 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Morrigan
Date: 2006-10-12 12:47
I decided to do my first professional audition and so applied for a principal clarinet position that came up recently. Today I received the excerpts in the mail, 14 days ahead of the audition. All *17* of them. Some I've never seen before, because they're from ballet and opera repertoire (it's that kind of orchestra) and some I know quite well.
This was a shock to me, because I'm used to auditioning for youth orchestras where there can be up to 8 excerpts, all standards that I probably audition on twice or more a year.
Are all professional auditions like this? 17 excerpts, mozart concerto, 14 day's notice? Does a 'true' professional already know all these excerpts, and an audition like this is just a matter of refreshing music already learned?
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Author: cigleris
Date: 2006-10-12 14:45
Yes, Yes, Yes and more yes. It's the way it works. Just be thankfull that you didn't have just a week like i once did. Anyway alot of the standard rep comes out so it is a question of just going over them and perhaps seeing if you fit into the kind of sound that orchestra produce.
Peter Cigleris
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2006-10-12 16:28
This was the drill as given to me by Bill Wrzesian (BSO):
Make four folders equally distributing ALL the basic excerpts amongst them (fast, slow, staccato, legato). Play one folder a day through the week (as one part of the daily regimen).
Next week - REPEAT.
............Paul Aviles
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Author: Ben
Date: 2006-10-12 16:30
Why couldn't you get the excerpts earlier? The auditions I've done give you at least a couple months notice, if not longer. Even if they don't send the music right away, it's up to you to copy parts or get the excerpts from scores, especially if it's something you've never performed!
I'd understand if you wanted to just do the audition for the experience to see what it's like, but you shouldn't want to waste you time or the committee’s time either. Try and learn as much as you can from the experience and make playing at your best your main goal.
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Author: Gregory Smith ★2017
Date: 2006-10-12 17:09
Is this a symphony orchestra or pit orchestra that you're auditioning for?
I know that Australian orchestras, by tradition, only send out their list of repertory a couple of weeks in advance (which I've always found a little odd).
Instead of a rather "pop quiz" approach, I would think that they would want to hear people playing at their very best - that is unless there are circumstances that the orchestra will be doing semi-regular sight reading.
How often does that really happen in an orchestra?
Gregory Smith
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Author: Morrigan
Date: 2006-10-12 21:39
Hi Gregory,
It's the resident orchestra of the Sydney Opera House, the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra. And yes, here it seems standard to have two weeks with the excerpts. That's just the way they did it. I applied *months* ago and the date for mail-out of the excerpts was on the application form.
I won't be wasting anyone's time - I will be cancelling promptly!
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Author: Snowy
Date: 2006-10-13 00:56
Morrigan wrote:- "I won't be wasting anyone's time - I will be cancelling promptly!".
Tim,
I think others would urge you to go for it.
I am one such.
Snowy
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Author: DressedToKill
Date: 2006-10-13 02:59
I don't wish to sound indelicate or rude at all, but I would like to bring up the question of why you feel that after only youth orchestra experiences, you felt prepared to take a professional audition for a principal clarinet chair in the resident orchestra of the Sydney Opera/Australian Ballet & Opera, then saying you've never seen some of the excerpts before "because they're from ballet and opera repertoire"? It just seems to me that one who was auditioning for such a prestigious principal position in a world-class orchestra specializing in opera and ballet would...know the opera and ballet excerpts!
I love Paul's suggestion of the random distribution of excerpts and the daily reading thereof...perhaps you could also do some work out of the Peter Hadcock and Ben Armato books for a few months to familiarize yourself with some of these excerpts that will surely crop up again should you decide to audition for such an orchestra again.
Best of luck, whichever decision you ultimately make!
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Author: Morrigan
Date: 2006-10-13 05:45
The answer is simple - to learn something. I've decided not to even go for the audition and I've learned a lot. I've also got 17 excerpts to work on, which is going to help me out in future auditions. Plus there's this thread, which has been mostly informative.
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Author: sherman
Date: 2006-10-13 18:22
It may be of general interest to see an actual audition list for a major orchestra. Following is the list of requirements for 4th horn:
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AUDITION REPERTOIRE
Preliminaries/Semi-finals/Finals
I. Solos (need not be memorized)
Bach
Cello Suite No. 1 - Courante (sounding at concert pitch; no repeats)
Mozart
Horn Concerto No. 2 in Eb major, K.417 - mvt I (no cadenza)
II. Orchestra Passages
*Those candidates in the final round may be asked to play the asterisked (*) excerpts with BSO members as part of the audition.
Fourth Horn
Beethoven
Symphony No. 9 - mvt III
Brahms
Piano Concerto No. 2 - mvt II
Brahms
Symphony No. 4 - mvts I and II
Dvorák
Symphony No. 9 - mvt I
Mahler
Symphony No. 3 - mvt I
Mendelssohn
Symphony No. 3 - mvt II
Ravel
Daphnis & Chloë (complete) - Durand Edition rehearsal numbers: 151 - 152 and 202 to the end
Shostakovich
Symphony No. 5 - mvt I
Strauss
Don Quixote - rehearsal numbers: 9 - 12, 19 - 20, 34 - 35, 47 - 48, and 52 - 63
Strauss
Ein Heldenleben - rehearsal numbers: 3 - 38, 75 - 80, and 94 - 98
Wagner
Das Rheingold - opening
Weber
*Der Freischütz Overture
Second Horn
Beethoven
*Symphony No. 3 - Trio
Mahler
*Symphony No. 1 - mvt I: opening
Mendelssohn
A Midsummer Night's Dream - Scherzo
Schoenberg
Kammersymphonie No. 1 (chamber version) - rehearsal numbers: 28 - 30 and 74 - 76
Strauss
Alpensinfonie - rehearsal numbers: 15 - 22 and 110 - 112
III. Sight Reading
___________________________________________________
This is a 4th horn audition list for the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
I do not find this any surprise, and any aspring clarinetist should expect no less. Whatever preparation that is necessary....is necessary.
Looking at the list,it is interesting to note that this could be an audition for a clarinet position with just a few changes.
Best always, Sherman Friedland
Post Edited (2006-10-14 12:17)
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Author: cigleris
Date: 2006-10-13 23:21
You have to start somewhere. Take the audition and learn from it, the next one will be slightly easier and so on. My first audition was for a principle position and I was still at the RCM. It was good experience, though i didn't get a trial. I say do it, it might help you focus your playing and learning stuff in tight situations. Just think that one day you'll get the job you want but will at some point have to play a piece on one or no rehearsal. This audition can perhaps prepare you for that.
I do find it odd that we can't audition in Australia being part of the Commonwealth anf all that.
Good luck anyhow.
Peter Cigleris
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Author: Alphie
Date: 2006-10-14 00:38
When getting a position in an opera and ballet orchestra you’re thrown right into business from the very beginning. Many operas are running already and you can’t expect any rehearsals at all. My wife got the principal flute job a year ago and had to learn 22 operas and ballets the first season with maximum one rehearsal of some of them. For the rest, the performances of each piece was the first time she played them.
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Author: Aussie Nick
Date: 2006-10-14 02:46
cigleris... I think they have to only advertise jobs within Australia for the first 2 times, on the third they can open it up to overseas. I know that the Melbourne Symphony has had 2 associate principal auditions in the past couple of years. They put somebody on trial once, but soon they will be auditioning the position for a 3rd time and I believe it is opened up internationally.
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Author: cigleris
Date: 2006-10-14 20:19
Aussie Nick, that's good know. I'll look out for the ad.
Peter Cigleris
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Author: ken
Date: 2006-10-15 03:55
It's a small circle of musicians down under and first impressions are still lasting ones. If Morrigan doesn't believe he's ready to compete at that level he would be wise to re-consider risking damage to his good name fresh out of the egg.
After all, NOT having a reputation can still project one. Gigging in community bands and orchestras, and trading 4s with Murph and the Magictones on mic night are spots to gain experience, certainly not a nationally renowned Ballet & Opera Company. v/r Ken
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Author: donald
Date: 2006-10-15 08:00
i know a violin player who will never get any subbing work with the Auckland Phil because she did a terrible audition for a section job that gave a very very bad impression, on the other hand next time she wants to prepare an audition for another position she has the opportunity to make a better impression.
donald
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Author: Alphie
Date: 2006-10-15 11:19
I know of an assistant principal trombone player who applied for the solo principal chair in his own orchestra. He did so badly in the audition so he was kicked down to tutti. That is what I call a rude awakening.
Post Edited (2006-10-15 11:20)
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