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Audition piece?

5K views 28 replies 8 participants last post by  hakukani 
#1 ·
Background
Last April I auditioned and was accepted for a position in the Texas Air Guard Band. This December I have a reaudition (I was accepted) but couldn't do it due to school.
This piece is for that purpose for a rentry.

I was thinking
Bach Cello Suite for Cello in G Major, its written for Tenor/clarinet. But its not accompinied.
The reason I was thinking this piece, is I preformed it last time I auditioned, and their were some painful screwups.

Or two Ferling Etudes which I stress Vibrato which was something I was lacking, and try to get perfect tuning on all the long notes.

I'm looking for ideas on what to preform. I need to be able to work it up, and have it ready audition date is december 15 or 16. So its pretty late to choose a piece.

I would audition on probably Alto, easier to keep up with and has sort of become my main.

Personal Opinions on the Guard Band and military service
You're opinions are very well known on the subject of my wishing to enter military service. Their is a 100 post thread about the subject. That is not what this thread is for. DO NOT POST YOUR OPINION ON THE TOPIC, you shall recieve no response from me about it. This is my dream, one of the few things that has kept me keeping on with everything musicially in my toughest times is this dream.


I'm heading home this weekend and I'm heading to Penders to look at and possibly purchase my audition piece should they have it. Unfortunatly I don't have the ability to speak with my teacher about it before I go home tomorrow.

I need a slow piece that I can feature a lot of Vibrato that was something that was missing majorly in my last aud. And something that I have worked tirelessly to improve.

Thanks
~Jonathan
 
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#2 ·
Why not choose a faster movement or two from a saxophone sonata and then a slower one as well to show your control of tone and vibrato?

I would err on the side of playing actual saxophone music and not transcribed etudes or bach suites. These were not written for the saxophone originally and I personally don't think they have a place in an official audition at your level.

Creston Sonata would be great in this situation I think, with many opportunities, especially in the second movement, to show your expressive skill.
 
#3 ·
I have a friend in the Texas Air National Guard saxophone section. On top of that, my roommate is a saxophonist in the Texas Army National Guard band.

Anyway... If I were auditioning and had the luxury of choosing the repertoire (which is not something you can always do, in fact it's quite rare) I would play to my strengths.

Regarding vibrato: don't set out to play something and stress vibrato. There's no point in doing that; quite frankly it's unmusical. Practice vibrato, but don't make an effort to show them: "hey guys! I can play with vibrato!" If you're 18 and in college studying music, it's expected you understand vibrato and can play with a wide range of vibrato styles. There's no need to demonstrate it just to prove you can do it. I'm not saying "don't use vibrato;" by all means -- use it, but only when it's musically valid. I feel as saxophonists we have a tendency to use it as a crutch.

What pieces do you already know? I'd choose something I knew quite well to play.

Also, since you're from Denton, we may know some of the same people. Who was your teacher when you lived in Denton?
 
#4 ·
I have a friend in the Texas Air National Guard saxophone section. On top of that, my roommate is a saxophonist in the Texas Army National Guard band.

Anyway... If I were auditioning and had the luxury of choosing the repertoire (which is not something you can always do, in fact it's quite rare) I would play to my strengths.

Regarding vibrato: don't set out to play something and stress vibrato. There's no point in doing that; quite frankly it's unmusical. Practice vibrato, but don't make an effort to show them: "hey guys! I can play with vibrato!" If you're 18 and in college studying music, it's expected you understand vibrato and can play with a wide range of vibrato styles. There's no need to demonstrate it just to prove you can do it. I'm not saying "don't use vibrato;" by all means -- use it, but only when it's musically valid. I feel as saxophonists we have a tendency to use it as a crutch.

What pieces do you already know? I'd choose something I knew quite well to play.

Also, since you're from Denton, we may know some of the same people. Who was your teacher when you lived in Denton?
I studied with X from the second part of my sophomore year to when I graduated. He is also the one that is recruiting me into the band. Having met I beleive all the sax players in the Guard band, who is the person you know in it?

Most of the pieces I know are written for Tenor Sax, having been a Tenor player for about 6 years. Half of which I played as a Middle School student.

Sonic if you wish to know his name just send me a PM.
 
#7 ·
I met Cheree last time I auditioned, she strongly influenced my descision to buy my current Alto.
Chris at Denton Music Store was my teacher, and is also the person who is recruiting me into the guard band.
1st two movements of the Tableaux.
I had thought about the Tableaux when I go down I'll see if Penders still has the one I ordered a few months ago. Haven't been able to pick it up, since I left.
I haven't heard of the Bozza Aria.
 
#9 ·
You might want to take a look at the Lawson Lunde Sonata, I feel like it's a seriously underplayed piece (I did part of it for one of my jury pieces last year, along with Picnic on the Marne). $14.95 from Eble.com, which is a good deal for any accompanied piece.
 
#10 ·
I'd go for two contrasting Ferling etudes that show off your strengths. For example, to show off your articulation skills, do #8 or #14.

To show off your lyrical side (and newly improved vibrato) do #1 or #11.
 
#11 ·
I disagree with "showing your strengths" through etudes. Show your overall musical abilities through a piece! Unless of course they want you to do an etude. Somebody above mentioned the lawson lunde sonata and on second thought I'd be inclined to agree with them!
 
#12 ·
You're absolutely right!

Jonathan, you should play the entire Glazounov, Ibert, Dahl, Husa, or Dubois concerto. Enough of those inferior etudes! Show what you're made of.

Oh, and be sure that you don't show off what you're good at!
 
#16 ·
I have an interesting relationship with those pieces. By the time I was a sophomore at uni, I hated both these works.

They've grown on me since. They're well written and accessible. I actually enjoy listening as well as playing these pieces. (There are a lot more that I like to play, but can't listen to)
 
#15 ·
I have the Glazunov, and its a pain. But is kind of fun to play, and it is possible to be worked up. Whatever I audition on is what I'm going to use for Seminar next Semester and for Juries.
The choice is open between Etudes and a Solo. As the most important part is the group sit in.
I haven't heard of the Lawson Lude, but I'll look it up on Youtube to get an idea of the piece.
 
#21 ·
The Aud. date got moved up to next month so I may have no choice but to play a few ferling etudes.

Tomorrow I will find out if their is still a spot for me to take, and I'll have my plane ticket booked by wednsday I may even have it booked by monday night. I am now under the month time frame, I have like 2 weeks. Time to work. I'll give ya'll an update on Monday if I audition then. But I'm willing to bet I will have an aud. next month.

Etudes may be my only choice for this aud. I may try a piece by Rascher, but now their isn't time for Tabluex or Guastov.
 
#22 ·
I found out today that I will not be auditioning for the Texas Air National Guard band tomorrow.

I'M IN based off of last years audition! I'm calling the recruiter tomorrow to find out about MEPS paperwork, and start the process. Either I'll start a different thread, or I'll keep using this one.
 
#27 ·
Okay, I'll take a different tack.

This is for an Air Guard band , not IU, UNT, or U of M.

Orchestral Auditions, and professional band auditions (even though these are mostly military, at least in the US, except for the Royal Hawaiian Band) are very different.

I've recorded dozens of audition tapes for major orchestras for players. These organizations are very specific about their audition material. It's usually a very tiny piece of a concerto, and a bunch of orchestral excerpts. Some of these excerpts are only a few measures long, but generally show a specific difficulty that an auditionee has to overcome (articulation, bowing, etc.). A Ferling etude would be appropriate for an audition because it takes the place of orchestral excerpts--let's face it, there's not many excerpts in the COMMON orchestral repertoire. (Yes I know the little book of exerpts that Ronkin and Frascotti put together for their master's thesis). They're short and to the point.

As for my being a long way from auditions, that's more or less true. My last audition was for the Hawaii County Band, a semi-professional band, and that was in 1999. I played the first section of the Glazounov, and then was asked to play some excerpts by sight. As I recall, the excerpts included a transcription of Mozart's 'Marriage of Figaro' overture, the solo from the Holst Suite, and the opening of the Finale from Tchaikovsky IV. While in the band, I was called on to listen to auditions for other positions.

Jordan, I would think that being in NY, you would be used to sarcasm. I apologize. I sometimes forget how prickly and sensitive young classical saxophonists are. Ignore at will.
 
#28 ·
Hak, is correct this is for the Air National Guard. I have heard of people using the Ferling etudes in the nonformal 1 on 1 aud. The Most serious part of the aud. is the Sit in.

I again found out last night that I don't have to reaudition which is a huge load off my back. But regardless I have purchased some pieces which I'll use for seminars and other classical preformances.

I must say I really enjoy the Marriage of Figaro overture, one of my favorite pieces that we listened to in music Lit.
 
#29 ·
H

I must say I really enjoy the Marriage of Figaro overture, one of my favorite pieces that we listened to in music Lit.
You think the overture is good--you should see the rest of the opera.:D
 
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