 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Remus
Date: 2012-06-08 23:43
Attachment: symph.JPG (118k)
I've been given a choice of three excerpts for an audition I have coming up. I want to audition for the top ensemble, but the excerpt is very challenging, especially the speed (I'm at half the speed they want it). Would it be wise for me to audition with this excerpt, or should I use the next highest one?
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Author: Remus
Date: 2012-06-08 23:45
The attachment is for the highest ensemble. Please note the speed; I hope I'm not the only one struggling with it.
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2012-06-09 02:06
I've always been told it's better to play something less technical or "hard", and play it EXTREMELY well, than to attempt to play that "harder" piece and not do it well.
Or in numbers...
If you know you can't work it up in time, better to play the hell out of a level "8" piece than to flub through a level "10". At least, that's what I've been told.
Alexi
PS - If you do decide to use a different excerpt, keep this one in your back pocket, continue practicing, and marvel at the day a few months in the future when you pull it out again and think, "Wow. It's less hard now than before." Always fun to see those pieces that in the past were "impossible" and now seem plausible or doable.
Alexi (again)
US Army Japan Band
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Author: Remus
Date: 2012-06-09 02:15
Thanks for the advice! I'll be sure to keep it with me.
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Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2012-06-09 03:19
Do you know what the pieces are? Often composers use the tempo as a guide. Depending on the composer it can make a huge difference. Added to this perhaps some of the pro's here can help you out with understanding some of the parts.
opps I didn't see the attachment.
I have to agree that this is pretty hard to play and perhaps step back a bit and play something that you will be proud of. People don't really remember a good try, but they remember something that was really played well. Therefore I think you already got some outstanding advice.
Designer of - Vintage 1940 Cicero Mouthpieces and the La Vecchia mouthpieces
Yamaha Artist 2015
Post Edited (2012-06-09 03:26)
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Author: Katrina
Date: 2012-06-09 06:50
If it's MYS, go for it if you get it down in time. A student of mine auditioned last year for MYS and played the excerpt _too fast_ (different piece, Shostakovich I think). This student made alternate. So don't play it too fast either!
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Author: Alexis
Date: 2012-06-09 10:29
There are many recordings of this piece. Check the tempo on those, they may be slower than what is marked. Also, put in slurs. From memory these are tutti passages.
In terms of speed, it's more about co-ordination. If you can do it perfectly a slow tempo- really perfectly, no blips between notes, clear finger movements - you have much more chance doing that at a faster speed.
Impossible to advise you on what audition to take though.
Post Edited (2012-06-09 11:11)
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Author: Remus
Date: 2012-06-09 14:36
I don't think I have to worry about playing it too fast, haha.
But adding slurs would really help; the coordination between my fingers and my tongue crumbles during really fast passages. Would slurring through one measure at a time (tonguing on the downbeat) be sufficient for the tonguing passages, or would anyone suggest anything different?
Thank you all so much for your help, it's amazing to have such a supportive online community that I can turn to when I'm struggling with something.
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Author: davyd
Date: 2012-06-09 18:47
This passage is by no means the hardest part of "Sorcerer". This tutti passage at number 52 is almost straightforward, compared with 22, 30, 49, and others.
I concur with the others. Play the piece you're best at, not the piece that's the most challenging.
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Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2012-06-11 22:57
"the coordination between my fingers and my tongue crumbles during really fast passages."
Most people think their fingers are faster then the tongue. Most often the tongue is faster then the fingers, so this is something to consider when using a metronome. Slow down the fingers as you add speed. When you mess up try to remember this and perhaps you will gain more speed. Slurring some of the notes is a very good idea.
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Author: Gregory Williams
Date: 2012-06-12 13:26
Attachment: Dukas.jpg (82k)
If my memory serves me correctly...we use the attached articulation in the Minnesota Orchestra...or something similar.
Oh...I cannot add attachments to the message....see the next thread.
Maybe I can...let's see how many posts I can rack up here today:
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2012-06-12 13:53
Gregory Williams wrote:
> Maybe I can...let's see how many posts I can rack up here
> today:
Sure you can. Write your post, Hit Add Attachments, and select your pictures (jpeg, gif, png, pdf ...). Just don't try & upload more than 5 megabytes ... I limit how much data you can upload in the BBoard.
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Author: Remus
Date: 2012-06-12 16:44
Thanks for the clarification on the slurs. I'll try that and see if it helps enough; if not, I've been working on the other excerpt as a back-up.
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Author: Katrina
Date: 2012-06-13 00:11
Yeah...If it's for a Twin Cities youth orchestra, listen to Gregory Williams!
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