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I am getting ready for my last year in undergrad, and I am going to grad school (eventually) for a performance degree. What are people playing for Grad and Post Grad stuff these days. I already have (and started working on) the John Williams, and the Madsen as well as the James Barnes and a few Mozart and Strauss Horn Concertos. I have the standards as well. Also have Plog's Three Minatures. I have heard of the C. Danielson and the Jan Bach. Does anybody know of anything else that is being played or is really big right now? Just trying to get ready for grad school. Thanks again, Tim

Here's a tip about Grad school auditions:
Make sure whatever you choose to play, you can nail. You don't want to choose a big list of repertoire of super hard material that spreads you out too thin. Choose a few biggies and have some lyrical material with some excerpts. You want to stick to stuff the committee will know and can appreciate the work you put into it. Most of all, I would not do the John Williams, even if I can nail it. I haven't found too many folks outside the tuba world who appreciates that piece IMHO. Please don't be insulted, but I've went through what your about to go through.
That being said, here some to choose from other than those you mentioned.
Kraft - Encounters II
Wilhelm - Concertino
Ewazen - Concerto
Arnold - Fantasy
Raum - Concerto del Garda
Broughton - Sonata
Gregson - Concerto
Koetsier - Sonatina

Good luck on your auditions.

Most of all, I would not do the John Williams, even if I can nail it. I haven't found too many folks outside the tuba world who appreciates that piece IMHO.

I'm IN the tuba world and am not a big fan of the John Williams Concerto. It's a lot of work without much of a pay off. Just my meager opinion.

So no one really likes the John Williams, I am having a blast playing it. Yes it is hard, but the first time I heard it I was like hell yeah. Thanks for the info guys. Tim

capt_tuba wrote:So no one really likes the John Williams, I am having a blast playing it. Yes it is hard, but the first time I heard it I was like hell yeah. Thanks for the info guys. Tim

It is my favorite piece of music for solo tuba.

So no one really likes the John Williams, I am having a blast playing it. Yes it is hard, but the first time I heard it I was like hell yeah. Thanks for the info guys. Tim

I wouldn't say no one likes the piece. I never said I didn't like it, but I just wanted to warn you that not everyone outside the tuba world (or apparently "inside" it) appreciates it. I think this discussion is case in point. I've performed this piece a few times and I always get mixed reviews on the musicality, which is partially my fault. Lately, I've been working on trying new things with the interpretation to improve this.
Still, its a risk on a audition. Contrary to popular belief, the challenge does not mainly lay in the notes, but in the musicality.
There will always be plenty on macho folks who like to thump their chests over how good they are because they can "play" this piece or the "weakness" of others who don't.
Thump....thump....thump....thump................

very "conservative" tastes, then...

...tuba players who only really "like" what they can "play"...

With all due respect to my worthy cyber colleague and fellow pot-stirrer Bloke, I have to politely disagree.
I mean really Bloke....
Since I've been promoted to third chair sousaphone player at Tougaloo Middle School, I've been struggling with God of Our Fathers in whole notes, but I love it all the same.

bloke wrote:very "conservative" tastes, then...

...tuba players who only really "like" what they can "play"...

I really like Vivaldi "The Winter", and even have the arrangement by Baadsvik but....

I hate to say I could do better musically, but.....

c'mon man....

Don't ever say that.

I'm not trying to open a philosophical can of worms here, but I've never done enough musically. There's no such thing. Always strive to play beyond what you believe is enough, and I guarantee it will be just right (especially with pieces like the Penderecki and the John Williams).

I played both of these pieces for juries last year (JW in the fall and Penderecki in the spring), and both pieces are so different in style but so similar in musical approach: when dealing with technical ideas that first prove to be beyond your scope as a tuba player, it's important to step away from the instrument and think of what you would like to hear if you were listening to someone else playing it. Then decide on what it would take to achieve the concept you just created for yourself.

It's essential to approach a piece of music with the horn in the case as it is to have the horn in your hand. I learn twice as much about the music when I do this....the horn just gets in the way.

Good luck!

OH.....to stay on topic a bit....I'm getting ready for grad school auditions myself. I'd say you shouldn't play the John Williams for grad school auditions unless you had a piano player (which you probably wouldn't). I'm planning on doing the Woodward for auditions, but I have to decide if it's cogent enough to do w/o piano first....we'll see....