Posted: Mon Jan 31, 2005 12:32 am
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Suite for Tuba by whom? Assuming you like all 3 mvts equally and can play them all equally well theres no reason you shouldn't play all 3. One min gives you plenty of time to get set up (quickly) and a little leeway if your tempo slows down or something weird like that. Also in my experience you tend to take everything a bit faster on contest day due to nerves. If it's any thing Like Iowa's State Solo Contest it matters more if you run under than over--they don't care about you running over as long as you stop when the timer says time or stop ( Granted its kinda hard to hear that when you are playing tuba, but usually the judges understand that). On the other hand if there's a mvt you Really really really hate or just can't play as well you might consider cutting it, as long as it doesn't put you under the minimum time.
From my experience the best thing you can do for contest is overprepare. Play your piece until you can play it perfectly backwards in your sleep. Practice until you sound like a god. You may not be Arnold Jacobs or Pat Sheridan but there's no reason you can't play everything within your reach perfectly or at least as close to perfection as is humanly possible. If you play in time, with no chipped notes, great phrasing and to die for tone no one ( not even the judge) will care if you run a coupla secs over.
Just my $.02.
Amy