Age

My first full-time job did not come until my 30’s, and my first tenure-track job came a few years after that; both with a handful of kids in tow. It is possible to win an audition with a common vision (with your spouse, if you have one), commitment to that vision, and a bit of courage for those moments where you wonder what the h*ll you’re doing.

PtP

Happy to see this conversation taking place! I’m in my late 30s, a mom of 2, and take auditions regularly (& seriously.) I often wish there were an online space for those of us, maybe 35 and up (?) to discuss, encourage, lament each other’s experiences. Anyone want to start that!?

And btw, never too old, as long as you still enjoy the process of preparation.

You're not too old to win a job. Took me a long time to get one and I'm a decent amount older than most auditioners. Plan/prepare/execute/reevaluate...the roadmap is still the same. Good luck out there!

Age-related decline of playing ability varies from instrument to instrument, and from person to person. The answer isn't age, it's just how well you play. I'd say a lot of people are playing phenomenally well in their 40s, but that age bracket might just not be dominating the audition circuit because lots of people in their 40s are settled down and don't want to move, especially if they have kids or a spouse's career to accommodate.

If you're advancing at auditions and making it to finals often, you're good enough. But "good enough" can still take 10+ auditions to have that lucky day. If you have family to work around, being on the audition grindset for a year or two is just gonna be a much tougher ask than it is for a 20-something with no partner, no kids, no commitments.