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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2005-12-06 16:45
I'm setting up an army band audition, and one requirement is a prepared piece of Grade 4 or higher. For those who know what the following pieces would be graded, and whether they'd be acceptable as a prepared piece, here's a list of what I have and could have prepared in time. All I ask is for which ones would be acceptable as a prepared audition piece and I'll pick whichever one of THOSE that I feel I would be able to best perform come time.
Weber Grand Duo Mov 1, 2
Weber Concertino
Of course, La Mozart Especialle (K622)
Stamitz Concerto #3 any mov.
Weber Concerto #1 mov 1, 2
I'd probably pick one out of that list. Can you tell me which one(s) would be acceptable as a grade four audition piece? And I'll simply pick the one that I can best perform from the ones meet that requirement.
Thanks much, all.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: bass9396
Date: 2005-12-06 16:49
Just play something rough and it'll be a grade 6. If they're using a 1-5 system then Grade 4 is close to the top. If they're using 1-6, 4 is pretty moderate for an adult.
Everything you've listed is probably a Grade 6 piece. I can't see why it wouldn't be, but I don't have a listing in front of me.
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2005-12-06 18:19
Stamitz is way too easy - unacceptable piece, same for the Weber Grand Duo.
Then again, depends on the level of the group and players auditioning for it. If it's just for a base band then all would be fine. They all will show if a player can play or not, but for a high end audition, the grandduo and stamitz would be way too easy.
If this is for a hard core group, then I'd try playing the hardest work that you can play well. But don't sacrifice difficulty for playability (too hard piece played not very well is much worse than an easier piece played really well).
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Author: crnichols
Date: 2005-12-06 19:36
Please contact me via e-mail or AIM regarding this. There's a system, and to get the best deal, there are certain things you should know before taking the audition.
Christopher Nichols
1st Infantry Division Band
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Author: clarinetist04
Date: 2005-12-06 20:23
If you're trying out for THE Army Band out of D.C., they're all too easy. My old teacher was with the Navy Band in D.C. and she said that for one of their general auditions they had people playing the Francaix, Adams, Corigliano, etc. I agree with David, play the hardest piece you can play well without "sacrificing difficulty for playability."
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Author: hrvanbeek
Date: 2005-12-06 21:04
Any of the pieces listed would be grade 4 or above for a Regular Army Band audition. If you are, in fact, currently setting up an audition for a Regular Army Band, it should be done through myself or my partner in the office.
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Author: GBK
Date: 2005-12-06 21:13
bass9396 wrote:
> Everything you've listed is probably a Grade 6 piece.
> I can't see why it wouldn't be, but I don't have a
> listing in front of me.
Not correct.
The Stamitz is listed as a Grade 4 piece in the current NYSSMA (New York) manual. It is usually played by Junior High students.
The Weber Concertino and Concerto No. 1 are listed as a Grade 5.
The NYSSMA manual has listings from Grade 1 to Grade 6...GBK
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2005-12-06 21:54
It's for a field band. hrvanbeek, I've contacted your partner and he's coming up this Thursday/Friday (a little sooner than I expected, but I think I'll be ok).
Thanks for the tips from the rest of you, and I'll be brushing up over something (don't know which QUITE yet) over the next day to be as ready as possible for Thursday/Friday audition.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: bass9396
Date: 2005-12-06 22:52
Didn't I say I that I DON'T have a listing in front of me? Or do I sense an ego?.................
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2005-12-07 15:34
Alexi -
Military bands are (or used to be) divided into two groups: "regular" or "line" bands and "special" bands.
Special bands are made up of players all of whom are, in theory, better than anyone in a line band. You get into them only by audition, and assignments are "stabilized" -- that is, you stay there for your entire career. Most special band players are career players.
Each large military post has its own line band, doing ceremonial duties. The best players are quite good, and the rest less so. The assignment to a particular band, or even as a bansdman, is not stabilized.
Special bands include the Marine Band, the Army Band, and, among others, the Army Field Band. It is the Army's "roving ambassador" and spends much of its time traveling. Since it is on public display so much, there is great concern about "spit and polish." I've heard them a couple of times over the years, and it's a really excellent group.
Make sure you're auditioning for "the" Army Field Band, not "an" army field band, which would be a line band.
Ken Shaw
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2005-12-08 23:11
Had the audition, and passed. Although not well, but there were the nerves to deal with and more practicing to be done on my part.
Tomorrow I sign the contract and figure out where I'm going to be stationed after basic and AIT.
Thanks for the advice all. I'll come back ONCE more with location.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: ohsuzan
Date: 2005-12-09 01:06
Congrats, Alexi!
I suspect this is a step you will never regret. Several of my relatives and friends have gone this route, and look back on their service band days with a great deal of fondness.
So, what did you end up playing for the nice man?
Susan
Post Edited (2005-12-09 01:08)
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Author: ken
Date: 2005-12-09 01:31
Congrats; and another hardcore Army band career explodes from the starting gate. Now for fun part, getting through MEPS in one piece. Upon graduation from Little Creek don't waste any time making the best memories; take any overseas band in Europe, Asia or Far East and let the good times role --- particularly if you're SINGLE. And, I'd have to double check the current enlisted pay scale but as an E-4, the combined COLA, housing and separate rations supplements should almost if not, double your base pay. v/r Ken
Post Edited (2005-12-09 01:33)
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Author: crnichols
Date: 2005-12-09 10:02
If they offer you Japan, take it. The bands in Germany have an uncertain future, if you have any questions about the stations they give you, drop me an e-mail.
Chris
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Author: archer1960
Date: 2005-12-09 11:47
I was Navy rather than Army, but will still second the recommendation to take overseas assignments if they are offered to you and you are single. Save begging for those CONUS duty stations for later on, when you are married and have kids, or just too old to make the best of an overseas tour <grin>.
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2005-12-10 00:23
Quote:
So, what did you end up playing for the nice man? I choked and ended up playing Mozart K622. Figuring it's the one I've practiced the most over ALL my time practicing. But I'm probably going Concertino for the next one (Army School of Music)Quote:
Now for fun part, getting through MEPS in one piece. Don't even get me STARTED on what I had to go through . . . but I'm done. I leave Dec 28th and get to enjoy a thoroughly "happy new year" in the front lean and rest!!!! ![[wink]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie3.gif) Quote:
If they offer you Japan, take it. I pray that they will. I want that one SO bad. Or ANY OCONUS station.
So I'll be leaving Dec. 28th in which case you will all get a nice break from me for a few months. But I'll be back (unless Mark C. wises up and blocks my account by then so I can't torment any more bboarders with endless requests and amateur advice)
Thanks for all help on this.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: ohsuzan
Date: 2005-12-10 14:04
<<So I'll be leaving Dec. 28th >>
This all seems rather precipitous -- but I suppose, as Shakespeare almost wrote, if it is well that it's done, it is well that it's done quickly.
I do hope you will be able to continue to participate on the board. They won't be holding you incommunicado, will they?
Could you share something of your thought process leading up to your decision to make this move? I know we have discussed the merits of service band membership, and I know you have been casting around for direction in your life. So what finally tipped you over?
After a couple years of this, you will NOT be an amateur any more.
Susan
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Author: crnichols
Date: 2005-12-10 15:57
They like to send you off as quickly as possibly, it's less likely that you'll back out if everything moves quickly. I had about the same amount of time from signing my contract to shipping to basic training. After a couple years of this, you'll probably still have a lot to learn about music, and a big giant chunk of money from the GI Bill to buy that education, unless you choose to stay in as a career bandsmen. They will be holding him incommunicado. In Basic Combat Training, for about 13-14 weeks, he will be limited to writing letters and very infrequent use of the phone. Once he gets to the school of music, he'll have access to the internet and phone as time permits. After the 28th, we'll hear from him again sometime in April or May perhaps if all goes smoothly in training.
Good Luck!
Christopher Nichols
1st Infantry Division Band
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2005-12-10 16:03
ohsuzan wrote:
> <<So I'll be leaving Dec. 28th >>
>
> This all seems rather precipitous -- but I suppose, as
> Shakespeare almost wrote, if it is well that it's done, it is
> well that it's done quickly.
>
> I do hope you will be able to continue to participate on the
> board. They won't be holding you incommunicado, will they?
>
> Could you share something of your thought process leading up to
> your decision to make this move? I know we have discussed the
> merits of service band membership, and I know you have been
> casting around for direction in your life. So what finally
> tipped you over?
>
> After a couple years of this, you will NOT be an amateur any
> more.
>
> Susan
Certainly I can explain my thought process. I was never very serious about clarinet until about three years ago. Three years ago I found myself playing more and more and more (on my own free time, no doubt).
First off, let it be known that I did spend 1 year, 9 months and 29 days in a military college, and although that's not a true representative of the military, I had been through the college's form of basic training (called Basic Cadet Training) so I do know pretty much what the training will be like, I do know the various customs/courtesies between officers and enlisted and for the military in general, I did live on a base and while my main specilization was that of a student, I did interact often with various military personnel and did ask them questions while I was there about life as a regular (cadet life is anything BUT regular) member of the military.
I chose to leave that academy after seeing the prospective jobs that would have been available to me as an air force officer. After finding out that I was no longer eligible to become a pilot (due to my eyesight and due to the Air Force no longer allowing applicants to receive laser correction to fix their eyesight to become a pilot/navigator), I realized that there weren't many jobs as an officer that I would enjoy doing, and thought that the best way for me to serve my country would be to leave the academy, and one day return in the enlisted ranks.
As per the clarinet part of it . . . .
I had seen a few posts on this board regarding military clarinetists and reading throiugh them it set the idea in my head. Not to mention, I know that I wanted to rejoin the military at some point in the future. However at the time I had a girlfriend which I thought would be serious, and I didn't want to leave her. After that didn't work out, I spoke briefly with Ms. Heather Van Beek (band liason) through email in order to see what would be the process and I continue to look at it (this was about a year ago).
I joined UPS, and after working for two years, the military was constantly lingering in the back of my mind. I was getting a math degree in college and NOT looking forward to the prospective jobs that degree would allow me to take. I got promoted through UPS to a driver rather quickly (I'm a very hard and good worker) and after driving around for a bit, immediately had my doubts as to whether this career was for me. Although the money would have been very good, I didn't see myself being happy dropping off small boxes on porches for the next 25 years of my life. So I had resolved that (A) in a few years, if I don't like it, I'll join the military and see just what the enlisted life is like for a minimum of three years or (B) if something went wrong and I lost my driving priviliges, I would join the military.
My thoughts ALSO took/take into account that I'm currently 23 years old. If I sign up for the military or worked UPS and didn't like EITHER of them, I could get out before I was thirty and still have enough time in life for ANOTHER career change if I wanted one, and both these jobs would look good on a resume should I want one.
Well, I screwed up, and hit a low branch (never could get used to how HIGH those trucks were) and damaged the truck, thus ending my driving priviliges for one year. So went to a recruiter's office to check out what was available.
I was VERY nervous about auditioning, and after mentioning an audition only had about two days to prepare (one of which was spent going through the Military Entrance Processing Station or "MEPS" where I was given my ASVAB test - Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery - and a full physical to make sure I was qualified to enter).
For any interested in the Army, the ASVAB is an aptitude test testing a variety of things (math, general science, word comprehension, paragraph analysis, mechanical comprehension, stuff like that) and is scored out of 99. You need a 31 to enter. I think the different scores will also help guide you as to what job you would be eligible for in the military (for instance, if you do HORRIBLE on the mathematics section, chances are they won't recommend you to be a nuclear engineer, and certain fields have minimums on each portion). To become a clarinetist, there is no AVSAB minimum or minimum on a particular section. You only need to pass (31).
I did pass the audition however (not very good scores) but I firmly believe that once I enter the School of Music, and once I'm playing for a living every day, that I will be able to learn much more quickly than me studying on my own in whatever free time I have after work (what I've been doing for the past three years) and will hopefully reach my full potential in a few years.
As to how quickly they signed me in, once I passed the audition, I went to MEPS to contract. In my contract, due to being prior service (the time spent at the academy) I was ineligible for any of the bonuses that are advertised for joining (I couldn't get the $3000 enlistment bonus for joining a military band, nor the $6000 for having over 60 college credits, nor the $2000 for joining the band specifically as a clarinetist, nor whatever money would have been due to me depending on how many years I enlisted for). When I heard that, that was a REAL bummer!!! On the flipside, since I'm considered prior service, I have already spent about 22 months in the military so I can retire 22 months sooner than someone who is just joining. Which means, potentially, I can retire at the age of 51 with 3/4 pay per year.
The earliest opening for school of music meant that I should enter basic training January 6th. If that particular session for the AIT had been filled, I would have entered basic training January 23rd. I ship out about a week earlier than the start of basic training to ensure that I have time to fill out my paperwork and receive the necessary uniforms BEFORE it begins.
As for being incommunicado for however long, I can only assume that the rules of this basic training will be similar the basic cadet training I took in the past. Which means no access to computers, no snacks, soda, etc. etc. for the 9 weeks. I have NO clue how much free time I will have at the school of music, nor how I will be able to spend it, but while I'm there, I'm going to concentrate as hard as possible at getting the most I can out of the six months there, and so even if I AM allowed access to computers (I don't know if I am or am not), will probably only use it to do some online banking/bill-paying and to switch my car insurance company to USAA (thereby saving myself a TON of money per month).
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: Bob Phillips
Date: 2005-12-10 16:13
Indeed, Susan.
I've found my ex-service band colleagues to be highly skilled and disciplined players. Full of insights, too.
Example: How do you recognize a major 6th? Sing the old N-B-C jingle!
Bob Phillips
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2005-12-10 16:28
Bob Phillips wrote:
> Example: How do you recognize a major 6th? Sing the old N-B-C
> jingle!
Or the evil tri-tone: 'Ma-ri-a' (from West Side Story), or, more apropos, "The Simp-sons" (I don't think that was an accident but more a mucial pun).
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2005-12-10 16:31
I used to have a chart of all the intervals and tunes that they related to (many tunes to pick from, but I made a chart with all the ones I knew).
Maybe a new thread would be appropriate!!!! Here I go!
US Army Japan Band
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2005-12-10 16:33
Congratulations!
A young clarinetist friend of mine (went to school with my son), Harry Ong, is a member of "The President's Own" and speaks highly of his experiences.
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Author: ohsuzan
Date: 2005-12-10 16:37
It sounds as if everything is coming together for you, Alexi, in this move. You've got your military interests, your musical interests, your educational interests, and your economic interests all covered in one giant step. Bummer about the bonus money, though.
Good move.
Susan
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Author: Tom Puwalski
Date: 2005-12-11 04:23
Congrats on getting a gig! I remember doing basic as an 18 year old kid. Since I didn't go directly into the US Army Field band, I had to go to the S.O.M. It was the army before Urinanyisis so it was a lot more fun than it is these days. Just practice(putting in Units) the requisite amount of time. My first assignment was with the 26th army band in New York city. That was a totaly fun gig, did it for a little over a year than down to the Field band. At some point you want to get into one of the special bands, but until have fun on the gig and practice your butt off, you'll have time. Not as much as I do now that the army pays me to do nothing!
Tom Puwalski, former soloist with the US Army Field Band, Clarinetist with Lox&Vodka, and Author of "The Clarinetist's Guide to Klezmer"and most recently by the order of the wizard of Oz, for supreme intelligence, a Masters in Clarinet performance
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2005-12-12 22:16
Got the choices of base to be assigned to today.
The choices were . . .
Ft. Hood, Texas
Korea (they didn't specify which base)
Ft. Sill, Oklahoma
Ft. Rucker, Alabama
Schofield Barracks, Hawaii
I chose Hawaii. So unless they get sent for some troop morale elsewhere in the world, I'll be there as of Sept. '06.
I'll be around for a few more weeks, and then it's off to fun and adventure!
US Army Japan Band
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2005-12-12 22:43
Hmm, Not a hard choice!!
You are very lucky that you even got Hawaii, it could have been a lot, lot worse!
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Author: 3dogmom
Date: 2005-12-12 23:28
Gee, that's a tough one...Alabama...Hawaii...Oklahoma...Hawaii...Hawaii...Hawaii. No offense meant to occupants of Alabama or Oklahoma. Both nice places, but... I'm so glad things are working out for you.
Sue Tansey
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2005-12-27 03:15
Well, I'm off tomorrow, and I'm hitting the hay for tonight (27 Dec 2005 - or in Army terms which I should get used to, 20051227)
I'm looking forward to basic training (moreso than any of you would believe as I'm an adrenaline junky and was VERY close to picking army ranger as my MOS before understanding that maybe I actually had a chance to get in their band, and I even asked if there was a way I could get my jump certification and still be in the army band). And most of all, I can't wait to start my musical training in a few months and finally dedicate my all to music instead of trying to fit it in around my daily job!
Thanks for the participation so far and I'll be back in a few months (hopefully with more intelligent things to say and at least SOME sort of official experience under my belt). And I'll be around until I get kicked off for participating too often.
In the interim, happy new year to all, umm . . . happy valentine's day . . . . kwanzaa I believe is in there . . . . and overall, farewell until later!
Happily,
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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