Music college interviews, for many, are nightmare fuel.
Why is that?
It really comes down to one thing: interviewing is necessary for the majority of music students to gain admission into their top choice schools.
When you do interview, you have to master the subtle art of boasting your credentials while not coming across as unnecessarily arrogant.
You have to telegraph to a school your interest without coming across as desperate.
You need to sound confident – while at the same time, ensure your body language does not contradict your intent.
At some of the top music schools in the country, the interview is a requirement for every student applying for the program – the Berklee College of Music, for example, is one of those schools.
It is true that some students may not have to do an interview for every school and program. That being said, if I have a student apply for 10 programs, it is rare they will not encounter at least three in-person interviews.
Also, nearly every student encounters informal interviews in open houses, with alumni representatives of music schools, with admissions after a college tour, and even in the first few minutes of an audition with faculty in the program. These types of interviews can be incredibly important to showing off to a school a first impression of who you are as a musician.
So how can you master the nightmare-injection that is the interview? I am not saying accomplishing this task is easy, but it is something that anyone can do.