Posted by Camilo on June 12, 2002 at 10:20:05:
In Reply to: College Audition/Senior Recital Rep. posted by High School Tubist on June 11, 2002 at 17:11:00:
hey, I am in the same boat that you're in. I'm a high school senior from miami florida. I study with john olah at the university of miami. I can't urge you enough on being careful with what songs yuo choose. my solo for my senior year was the complete hindemith sonate, and my junior solo was the gragson concerto. So for my audition i decided to try the RVW concerto. THAT WAS A MISTAKE!!! I played it pretty well, but my auditioners were not as impressed. They listen to how it sounds, regardless of what grde you're in. Hey, its not easy to play that concerto as a senior, but they tore my head off. So don't pick something too hard, or you will regret it later. Don't do things like the carnival of venice or blue bells, because those songs are just basiclly written to show off.
If you have not tried the gregson concerto yet, then i urge you very much to do so. If you are going to play in on a BB or a CC, then stick only to the first movement for audition purposes. It has an ample opportunity to be musical, along with sufficient technical passages.
It is also important not to be arrogant. I know I was for many years. Arrogance is the biggest hinderance to advancing your playing. Whenever you feel as if you were "God's gift to the tuba," i suggest looking at a piece called "Parable XXII for unaccompanied tuba" by vincent persichetti. That song will put ou right back into place. It takes me 5 minutesto get passed the first line.
Since I don't know how skilled you are, it is hard to suggest anything. So do not take anything personally. I wish you the best of luck at your auditions, because I will be preparing for MY audition on august 26.
Another good song to look at is "Ricercar" by gabrielli. good techinical piece, very open to interpretation.
GOOD LUCK!!!