TubeNet

tuben wrote:"Tuba. Applicants will play: xxxxxx, CC tuba and F or E-flat tuba required."

I have to ask if American tubists bitch and moan about German orchestras requiring BBb tuba, why don't we complain about Curtis requiring CC?

Go in there and nail it to the wall on BBb Sousaphone and I am sure they could make an exception.

Agreed...even moreso than the key of the tuba, the fact that incoming students must already own two tubas bugs me. Unless, of course, they simply mean that facility on both contrabass (CC) and bass (Eb or F) tuba is required and that the school has instruments to fill the gap. How many high school or beginning college students have experience with contrabass and bass, anyway? How many players capable and willing to challenge themselves with the rigors of a conservatory education in music performance have made the (responsible, to me) decision of not even purchasing a tuba until they determine for sure that they wish to forego the ridiculous odds and become a professional tuba player?

Curtis is a fine school with a fantastic reputation. But, as an undergraduate requirement (brass applicants must be under the age of 21), this one seems a bit "elite" in my opinion. It eliminates at least some fine players who simply haven't been exposed to the variety of tubas out there and certainly don't have the resources to own two or more instruments.

WoodSheddin wrote:Go in there and nail it to the wall on BBb Sousaphone and I am sure they could make an exception.

Didn't Mr. Jacobs do something similar!?

actually, it was an Eb with the 4th valve taped down and all of the slides out. funny you mentioned since i'm doing a report on the song and wind book right now.
i'll be applying/auditioning again. i auditioned last year on my CC tuba only since i didn't have the money for the F at the time. i'm wondering if the instrument requirements were up last year since i never saw them. in regards to the audition, it was a very cool experience. the school is beautiful and they're very good about working with their applicants and keeping them up to date. lets just hope that this year there won't be a winter storm and people won't have to be snowed out of an audition!

I don't remember the site saying anything about required instruments last year. I do remember a few people at the audition that did only have a CC, and everyone sounded great. Good luck to all who will be auditioning. And I hope that you guys don't get stuck in the storm that everyone got stuck in last year.

Jarrad B.

When I applied to Rutgers many years ago, their materials said I needed to know BBb, CC, EEb, and F tuba. One phone call cleared that up. Curtis is a different situation. If you've got the high chops on a contrabass tuba, go for it. Most people don't realize you need high notes on CC tuba too, and if you don't have them on the large horn, you won't have them on the small horn either.

jtuba wrote:Most people don't realize you need high notes on CC tuba too, and if you don't have them on the large horn, you won't have them on the small horn either.

I couldn't say it better!

Just go into the audition and play your *** off on one tuba and don't worry about the damn instruments. I made it into one of the top programs in the country playing only a CC tuba and bought an F tuba my sophomore year.

Curtis students receive free tuition. I believe the only cost to you (the student) is living expenses. So, after you've been accepted, theoretically it should be more feasible to purchase an F tuba before you begin school or during you're first year.

I wouldn't make such a big deal out of what the brouchure does or does not say. My $0.02.

TMB

Costs $300 to apply and audition.

when i auditioned last year, one of the comments was,"your high range on your CC is great. now you need an F". yeah, it sucked but it's the business. i don't think the audition is intended for families with more money. i got a job saved up and bought a USED but great sounding F for a little over 1k. half of the commitment is getting the horn. you do still have to play, but if you're willing shell the dough out for the horn there has to be the obvious commitment. yes, it sucks and it seems they are weeding people out in this process. but remember, Curtis is a VERY special school and not everyone gets in. because of their reputation and their high standards they very well have the right to require an F tuba. Now, the decision for the auditionee is whether or not to fully commit and go as far as you need to go (including buying the F).

The audition requirements seem reasonable to me. Curtis is an elite training program for potential future professional orchestral players. When was the last time someone won a fulltime American orchestra tuba audition without using a C and F tuba? (that's not just a rhetorical question - I'd be curious to know) Given that all the audition winners in my own recent memory used C and F - it seems reasonable that such an elite program would require its tuba player to use those instruments. Also, the Curtis Orchestra performs at a very high level - you are their only tuba player and your first rehearsal could be anything from the standard orchestral rep - and you will be expected to have it nailed at a professional level (ie if your first rehearsal is Corsaire, an F tuba might come in handy)

I don't like their rule of contra and bass tuba. I don't like Berlin's rule of BBb, either. It is, however, their rules. I know this has been said, but look who they've produced lately for orchestral tuba players. One thing that kind of bothers me, though, is their policy about hiring their students. It says they're not allowed to play at weddings, parties, or even to teach privately!

There was a South Park episode where Eric Cartman inherited a million dollars, bought a failing amusement park and kept everybody out so he wouldn't have to wait in line to ride his rides.

Then everybody wanted to get in.

Could it be ..... ?

wchoc86 wrote:website said the app fee was 150, not 300. maybe there's some other random fee i didn't see though.

app fee is $150, and there's also an audition fee of another $150

Euphbate wrote:Honestly, the elitist tendencies of a place like Curtis do not surprise me.

What's wrong with being "elitist"?

Especially in a situation where you are looking for ONE winner.

Curtis will get 10 players at the audition who are qualified; they only need 1. In that situation, the game is *all* about finding reasons to send someone home.

Now...I happen to think that Curtis would be smarter to require "students must have both contrabass and bass tubas" - but I'm willing to grant that they may know a bit more about what THEY need than I do.

Think about how Curtis is evaluated in the long run. I suspect the leading term is "students win major gigs right out of school". It's not a general-purpose college where you can change your major every semester while you find yourself. It's a professional gig. At a professional gig, you bring (and play) what the boss tells you to bring and play.

Don't like it? There are 100 others standing behind you in line - all just as qualified as you are. Step aside...and move on.

Thank you. Next!

TexTuba wrote: One thing that kind of bothers me, though, is their policy about hiring their students. It says they're not allowed to play at weddings, parties, or even to teach privately!

"All checklists are written in blood".

I suspect that if you dig back into the past you might find some Curtis students who traded on the Curtis connection to build a commercial career - while short changing their Curtis work.

It's not unreasonable for Curtis to say "you need to spend 100% of your time working on your Curtis work - that's the best way to nail that big-time audition when you leave here".

Curtis is not in the business of producing well rounded, well-adjusted musical citizens of the world - they are in the business of producing students who win major orchestral auditions.

Casey Tucker wrote:But remember, Curtis is a VERY special school and not everyone gets in.

There's plenty of justification in that statement alone. If you don't want to play by their rules, apply elsewhere. Curtis may be "very special," but practice rooms look the same at every school.



By the way, my mom thinks I'm very special too.

[quote]By the way, my mom thinks I'm very special too.[/quote]

so does mine :D

biggs put it really well. if you don't want to play by the rules, apply somewhere else. indeed the practice rooms look the same. however, it's about playing with the Curtis Symphony Orchestra, studying with Paul Kryzwicki (sorry if i misspelled) and being surround with OUTSTANDING students/performers/PROFESSIONALS! if this is something you want, get the CC and F and practice your a$$ off.

I agree that they should allow BBb tubas but I still think that its a wise thing to also require a bass tuba. There are plenty of kick *** BBb players out there!

tuben wrote: who's parents simply may not have the money to supply Jenny or Timmy with $8,000 worth of tubas in the HOPES they might win the audition to GO TO COLLEGE.

but what you said here doesn't make sense. If you went to Curtis' website you'd be able to see a breakdown of what they estimate students to spend yearly, and it ends up being a whole hell of a lot more than any state school, even without the tuition. I think that the students who can't afford the tubas will also not be able to afford to go to the Curtis with how much they estimate you to spend.

tuben wrote:It is also interesting to note that there are no such requirements for the other brass instruments.
No requirement for Bb, C, & Piccolo Trumpets
No requirement for Descant horns, or even double horns
No requirement for Alto trombone
Hell, there isn't even any sort of requirements for the clarinet auditions.

RC

Really? I find that QUITE odd, especially with trumpets and trombone. Here is my question: Do you think this requirement is the school's requirement, or the teacher there?