How Many Auditions Does It Take to Win a Job?

As my 100-year-old father used to say, “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again." I grew up hearing that advice at least every other day. It is reflective of a man who came from China at the age of 15 to make his way in the US with no English and only $73 in his pocket.

My father faced a very tough road filled with challenges. But he persevered and he showed us that tenacity does pay off.

I took seventeen auditions in five years before I landed the LA Phil job. And it was my dad's phrase I kept in my head as my touchstone. Despite many failed attempts, I kept trying and trying. And each time I’d come away from an audition that didn’t go my way, I’d think about what I could do better at the next one. And there was always a next one. Giving up was not an option.

The path to winning an audition is not an easy one. It is fraught with anxiety, sleepless nights, too much practicing, and not enough practicing. But throughout it all, perseverance is the key.

Be like my dad and keep on trying. Who knows? You might also live to be 100.