March 23, 2012
In episode 23 of “Music On Cruise Ships”, I’ll talk about three issues that I see repeatedly during auditions for the orchestra positions on ships. Learning how not to make these mistakes may make you more successful with any of your upcoming auditions.
March 22, 2012
Dear musicians,
The article below was first posted on my forum back in 2006. It’s still relevant and thus I wanted to re-post it.
I have been a musician since the age of 7 and in my career I’ve passed a larger number of auditions all of which have taught me something. These days, however, as the owner of a talent agency, I seem to be learning a disproportionate amount more about these same auditions. There is something to be said about looking at an issue from different perspectives.
In this article, I want to shed some light on what an audition process looks like from the point of view of the “auditioner” rather than the “auditionee.” I’ll give you seven tips that will hopefully help you prepare better for upcoming auditions.
I should mention that my company hires musicians, bands, and variety acts for placement on cruise ships and thus the auditions I’ll talk about will mostly relate to cruise line entertainment auditions, however, auditions for jobs outside of the cruise line industry are very similar so this applies to just about any musician.
Let me quickly outline the various types of auditions you can encounter when applying for a job on a cruise ship.
The most obvious type would be the live audition, where you go to the audition location in person and play what’s asked of you.
You may also be asked to record your audition on videotape and mail it to the company. This is very similar to the first category since you’d play almost exactly the same music.
And finally, you may be asked to submit a recording of your band or your solo act to the company. This audition differs from the previous two in that you don’t have to perform music that the company provides, but rather your own repertoire.
There are several problems that keep arising in regards to these different types of auditions that have led me to compile the following tips. more info
March 21, 2012
Dear Musicians,
When you’re at sea, it can be days or weeks before you arrive in a port with a music store close by.
It is thus really important to make sure that your instruments are in good shape and that you have some basic maintenance tools with you.
Here are some malfunctions that keep coming up: more info
March 16, 2012
Lots of clients ask me what they should take to the ship.
Below is my personal travel check list. Of course it’s not complete. Everyone has their favorite things they “must have” on a ship. So if you think something vital is missing on my list, just post your additions in a comment.
March 6, 2012
Dear Musicians,
Once you’re on the ship and you’re getting paid, you will have to figure out what to do with your money. Here are some of your options.
