College audition excerpt help
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one.kidney
- bugler
- Posts: 97
- Joined: Mon Feb 01, 2016 9:54 pm
College audition excerpt help
If you were going to audition for a major music school, and you had to choose either Hungarian March or Symphony Fantastique for F tuba, and Ride of the Valkyries or Prokofiev #5, which two excerpts would you choose? I want to impress the committee, but i'm not sure about which excerpt to play.
IU Jacobs School of music BM Performance
Miraphone 1292 "New Yorker" CC
Miraphone Firebird 6v F
Miraphone 1292 "New Yorker" CC
Miraphone Firebird 6v F
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happyroman
- 4 valves
- Posts: 500
- Joined: Tue Mar 30, 2004 12:12 pm
- Location: Evanston, IL
Re: College audition excerpt help
Play the excerpts you play best, if you have been told to play one from each category. Nothing will be less likely to impress than listening to someone stumble through an excerpt they don't play well.
Sounds like this may be for a taped audition? If you are going to play in person, it would be a good idea to have all four nailed down, in case they ask you for the other excerpts. Always be over prepared (and know all of your scales by heart).
Finally, I got this tip from a Toby Oft video (Boston Symphony Principle Trombone). For the first round (first impression) nail the three T's (Tone, Tune, and Time). Play everything with your best possible sound. Play in tune (get a tuner and use it). And play with excellent time (in other words, always practice with a metronome). At least in an orchestral audition setting, Mr. Oft believes that the committee is listening in the prelims mainly to eliminate players based on their inability to control the three T's. Then once you advance, you have to step up your game and demonstrate exceptional musicianship.
Sounds like this may be for a taped audition? If you are going to play in person, it would be a good idea to have all four nailed down, in case they ask you for the other excerpts. Always be over prepared (and know all of your scales by heart).
Finally, I got this tip from a Toby Oft video (Boston Symphony Principle Trombone). For the first round (first impression) nail the three T's (Tone, Tune, and Time). Play everything with your best possible sound. Play in tune (get a tuner and use it). And play with excellent time (in other words, always practice with a metronome). At least in an orchestral audition setting, Mr. Oft believes that the committee is listening in the prelims mainly to eliminate players based on their inability to control the three T's. Then once you advance, you have to step up your game and demonstrate exceptional musicianship.
Andy
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southtubist
- bugler
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- Location: Mississippi
Re: College audition excerpt help
Prokofiev #5 is the most complicated one and exposes your sound concept the most. Also, you don't have to play fast excerpts to show your skill with articulation. In fact, getting that low F in Prokofiev #5 to speak perfectly is extremely hard.
Also, consider some of the "other" excerpts from Prokofiev #5, especially the later movements. The melodic parts in the finale are overlooked, but if you can differentiate between them (like you'd do in the orchestra to blend with the other low voices), and the committee hears what you're doing it is also impressive.
Prokofiev #5 is the one contrabass tuba excerpt I never got comfortable with. So many details!
Also, consider some of the "other" excerpts from Prokofiev #5, especially the later movements. The melodic parts in the finale are overlooked, but if you can differentiate between them (like you'd do in the orchestra to blend with the other low voices), and the committee hears what you're doing it is also impressive.
Prokofiev #5 is the one contrabass tuba excerpt I never got comfortable with. So many details!