This thesis investigates the pre-screening round in orchestral auditions - a digital "first hurdle" that has transitioned from a temporary pandemic measure to a permanent industry standard. As an emerging professional clarinettist, this project attempts to explore this process through a three-pronged methodology: a comprehensive literature review, a comparative analysis of five of my own professional audition recordings, and qualitative interviews with an orchestral coordinator and a jury member.

The research identifies critical success factors for applicants, emphasizing the prioritisation of audio quality over video, the selection of resonant acoustics, and the use of psychological techniques such as centering and deliberate practice to achieve a flow state during recording sessions. Furthermore, the project attempts to critique the systemic ethics of pre-screenings, weighing benefits like increased accessibility and financial safety for candidates against drawbacks such as economic inequality and the difficulty of judging sound projection through recordings. The project concludes with recommendations for orchestras to help improve transparency and fairness, and provides some generalisable advice and considerations to help aspiring musicians navigate this aspect of the orchestral audition.