Auditions for Conservatoires coming up - need to chat!

[Kammer1]

DS has auditions coming up for music conservatoires. We live in SE London. He's going to be travelling to

• Birmingham
• Manchester
• Leeds
• Possibly Cardiff

Birmingham and Manchester coming up very soon and we need to sort out travel. Birmingham audition is midday and it'd mean a very early start from home so he wants to go up the night before and stay over in a hotel. I had anticipated this. HOWEVER, he's picked this very moment to come over all independent and wants to go on his own. I'm absolutely beside myself and trying not to panic. I had thought we'd be doing it together!

I'm not against the independence but I really think he's a bit vulnerable to be going alone. I don't want to fight him on it, and I don't want him to see how anxious I am because he'll get his own way anyway, and I don't want my anxieties ringing in his ears. So I'm trying to win him round gently without being hysterical.

For background, he's been in very poor health, both mentally and physically and I think he is going to be nervous about these auditions. He's autistic / ADHD. Which is why I think, on a practical level, it'd be useful if I were there with him.

Any tips for
me - not becoming utterly hysterical
him - places to stay in Birmingham. Convenient for station and Conservatoire. He'll probably be arriving in the evening, so I'd rather he stayed somewhere close to New Street station. He'd need to get himself something to eat. Preferably McDonald's as he has food allergies, and knows the menu and what he can eat.

The whole thing - forms, recordings, prospect of auditions. THE COST. It's all doing my head in.

For the other auditions: Manchester is at 2pm, so he could probably get there and back in a day. With or without me. For Leeds, we have family not too far away so will probably combine with a visit there, which means I'll go with him. For Cardiff, we're not sure yet if he'll be invited to audition in person. He's applied also for one place in London so at least that's straight forward.

That’s great op, glad it went well. I’ll say again what I posted earlier - don’t expect a quick response from them & don’t get stressed if you don’t hear quickly - the place is brilliant but their admin - not so much!

… and he’s off and running, OP.
Negotiating his way through the day will have filled him with confidence. Well done him, ( and you )

Hello!
BIRMINGHAM ADVICE NEEDED

Off to Birmingham today (alone) for audition. I had naively thought I could just call the hotel direct and get real, human instructions of best way to get there from station, bearing in mind orientation around there is hard. But can't get through on any number, nor on Twitter etc.

Can any Birmingham-dweller help me? Just so that he knows which way to head out of the station.

coming into New Street and booked into the Birmingham City Centre Exchange Square - B4 6FY

Thank you!

He can use any exit bt personally I would tell him to head for the McDonalds ramp so if he goes up into Grand Central he should see L'Occitane on the left and FatFace & Flying Tiger on the right. Go down the ramp (Maccies and another Premier Inn on the right and Apple Store on the left and keep going straight ahead onto Corporation Street. Past Superdrug, past House of Fraser (Rackhams) , past Poundland. (the tram tacks are along this street too). Go right to the end of the street then turn right at the roundabout and that leads t o Exchange Square. (I've not been up there since it's all been done only as far as the end of Corporation Street)

@Comefromaway what's Grand Central
And what sort of ramp? I'm trying to envisage

Big meltdown today and it's going to be touch and go whether he can actually do this. I've offered to go with him and he doesn't want that. But he's currently frozen and in full demand avoidance mode. I'm crying and that's not helping.

Grand Central is the name of the shopping Centre that New Street Station is part of. (previously called the Pallisades) There was a big John Lewis in there but is sadly closed down a couple of years ago. The ramp is a ramp that leads from New Street (the street not the station) into the shopping centre.

The posh looking building on the right of this pic is the Apple Store (used to be a Waterstones)

If he comes out on Stephenson street which is below the centre it’s fine just follow the road round to find the ramp

the 2nd pic shows where new street and corporation street cross

Do you think, once he gets out of the station, Google Maps will see him right? Someone else I asked mentioned heading for Stephenson Street. Is that the same thing?

@Comefromaway thanks for your help.

Very difficult for you, @Kammer1 but hopefully he will muddle his way through. All I'd add is spamming them with info might back fire.

Stephenson Street is the street below the ramp. I personally felt that the McDonalds ramp was an easier landmark but both ways are pretty good. If he does come out of Stephenson Street then tell him to turn right as he comes out of the doors and he can't go wrong really.

@Mum5net - yeah, I'm writing a few things down but he won't look at it until he's lost and swearing at me down the phone. That's if he even gets out of the house and on the train. Made it as far as the shower which is something I guess. I'm worried but also short on patience by this point. It's bloody tough.

It's very likely he'll spot someone else with an instrument on their back and follow them for the first part, then the worry will be over... I'm assuming he has the overnight tonight in Birmingham and audition is tomorrow? Sounds like giving him a wide berth is the way to go - fingers tightly crossed.

UPDATE: he's just asked me to go with him so I'm forking out now on another hotel room and train ticket. But at least we can get lost together!

Will he not accept you sharing a room? I shared with ds when we went to auditions and NYMT etc

@Comefromaway god no. Not for either of us! I shared with him before an NYO audition and it wasn't a positive experience.

Haha, maybe if that was a good while ago, he may have matured since then? Hopefully you've kept a diary.

Well, we both lived to tell the tale. He was in a terrible state yesterday and struggled to leave the house. Slept badly (in his clothes), couldn't eat breakfast. Warmed up in the hotel, badly. But fatalistic about it all.

Came out an hour and a half later, smiling and a completely different aura. He'd really enjoyed it. Chatted with other candidates, joking with the accompanist, felt relaxed with the panel. Asked questions. Pieces went well. Would be happy to go there.

This emotional roller-coaster is killing me.

In the meantime, DH has booked an extra hotel room and train tickets to go to Manchester with him next week if necessary. Need to convince DS that it's not a sign of weakness or immaturity to have someone go with him. Why suffer when you can let someone else take care of the practical details? Think of it as having an agent!

@Kammer1 these things bring huge stress. However, isn't the big take away that he performed well at both his auditions and managed to be absolutely professional for all the bits that mattered? Far better to have been a bit wound up about the logistics but deliver well with performance rather than be a nervous wreck for the actual audition.

@Mum5net - yeah, he's a real pro. But the demand avoidance over the practical stuff and the depression is crippling. He doesn't get particularly nervous about performing as that is actually his comfort zone. It's everything else in life. It's so stressful - for him, but also for the rest of us around him.

I'm very relieved and proud. We just need the offers to start coming in now, and then can relax a little bit. Either Welsh or Birmingham would suit him fine, musically.

Got an email yesterday direct from the RBC saying he did a fantastic audition and offering him a place.

One in the bag and he really really liked the vibe so may well go there.

So pleased.

Congratulations to him!!!!!

Brilliant news!

Fab result. He’s on his way.
watch out for the rail strikes announced yesterday.