Postgraduate Awards Audition Day
Everything you need to know to plan your day

This guide will tell you all you need to know about what to prepare for your Postgraduate Awards audition, how to get there and what to expect.
Audition dates for each discipline are as follows:
- Friday 4 April – Harp
- Monday 7 April — Brass
- Tuesday 8 April — Upper Strings
- Wednesday 9 April — Lower Strings
- Thursday 10 April – Woodwind
- Friday 11 April – Jazz and Pop
- Monday 14 April — Voice
- Tuesday 15 April — Piano
- Wednesday 16 April — Historical Performance and Organ
- Thursday 17 April – Percussion and Guitar
Please refer to your schedule for the timing of your performance.
If you need to contact a member of the Help Musicians team on the day please call 07701 381019.
We look forward to meeting you.
Getting there
Locations
Guildhall School of Music & Drama
Silk Street
London
EC2Y 8DT
Map
Find Guildhall School of Music & Drama on the map
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Royal Academy of Music
Marylebone Road
London
NW1 5HT
Map
Find the Royal Academy of Music on the map
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Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music & Dance
King Charles Court*
Old Royal Naval College
Greenwich
London
SE10 9JF
*NOT the Laban Building or Laurie Grove
Map
Find Trinity Laban Conservatoire, Kings Charles Court on the map.
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Transport
For more information on travelling via train, tube or, bus and to plan your journey by public transport visit Transport for London.
To check which stations have step-free access, use this helpful guide from TfL.
Travel Expenses
You can claim up to £75 if you are travelling outside of London and up to £120 if you are travelling from Scotland or Northern Ireland. If you are travelling with a group (3 or more members) from outside of London for a Jazz audition, you can claim up to £175.
An expense claim form will be emailed to you in the days after your audition. Please make sure to email a copy of your receipt as well as the expenses claim form to panels@helpmusicians.org.uk.
Venue Accessibility
Information about each venue will be sent to you.
Royal Academy of Music
Step-free access is available via a side entrance and the Academy staff can provide support on the day. Please let us know if you require step free access so support can be arranged.
Guildhall School of Music & Drama
Step free access is limited around the building however our staff team are on hand to provide support. Please let us know in advance if you require step free access so that we can liaise with the facilities team.
Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music & Dance
The music department at King Charles Court is fully accessible, although some rooms require a temporary ramp. Please let us know in advance if you would like to use this so that we can arrange support with the facilities team.
If you have any concerns about accessibility, please get in touch with us on panels@helpmusicians.org.uk.
Your performance
You will be asked to perform two contrasting pieces of up to 10 minutes of music. We can provide an accompanist for brass, upper strings, lower strings, woodwind and voice disciplines.
This will be followed by a few questions from the panel. The questions could be about your application, your year ahead, or future plans, therefore please come prepared to talk about your application.
Special notice: Help Musicians’ donors, panellists and stewards will attend the audition days. Please be aware that there may be additional people present during your performance. We will always ensure the room is not overcrowded and that there are no more than 10 people in the performance room at any given time.
Equipment and backline available:
Jazz auditions
The Academy will provide background equipment, including:
- Drum kit
- Bass amp
- Guitar amp
- Microphones
- Piano
Please bring breakables (i.e. drum sticks/cymbals) Music stands will be provided. Please send your tech spec to panels@helpmusicians.org.uk so that we can confirm the equipment required with the venue.
Harp auditions
Guildhall’s Harp Department will provide harps for your audition and warmup therefore you do not need to bring your own instrument.
Percussion auditions
Trinity Laban will provide appropriate instruments for your audition. Please email your list of requirements to panels@helpmusicians.org.uk.
Historical Performance auditions
Trinity Laban will provide a harpsichord for your audition. If you have any questions about this, you can email panels@helpmusicians.org.uk.
Top tips for preparing for the day
We know that in-person auditions can be a nerve-wracking prospect, so we have created a list of top tips to consider when preparing for your audition.
Time your programme in advance and make sure you are sticking to the given time limit of ten minutes. The panel will prefer you to have planned your programme to fit the time allowed, therefore if your programme is currently longer than this, you may want to find a suitable cut to ensure you stick to time.
Follow the audition requirements. For example: We ask you to perform two contrasting pieces during your panel performance. Please indicate if you require the services of our in-house accompanist if you have not already. Likewise, if you requested our in-house accompanist and no longer need their services, or if you are unsure on whether you requested their services or not, please let us know as soon as possible.
Play your programme through. You may even want to wear your outfit to make sure you are completely comfortable with what you are hoping to wear. Wear clothes you are comfortable in, for example, don’t wear shoes you are unable to walk in or a jacket that restricts your movement.
Drink lots of water to keep hydrated, not just on the day of your audition but the days leading up to it.
Eating carbohydrates the evening before and in the morning of your audition will give you the energy you need to get you through your performance. Preparing for a performance can feel like preparing for a big sporting event.
Don’t rush and allow extra time to travel to the venue
Arrive 20 minutes early to give yourself plenty of time to warm up. When you get there, please make your way to the sign in desk so we can register your attendance. If you are a student at Guildhall, the Academy, or Trinity and have booked your own warm up room please do sign in and make yourself known to us.
Note down the team’s mobile number. If you are running late, call or text us to let us know on 07701 381019. If you are suddenly unable to attend your audition, let us know as soon as possible.
Introduce yourself and greet the panel on arrival into the audition room. If you have made any changes to your programme tell the panel before you start.
Any other questions?
If you have any questions in the lead up to your audition day, email panels@helpmusicians.org.uk.