HOUSTON SYMPHONY: SUBSTITUTE/EXTRA TUBA AUDITION

[CC]

HOUSTON SYMPHONY SUBSTITUTE TUBA AUDITION

March 12th, 2009
12:00 PM– JONES HALL, onstage

Auditions to be held Thursday, March 12, 2009 at 12:00PM. Interested Candidates should send a one-page resume by February 26, 2009.

Please send resume to:

Audition Coordinator
Houston Symphony
615 Louisiana St., Ste. 102
Houston, TX 77002-2798

REPERTOIRE LIST

EXCERPTS:

WAGNER Die Meistersinger: Overture
STRAUSS Also sprach Zarathustra (Tuba II)
STRAVINSKY Rite of Spring (Tuba II)
PROKOFIEV Symphony No. 5, Movement I
WAGNER Ride of the Valkyries
J. WILLIAMS Star Wars, Opening Title

[djwesp]

J. WILLIAMS Star Wars, Opening Title

ummmm, ok?

[josh_kaprun]

Anyone have a copy of the Star Wars part? If so, please PM me so that I can get ahold of it. Perhaps a trade for the famous Jabba the Hutt part?

No Prepared Solo?

[Todd S. Malicoate]

Nice call, bloke, but I don't see how since the concerts in question are before the audition date:

Star Wars and More John Williams
February 6, 7, 8, 2009
Michael Krajewski, conductor
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...all-powerful Jedi Master Michael Krajewski and his followers have their instruments loaded and ready to take you for an epic journey through the music of Star Wars. May the force be with you as you hear “The Imperial March,” “Star Wars Main Theme” and “Yoda’s Theme.” Also enjoy John Williams music from Indiana Jones, ET, Jaws and Harry Potter.

Sounds like a nice opportunity for excellent tuba players who happen to live in the Houston area. That said, I don't really understand the need for substitute player auditions. Surely David Kirk has a staple of fine students and graduates in the Houston area who would be available for such purposes...hasn't he been teaching at the Shepherd School since the early 80s? Is this simply an open audition call for the folks Mr. Kirk is surely already aware of?

I understand that most symphony players (or their personnel managers) keep an active "sub list". What would be the point in spending time and money to travel to Houston and audition for a "gig" with absolutely no salary guarantees? After all, you might not play for the symphony at all in any given year...there's not that much work for the tuba player in a standard symphony season anyway, right?

I don't mean to sound critical of this procedure, but I am confused by the need for it. Am I completely off the mark?

[djwesp]

bloke "...and, in the past, another one that I've mentioned is the Grofé 'Grand Canyon Suite' (Cloudburst)."

That part is good and challenging, not called on enough if you ask me!

[Roger Lewis]

Technically, there are two parts in the Star Wars version that I am familiar with. There are several places where both players are busy in octaves, but at the openning there is plenty of triple tonguing in the extreme low register on the 2nd part. This will separate the men from the boys.

Just my observations.
Roger

[windshieldbug]

the concerts in question are before the audition date

That means that whomever is on the "committee" will have the tune fresh in their minds. It's not for the candidate, it's for the listeners.

I don't mean to sound critical of this procedure, but I am confused by the need for it. Am I completely off the mark?

We had a similar requirement in our contract. This audition is not meant for the tuba world in general, only for local people who might sub. What it means is that the sub list will be more formalized, and that the MD will have at least heard anyone who subs. The lists are ranked, and then calling is in list order. It probably means that someone has had a problem with someone who was "recommended" in the past, or that they don't trust the Personnel Manager to do their job.

I thought it was BS, and had people sub who wouldn't bother to audition because they were usually playing somewhere else or didn't need the audition practice. The way I "got around" this was not to have anyone at all on the "approved" list. No list, and then you have to sub by who you want. Works OK for tuba, but is impractical for violin, etc. Never had an issue, though.

[Todd S. Malicoate]

We had a similar requirement in our contract. This audition is not meant for the tuba world in general, only for local people who might sub. What it means is that the sub list will be more formalized, and that the MD will have at least heard anyone who subs. The lists are ranked, and then calling is in list order. It probably means that someone has had a problem with someone who was "recommended" in the past, or that they don't trust the Personnel Manager to do their job.

I thought it was BS, and had people sub who wouldn't bother to audition because they were usually playing somewhere else or didn't need the audition practice. The way I "got around" this was not to have anyone at all on the "approved" list. No list, and then you have to sub by who you want. Works OK for tuba, but is impractical for violin, etc. Never had an issue, though.

Thanks for the clarification...that's kind of what I thought. It didn't make much sense to me to post it like an open audition. If you were a player new to the Houston area, this would be dream timing...otherwise, not so much.

[ztuba]

I am just glad that some orchestra had the brass tacks enough to call Star Wars on the audition!! How cool is that? I want to reaudition for my sub spot now and call that... have fun triple tonguing those low G's HAHAHA

[rodmathews]

The Houston Symphony has done these sub auditions for quite some time. I participated in the audition they held in the early 90's, and at the time I really appreciated the opportunity. They ran it just like an audition for a full-time spot, and they used a screen and a proctor. It was a first-class audition experience.

I was fortunate enough to win the audition, so over the next couple of years I had the privilege of playing second to Dave Kirk on the Rite of Spring and the John Adams Harmonielehre. I also subbed for him a few times, which meant I got to play with a world-class trombone section. In retrospect I now realize how much I grew as a tuba player as a result, and I think back on those concerts with fond memories. Dave is a great tuba player, and playing with him was a real treat.

They had a trombone sub audition at the same time, and my younger brother won that audition. We both eventually got to play on a concert together - I played tuba and he played second trombone. That doesn't happen very often! Our parents got a real thrill out of it, and so did both of us.

This was a very positive process and experience for me as a young tuba player, and I know I haven't thanked Dave Kirk enough for his influence on my playing and my approach to teaching tuba (Thanks, Dave!). I wish more orchestras would do this type of thing to give local players a chance to be heard. If you live in Houston or close enough to Houston to make subbing work, this is a great opportunity!

[Jarrod]

I know that Trevor Culp, grad student at SMU, was added to the list.