Chetham's School of Music in Manchester

[Questions88]

Hi! Please does anyone know the audition process? I had a look at the website to read about the application process but seemed a little vague. Has anyone been offered a place recently? Thank you.

First step would be an 'advise audition'. This is a more informal audition just to assess your childs standard. From this your child will either be invited to start the audition process or sent away with feedback, leaving the door open to try again. If invited to the next step your child will need a couple of contrasting pieces to play, scales will also be required along with some theory knowledge. If the tutors like what they hear you'll then be given feedback and invited for second audition. Your child will be expected to have shown improvement on the feedback given in the previous audition. This stage is longer and you'll spend a couple of hours at the school as the head of deptment will be working with your child, not just listening. The main thing they look for is potential. My child really has to work on intonation, when she started there were far better players than her but she is a great sight reader and took instruction quickly, I think it was this more than her actual playing standard that got her her place. Also she wasn't successful in her first attempt, but really took onboard the feedback given and worked her socks off! She has been at chets for four years and says she couldn't imagine being at a regular high school!

How long did it takes for you to hear back from the main audition?

It was no more than a couple of weeks