Auditions and portfolio reviews

We offer regular in-person auditions and portfolio reviews throughout the year at all of our BIMM locations. They last about an hour and take place 1-1 with a BIMM assessor. You’ll also be offered a campus tour of our facilities and will have the opportunity to meet current students and chat to lecturers about studying at BIMM.

Once you have booked your audition or portfolio review, you will be sent an email confirmation with the time and date, our address and full guidelines outlining what you need to prepare ahead of the day. You can book your session in before you apply and can do so by contacting the BIMM admissions team.

If you are not able to join us on site, you have the option to do your audition or portfolio review online over Zoom. Zoom is very user-friendly virtual platform and is a great way to meet a BIMM lecturer from the comfort of your own home! These sessions last an hour and are 1-1 with a BIMM assessor. It’s important you have access to a laptop, or PC to join a Zoom audition.

Once you have booked your session, you will be sent an email confirmation with your time, Zoom guidance and full guidelines outlining what you need to prepare ahead of the day. If your application requires a recording, demo submission or supporting material, you will need to send it to our Admissions Team before your session. This is to ensure that your assessor receives it in advance.

Your assessor will email you a joining link to a Zoom meeting within 24 hours of your booked time – it’s important to keep checking your inbox for this email. If you have any problems joining or issues on the day, you can keep in touch with us via the live-chat function on the website.

Even the most experienced musicians can get audition anxiety and it’s a totally normal side effect of being a performer! However, just know that our assessors are not there to trip you up, we want the best from you.

We are not looking for perfection. We are looking for potential and want you to feel comfortable and confident so you can show us your skill, passion and experience. Below you can find some tips on overcoming audition anxiety so you can approach your audition with confidence:

• Check you’ve had an email confirming your booking, along with our audition guidelines. If you cannot find it, please don’t worry! Just reach out to our admissions team and we can resend.
• Read the audition guidelines you were sent thoroughly. Prepare and rehearse everything we have outlined in the document. When you feel prepared, it can help you feel much calmer.
• Make sure your instrument is in tune if you are playing one.
• Treat your audition like a relaxed performance. You might not have an audience but give it the same energy and passion you would if there were a crowd in front of you.
• Breathe and relax. We want you to succeed and we will do everything we can to make sure you feel relaxed and confident and able to give it your best shot! Our BIMM assessors were once sitting where you are, therefore are completely understanding and empathetic toward the audition set up.