 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Bigno16
Date: 2004-12-20 00:22
I am going to be auditioning at many colleges soon and need to choose some excerpts to prepare. Specficially, Boston University says the following:
Below are examples of the literature appropriate for an audition. You should consider works that demonstrate cantilena style (slow tempo, legato melodic lines, sustained phrasing, singing tone quality) and technical facility (fast tempo, variety in rhythm, correct phrasing, tone quality, clean articulation, etc.):
Concerto, K. 622 by Mozart; Concerto, Opus 74 (first movement only) by Weber; Three Pieces by Stravinsky; or works equivalent to these in difficulty. Orchestral repertoire such as passages from Symphony No. 6 by Beethoven, Overture to A Midsummer Night's Dream by Mendelssohn, or passages equal to these in difficulty.
I want to do A Midsummer Night's Dream but know that I'm going to have trouble doing the articulation at a good speed. Is it okay to, for the 6 sixteenth notes in a row, to slur the first two and tongue the next 4?
Also, what passages from Beethoven's Symphony No. 6 should I prepare?
Does anyone have know of any good excerpts to play? Have any advice about auditioning for college? I'm really kinda nervous about it.
I have Daniel Bonade's Orchestral Studies Book, but I need to purchase the actual music, right?
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Author: GBK
Date: 2004-12-20 00:48
Get the original music. Listen to the recordings. Learn your part in relation to the rest of the orchestra.
BTW - The Bonade excerpt book has a number of typos and misprints...GBK
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Author: diz
Date: 2004-12-20 01:46
GBK ... you might just be able to answer this ...
Why is the KV 622 so popular as an audition piece when the Nielsen concerto (for example) is far more demanding (at least technically).
Without music, the world would be grey, very grey.
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Author: GBK
Date: 2004-12-20 02:17
diz wrote:
> Why is the KV 622 so popular as an audition piece
Probably the same reason that the Haydn Trumpet Concerto (1st movement - Exposition) is called for on all trumpet auditions...GBK ![[wink]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie3.gif)
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Author: Bigno16
Date: 2004-12-20 03:30
Isn't it that the Mozart Concerto is considered like "perfect"? And it's harder to perform because everyone has a different interpretation on how it should be played and everyone thinks that their interpretation is correct?
Something along those lines?
Thanks Mark and GBK. Would I order those parts through say, Jwpepper or where would you recommend?
Also, I can still be accepted to the school if I don't cut it at my audition, right? (Not a complete music school obviously) But could I say, get accepted to BU, but just not the school of music yet?
Post Edited (2004-12-20 03:34)
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Author: Jim E.
Date: 2004-12-20 04:33
My son auditioned at 6 colleges 3 years ago;
U of Del, The Boyer school at Temple U, West Chester U, Rowan U, College of NJ and Mason Gross at Rutgers U.
None had any excerpts on the list, all had either the Mozart or the Weber Concertino along with some others which varied. A few wanted an etude besides the solo, one of the Roses sufficed. All required scales and sight reading as well. Most auditioned for sight singing and ear training for placement purposes, and West Chester auditioned for piano placement also.
He found the auditions somewhat similar to those for regional band, so if you've done that, you're ahead of the game.
He was accepted at 5 of the 6, only U of Del turned him down. (He also had good HS grades and high boards.) They sent a letter asking if he wanted to be considered for admission as another major or undeclaired. He did not.
Don't think you can be admitted as another major, switch to music, and get out in 4 years. Most schools require 8 semesters of applied music (private lessons) and do not offer it to non-majors.
At the Rutgers audition, at least 6 were playing the Mozart in practice rooms that had no windows in the doors. We tried to locate him by listening for his style!
B.T.W. he started at West Chester, had problems, and has transfered to Rowan which is closer to home. He still is a music ed major on the clarinet.
Hope this helps and good luck!
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2004-12-20 16:52
Bigno -
You should prepare everything on the list you received, and some other things that you particularly like and feel confident on.
In the Mozart Concerto, the hard part is not the notes. Any decent high school player can get through. It's precision of movement from one note to the next. The first two notes, G-E, for example, often have a little blip between them because the player doesn't put down the two fingers exactly together. Similarly, the slur in the 6th bar, G up to F, must be with no "click." Hardest of all is the downward slur from clarion A to F in the middle of the next phrase, which requires perfect coordination between fingers on both hands. You need to work hard on the little things. Listen to the Marcellus recording to hear what I'm talking about.
A spectacular audition piece, though monstrously difficult, is #1 of the Rose 40 Etudes. If you can make all the slurs perfectly seamless in the first two measures, you'll get in almost automatically wherever you audition. For some hints on how to do this, see http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=158256&t=158204 and http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=160752&t=160676
For tips on the Medelssohn Midsummer Night's Dream and the Beethoven 6th, see my notes on Mark Nuccio's wonderful master class, http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=101441&t=101441.
You absolutely must tongue all the notes in the Mendelssohn. Do it at the best speed you can manage, which will be faster if you use Mark Nuccio's method.
The Beethoven 6th solos are the arpeggiated passage near the end of the 1st movement and beginning of the 2nd movement. Again, see Mark Nuccio's hints.
You should purchase the music itself, rather than relying on the excerpt book. The Beethoven Symphonies are available in score in an inexpensive Dover edition http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN%3D0486260348/classicalnetA/102-0260116-8915339, and so is the Mendelssohn http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN%3D0486231844/classicalnetA/102-0260116-8915339
You need the scores because the solos (particularly in the Mendelssohn and the 2nd movement of the Beethoven) are shuffled in with other parts in other sections of the orchestra and don't make sense by themselves. For much more on this, see my posting on the solos in the Beethoven 8th, http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=26741&t=26741.
Don't forget to work on your scales and arpeggios, major and minor, completely around the circle of fifths. Also, you should have the two-page exercise in thirds from the Klose book down cold.
Finally, Yehuda Gilead said in a master class that he would never take a student who didn't have a sense of humor. It's important to hit it off with the auditioner, and get at least one chuckle.
Good luck. Have fun.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Bigno16
Date: 2004-12-21 03:58
Thanks a TON Ken. That's a ton of information and of great help.
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