment with Françoise Henri, director of musical personnel at the Montreal Symphony Orchestra (OSM) and responsible for auditions. We enter the concert hall, deserted during the lunch hour: this was the condition for “foreigners” to have access to this place, and we will have to leave before the activities resume.

“What, journalists? “, says what seems to be one of the members of the jury, widening his eyes, upon seeing the photographer of The Press wander around with your devices. It’s clear, we can’t linger here.

Every effort is made to ensure the anonymity of the musicians who audition, as is the case in most orchestras in the world. “The music world is ahead of its time, because it’s been like that for a long time,” explains Françoise Henri.

There is not only a huge screen which completely blocks the view of the stage from the room, but even a carpet installed from the wings so that one cannot distinguish a male step from a female step during the arrival of the person auditioning.

The idea is not to maintain mystery, it is rather a question of respect, explains the senior director of the artistic sector, Marianne Perron. Preparing for an audition takes a lot of time and investment, the least you can do is make sure it happens in order.

“Sometimes there can be up to a hundred people auditioning. We are both honored and privileged that so many people have the dream of joining the ranks of the OSM. So we try to create an environment in which candidates will feel as comfortable as possible, at the time when they need to give the best of themselves. »

The conduct of the auditions

The weekend we were there, Friday and Saturday, had been devoted to auditions for a second clarinet position, precisely because there were too many candidates to do it in a single day – around forty in all. On Sunday, it was the turn of the first oboe, one of the most important in the orchestra. About twenty people were in line.

“It was the same person who held this position for 45 years,” emphasizes Françoise Henri. The moment was therefore very important… on both sides of the screen!

Although we do not know how the day will end, the auditions always take place in the same way: the musicians present themselves in waves during the first round in the morning, and five jurors who are members of the orchestra listen to them without seeing them. There is a vote without consultation after each wave – the jurors cannot communicate with each other, to prevent them from influencing each other. Musicians who obtain three or more votes automatically move on to the second round.

In the afternoon, things get tough: there are now ten jurors in the room, including the conductor, who was not there in the morning. There will then be as many rounds as necessary, each time with a vote without consultation. You need a minimum of six votes out of ten to move on to the next round, but it sometimes happens that at the end of the day… no one is chosen. “We must convince the jury unequivocally. Pleasing ten people is still difficult,” emphasizes Françoise Henri.

It is always the national auditions, reserved for musicians from Quebec and Canada, which take place first. If the position is not filled, we will then turn to international auditions. The process will be launched again, with announcements in specialist publications. “But it is not uncommon for national musicians to participate again, they have the right,” underlines Marianne Perron.

In fact, it often happens that a musician participates in an audition more than once… until they end up winning it! “This is another good point for it to be blind,” says Marianne Perron. The judges cannot say to themselves when they see the musician: him again! »

Control

During auditions, Françoise Henri’s role is to welcome and guide the musicians in one of the most stressful moments of their lives. “These are very important positions in an internationally recognized orchestra, a mecca of Canadian culture. It’s an important stage in their life as a musician and it’s normal that it generates stress. » She also compares this day to a competition at the Olympic Games.

Concertmaster associated with the OSM for 15 years, Olivier Thouin is often asked to act as coach with young people preparing for auditions.

“It’s an area of ​​great demands and pressure. Not only external, but the one you put on yourself too,” says the man who passed his audition in 2008.

For each instrument, musicians must prepare precise “traits”. “Standards, which we want to hear again, because they demonstrate more demanding aspects,” explains the violinist.

But beyond technical mastery and choice of tempo, mental strength and the ability to resist stress are among the things to work on, just like preparing to play “in front of a wall” or anticipating a long day to wait.

Many musicians, explains Olivier Thouin, do neurolinguistic programming, which is “a way of conditioning the brain to experience situations like these while maintaining a certain calm.”

Françoise Henri has to deal with disappointments throughout the day, but the number system, she says, takes away a bit of the “personal” side of things.

“When I make the announcements during the day, there are some, I see that they knew it. There are others who thought they would pass and it didn’t work. All scenarios are difficult. That’s why you shouldn’t do just one audition in your life. You have to do several. Because that’s where you improve your average, and little by little, you perform better. »