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KiltieTuba wrote:Play anything, it's a community band. They're happy when people show up.

Getting into some community bands is very competitive, and some are very selective. Some communities have bands of various skill levels and which band you get placed in depends on how well you do on your audition.

My advice is to pick and work on a solo that represents your level of proficiency, and that you can play with good technique and good sound.

The Vivaldi Allegro from Sonata No. 3, arranged by Ken Swanson is fun to work on and would impress the listeners. It's the last page in "Solo Sounds For Tuba" vol.1, published by Belwin. You should buy the book if you don't already have a copy.

https://app.box.com/s/2uljp7t2u95ehlr6fyb0eyg0as9imu2x

I've always thought that His Majesty The Tuba is a good piece for auditioning on contrabass tuba for wind orchestras.

I always enjoyed Air and Bouree, the two contrasting styles would be good.

kk

elihellsten wrote:I've always thought that His Majesty The Tuba is a good piece for auditioning on contrabass tuba for wind orchestras.

+1
Great piece of music. It has lots of lyrical and technical stuff that you can easily make your own interpretation of. I love this piece!

When I do auditions, I ask people for 2:00 of music, their choice. Play something that makes you sound GREAT! Honestly, it doesn't matter WHAT it is. HOWEVER, if they ask for something specific, follow their directions to the letter.

A suggestion in addition to solo pieces:

If they already have CDs out, check if some of their pieces are in Your personal repertoire, and feature passages that You´ve been proud to have mastered in Your past.
Excerpts from "Aquarium", "Lord Of The Rings" or "To My Country", all by Johan de Meij, pretty much summarize what I´d look for in a community band tubist, if I were to seek one.

Cheers Hans

True "community bands" accept most people, as long as they have some type of music/playing experience. Most true community bands that I've heard are on a decent high school level. But competitive "community bands" that have CD's out and that you have to audition for are really semi-pro groups, especially if everyone gets paid a little "gas money". Most competitive community bands that I've heard are on a solid/good college level. I wish there were more high-level/semi-pro groups like that in my area. There are only so many decent groups that utilize tuba

As for audition pieces, preferably something lyrical and something technical within your limitations, that you sound good on!

As indicated, some of these groups are composed of mostly conservatory trained members who have decided to have day jobs, whether music Ed., or banking. You will know best- Air and Bouree, Judas Maccabeus, Haddad's Suite, Lebedev Concerto, all appropriate. An email to the personnel director will give you guidance.
Hit the link in my signature for an indication of the rep that some "community bands" are embracing- yes, Bernstein, Maslanka and Fnugg in the next concert!

Did you ever audition?

It has been my experience, playing in community bands since 1986 or 7, that the conductors have to be picky about upper brass and upper woodwinds to make sure the players can actually play, so they publish the standard disclaimers that all seats are by audition and the conductor reserves the right to re-seat people ongoing. By contrast, most community bands are lucky enough to have one or two tubas, to say nothing of a section, and are so glad you are there they will alter their selection of music to make sure it can be played by whoever is holding down the trenches. That got me into trouble from last fall to this spring. I made the mistake of playing too well. Everything this season is across the board one grade harder than last fall, which the music then was chosen after last spring, before I re-joined the band after taking a couple of years off to sort out a bunch of stuff.

Let me preface things here: Besides being a tubaist, I am a serious conductor who for the past 35+ years has worked with select groups of mostly professional musicians. From many years of experience I have a very good take when it comes to listening to new players. It usually boils down to "do they have the skill sets that I need for my groups?" There are many different types of players, from classical, jazz, broadway, chamber, solo etc, etc, etc. and various schools of playing within all those subcultures. It becomes a matter of matching the player with the appropriate skills in order to get the job done.

Now: It seems like most of the issues have been address and rather well. The important point for me - when I audition or inquire is the level and agenda of the band. Yes, some are rather competitive and have a preference for modern or traditional style of repertoire. I can think of a handful here in the greater Minneapolis area.

A wise conductor will be looking for certain skill sets, which will probably be obviously demonstrated in the first few moments of the audition. Rhythmic accuracy, technique, tone and intonation, general musicality (usually displayed in more legato playing) and a certain confidence or aggressiveness in your approach. Some might ask you to sightread a passage to get a feeling for how well you actually read. I suppose in cases that are not so competitive,the 'gauntlet' may no be so rigorous. But if you want in, you need to show them that you are the best candidate. Prepare, prepare & prepare. Then, relax, relax & relax, and then have fun playing the audition. Being tense and stressed never helped anyone. Talk to whoever is in charge of the audition well ahead of time and try to get a fix on what to expect and how much time will be allotted to you. Also try to be very well warmed up before hand and play into the room.

Etudes and solos, carefully chosen to showcase one's skills are a wise decision.

For tuba etudes I tend to like Blazevich Vol 1 & Bordogni. There is so much in them to demonstrate mature playing. Tyrrell is good, but they tend to be mostly receptive patterns.
Pick two that are contrasting in style and technicality.

For 'solos': Well that is a pretty open issue. So many to choose from - but they should be extremely well prepared. Yes. it could be (from my list of favorites) Air and Bouree, the Capuzzi Rondo, Beelzebub, The Carioca, Dave Uber's Jazz Rhapsody, or a movement from the Vaughan Williams.

What I have found with 'excerpts' is that most (not all) modern tuba (and even euphonium) band parts are no where near the level they were a couple of generations back. Granted much of the "meat and potatoes" were the transcriptions from orchestral music and marches. They required technique and strong chops.

I'm thinking of:
Russlan and Ludmilla
Marche Slave
Entry of the Gladiators
Die Meistersinger Prelude
Yes: the Chaconne from the Holst 1st Suite (for kicks prepare it an octave lower as well)

Then there are the "dog fights" from circus marches and galops.
Circus Bee
B & B's Favorite
Storming of El Caney
Storm and Sunshine

Sousa: Free Lance March.

Non of these are for the "faint of heart" (especially 'at tempo') but they have appeared on major service band auditions and would be suitable for 'competitive' community bands. The other issue is where to find these and other parts. Most are at the Chatfield Band Music Lending Library. Here is the link: http://chatfieldband.lib.mn.us" target="_blank

Good luck. ... and remember - music is to be enjoyed.

A rather wise conductor, Keith House, from Central Methodist once said: "relax, it all depends on you."

Art Hovey wrote:The Vivaldi Allegro from Sonata No. 3, arranged by Ken Swanson is fun to work on and would impress the listeners. It's the last page in "Solo Sounds For Tuba" vol.1, published by Belwin. You should buy the book if you don't already have a copy.

https://app.box.com/s/2uljp7t2u95ehlr6fyb0eyg0as9imu2x

And here:

http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/sol ... ic/1436029" target="_blank

Just a story...

Several years ago I joined a "high level / semi-pro" 'community' wind ensemble (they called themselves that and had instrumentation much closer to that than a 'symphonic band')...anyway...

I had been corresponding with the music director about their need for a tuba player. I asked him about auditioning for the position and rather than setup a formal audition, he said that he'd prefer that I sent him a resume and then sat in with the band on one of their regular rehearsals.

I showed up early at the place I was told to be. I introduced myself to the music director and he had the librarian pull a folder for me to use. I took my seat and got setup as the rest of the band trickled in. As the clock ticked closer to the designated rehearsal start time, it became clear to me that neither of the other two tuba players that I knew regularly worked with the group weren't going to show up.

I checked out the music as the rehearsal was about to begin: Holst Second Suite, Lincolnshire Posy, Eternal Father Strong to Save (Claude T. Smith), Bernstein Symphony No. 1 arranged for band, and a number of other fairly substantial pieces.

For the next hour I played the parts with the band on my own. After an hour, we took a break and the other two tuba players walked in. The music director approached me at that time and said "nice job on your own - we have a place for you." The other two players just smiled...the whole thing was a setup! Sink or swim.

Although I've since left that group and moved to a different state due to my day job, that audition experience has always stuck with me. That music director didn't care AT ALL about if I could come in and rip off etudes, excerpts, or the Vaughan Williams or Gregson Concerti --- they ASSUMED I could do all of those things already and threw me into the deep end on day 1 - either I could accomplish the task at hand or I couldn't... and it wouldn't take long to find out.

Did he play a trick on me? Sort of, but I don't feel that I was taken advantage of. The music director's approach was probably the most accurate measure of how well I could actually contribute to that group vs. the countless other group auditions I've played over the years.

How about this as an audition piece?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTmfBTfY0AY" target="_blank