Posted by Rod Mathews on April 15, 2003 at 19:44:20:
In Reply to: Euphonium Auditions posted by Guy on April 15, 2003 at 13:56:49:
I was a tuba player in the Texas All-State band almost 20 years ago, so I'm sure the process has changed a bit.
The trick to making All-State in Texas is to play three good auditions. You probably have to audition at the District level, the Region level, and the Area level. Once you get to San Antonio you have to audition again for 1st or 2nd band, but the music for that audition is probably different. To be successful, you must pass each round. One bad day at the Area level will wipe out your progress at the District and Region levels. Consistency will be your friend.
How do you get consistent performances? Learn the music (the music - not just the notes) until you know it in your sleep, and record yourself on a daily basis. You can also get recordings of top-notch players demonstrating how the music is supposed to go. Try to make your own recording that sounds better than the top-notch player. If you can do that, your chances of making the All-State band are very high.
Make time your friend. The audition music is available in late July or early August at the TBA convention, several months before the first audition. Get the music the day it becomes available and start learning it immediately. You will have at least a month more to prepare than most of the folks you will see at the District and Region levels. To get ready for next year, get the music from one of the previous years and work it up as if you had to audition in August. It will keep you in shape over the summer, and you will learn to work up difficult music.
Don't spend all your time practicing what you are already good at. Maintain what you are already good at and improve the things you can't play. Keep cycling around to practice what you aren't good at and pretty soon you will be good at most everything.
I've also judged these auditions in Texas, and the successful auditionees were the ones who played musically with good rhythm and intonation. It was real easy to tell who hadn't put in the work to learn the music.
Good luck!
Rod