Audition Coaching

Love them or hate them (almost certainly the latter), auditions are the way to find the most consistent work as an orchestral musician. If you want to have a full-time symphonic career, you will have to learn the ins and outs of the audition process. There are a lot of nuances that go beyond what you'll learn in a conservatory setting, and I'm here to fill in the gaps.

How I Can Help

I offer two options: regular lessons or marathon coachings. Both are available in person, should we be in the same place, or via Zoom.

Regular lessons are $70 U.S. per hour, with packages of 5 available at $350 $325.

Marathon coachings are $150, and go for up to 3 hours. Yes, there's a reason I call it a marathon. But don't worry, I'm not gonna make you play for 3 hours. Rather, these are sessions where we dissect the audition repertoire, go through the tiny things inside that end up making big differences, and put it back together. I have a lot of fun doing these, and I think you will, too.

Let's Do It.

Whether your audition is in 2 weeks or 4 months, I can help you. So get in touch at themoderncellist (at) outlook (dot) com, and let's set up a session!

I believe strongly in the value I provide in my audition coachings, but I don't expect you to take my word for it. Here's what a cellist who had an audition marathon coaching with me had to say about the experience:

"I had the privilege of taking an online lesson with Ben Fryxell, and I can't recommend him highly enough. His depth of knowledge is truly impressive, and what really stood out was his dedication to working with me on the smallest details. We spent hours refining techniques and focusing on the areas where I needed improvement. His feedback was both constructive and encouraging, which made a huge difference in my preparation. Thanks to his guidance, I was in the finals for the audition we prepared for. I truly believe Ben’s expert coaching played a key role in this achievement. If you have the chance to work with him, don’t hesitate – he's an incredible teacher and knows what the panel is looking for."

Why Me?

I've taken around a dozen auditions in my life, and one of them resulted in me winning the job of Associate Principal Cello of the Jacksonville Symphony. While everyone has their own routines that work for them when audition day comes, the preparation is the part where I can help you. I base my advice on the many years of training that I've been fortunate to receive, my own insights, and my years of experience as a full-time member of a major American orchestra. That experience has included serving on committees for various string auditions. So I'm not just telling you what I think a hypothetical audition panel is looking for. I'm telling you the kinds of things that I, as a committee member, have wanted to hear. The audition circuit is a tough road, no doubt about it. I can't guarantee that you'll win a job, advance, feel good on audition day, or anything. What I can promise you is that you'll come out a session with me considerably more prepared than you were before.