Penthesilea Academy

Is there a patent recipe for how to win an audition? Do you only need the right ingredients to fulfill this dream that so many young musicians dream of? Is there THE ONE method, THE ONE teacher, THE RIGHT way? Do you just have to bite hard enough, have nerves of steel, take three deep breaths before you go on stage, into this seemingly artist-hostile situation?

Musicians who have already been exposed to an audition know what it means to have to call up their full potential at the push of a button and present it to a jury. The pressure that weighs on you at this moment is enormous. Many exceptionally talented and inspiring musicians have already failed at this particular challenge. Most of them, after this perceived "failure", look for ways and techniques to calm their nerves, keep their body in balance and "function" better next time.

I, too, did not win my job at the first audition and was always on the lookout for new ideas, curious about how our bodies and minds work under pressure and what my own personal way is to stay in my ease and flow with the music regardless of the superficial importance of this performance. The dealing with these ideas and questions of physical balance, which also forced themselves upon me after several years of playing in an orchestra due to the constant one-sided playing load, have not only made me a seeker on an intellectual level, but have actually led me to places and people who have accompanied me on this search and shown me a wide variety of paths.

Like many colleagues at various music universities, I feel as a lecturer for "Orchestral Literature Flute" at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna that there is far too little time in daily teaching to address these many layers of our musical existence. Therefore, the idea of an extraordinary audition academy was born, which wants to offer a space for all these aspects in a dreamlike setting at the Traunsee in Upper Austria. 

We set up a team that accompanies and coaches our participants on their very individual way until they complete a practice audition with a top-class jury and interesting feedback within the framework of our course, because we are convinced that you can only practice and master this situation by exposing yourself to it.

Are you ready for your leap into orchestral life? Then sign up and apply for one of only 14 places in the Penthesilea Academy.

More info: http://www.penthesilea.academy/