Posted by Joe S. on July 12, 2000 at 22:55:25:
In Reply to: All State Etude posted by Doug on July 12, 2000 at 20:52:58:
<40> Advanced Studies??? (Tyrell?)
I have judged All State things. The only part that I ever want to hear is the FRIGGIN' HARD part that is the line and a half or so located about two lines from the end (of any "Sears & Roebuck" etude). Without me looking at your exercise #20 to see which one it is, YOU (without someone else's help) can EASILY find that "very hardest part".
Get a friend who is a fine pianist to play the entire etude for you several times (maybe 20 - 25 times), until you are familiar with and can recognize the entire piece. Then, at an extremely slow metronome speed (Doug HAS a metronome.) completely master that HARDEST part (referred to above - towards the end, but not right AT the end) FIRST. After a few weeks (days?) when you have absolutely mastered THAT part (There is at least an 80% chance that you will be asked to play that passage for the judge.), absolutely master the ENTIRE etude...VERY slow and GRADUALLY working up to the indicated tempo with 100% accuracy. SING the entire etude with your voice JUST AS MUCH as you practice it on your tuba. If you canNOT sing every note of the etude with your voice and accurately hit every note with your voice, you will not be able to play it perfectly on your tuba. Send me a cassette tape of you SINGING the ENTIRE etude (start to finish) with EVERY note in tune and with absolutely accurate execution of EVERY rhythm (no splicing, editing, use of surrogates, or other cheating) and I will send you that new Helleburg mouthpiece that you want. If I hear a perfectly SUNG tape of your etude, I will NOT need to hear you PLAY it (on the tuba). I will already know that you will probably make 1st chair in your All State Band.
[an aside: I seldom teach, but when I do, my students find me just as irritating as many of YOU do ;^)...I charge too d**n much, too.]