 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Exiawolf
Date: 2014-04-08 02:31
Greetings!
I am an aspiring Clarinet player getting ready for an audition for my High School Band Class (Currently in 8th grade). I have an above average tone, and a great range from low E to 5 lines above the staff A. I would really like to try my best to get into the highest level of class and the teachers auditioning me are well aware of my musical and playing capabilities, but I want to have a memorable audition that sets me apart from the rest. I am taking lessons before anyone asks, however I just want to get an opinion on song choice from more than one person.
So I'm looking for a 30 second (Strictly, can't exceed 35) piece that will show good range, tone, be memorable, and most importantly expressive. I was thinking the opening to Rhapsody in Blue, but I'd like your opinions. Thank you in advance!
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Author: shadow1
Date: 2014-04-08 09:31
If it can only be 30 secs then you can pretty much only play the opening to Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue or an allegro Rose etude(although these are for warming up and not traditionally performed, they show skill and are traditionally used for auditions). 30 secs is pretty short.
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Author: ThatPerfectReed
Date: 2014-04-08 17:19
Quinton, I know this doesn't help but I reply in the interest of humor and entertainment value:
That said, why not this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3_pNnfelRg
Yes, I know, it's over 30 seconds, and (NOT) way too easy a piece for anyone to really display much technique on, but we can use this as a starting point to more difficult exerpts that might be good candidates for your audition. ![[wink]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie3.gif)
Seriously, I'm with shadow1 on this one.
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2014-04-08 18:49
I would recommend one of the variations out of the Rossini Theme and Variations. Several good showy moments, just pick your favorite one.
The only problem with Rhapsody is that it's a "one trick pony." If gliss is all you want to show case, go for it.
................Paul Aviles
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Author: rtmyth
Date: 2014-04-08 21:24
A few excerpts, (piecemeal of course), from the Mozart would be known and, I hope, impressive. Or........ Sorry, my time and space are up.
richard smith
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Author: cyclopathic
Date: 2014-04-08 18:12
what have you played for solo ensemble? It is probably better to pick something from what you already worked on, then start on completely new piece.
Talk to your teacher, he/she knows you better and might be able to help a piece good luck.
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Author: davyd
Date: 2014-04-09 00:15
I suppose this is what the job search experts call the Elevator Pitch, which is intended to be short but effective. Or perhaps the Twitter mentality has spread to auditions.
Perhaps one of the following:
opening solo from Sibelius 1st symphony
solo from the Janiculum section of Pines Of Rome
obbligato line from Jesu, joy of man's desiring
transcription of the piccolo obbligato from Stars & Stripes Forever
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Author: ruben
Date: 2014-04-09 20:13
I would be very happy to compose something for you. It would be very amusing for me to try to cram a lot of music into 45 seconds or so. I've had quite a few things published. I'm not the world's greatest composer, but am the world's cheapest.
rubengreenbergparisfrance@gmail.com
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Author: Filettofish
Date: 2014-04-10 02:01
With a 30 second audition time, I might recommend a brief orchestral excerpt. OP mentioned the cadenza from Rhapsody in Blue, but there are plenty more fine orchestral excerpts to be explored. A few standards are: solos from Beethoven's 6th, 1st movement, solos from Rimsky-Korsakov's Spanish Caprice, Scherzo from "A Midsummer Night's Dream." These excerpts are standard, exhibit some sort of skill, and are all conveniently available in the public domain. Playing excerpts or solos from them is an excellent way to express technique, taste, and musicality.
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Author: Exiawolf
Date: 2014-04-10 03:53
Haha, ya lots of options. I appreciate all the input though. I don't have the opportunity to listen to all of the suggestions right now, however I will eventually. Thank you so far everyone!
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Author: clariniano
Date: 2014-04-11 03:51
Something that shows off your strengths but you don't struggle with and is well within your grasp. Many students try to play stuff that is way beyond their capability for high school and university auditions, I had one student tell me years ago that he saw people who had only been playing a couple of years struggle with Level 9 RCM material in their audition (and often didn't get in), while he was playing a solid Level 6 and was told they would accept him right away. That kid has just graduated from university for music in performance and I've heard (don't know for sure) he's going to Julliard in September for grad school. Here a well-played Level 4 or 6 piece will get you in over a struggled Level 9 or 10 piece for arts schools and band placements.
Meri
Please check out my website at: http://donmillsmusicstudio.weebly.com and my blog at: http://clariniano.wordpress.com
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Author: fskelley
Date: 2014-04-11 04:03
clariniano wrote:
>a well-played Level 4 or 6 piece will get
> you in over a struggled Level 9 or 10 piece for arts schools
> and band placements
May I say- amen!
What is even better is if you are able to breathe more life into that lower level piece or 2 than your audience has ever heard. Technical brilliance is wonderful, but music is more about emotion than flash. Of course you have to be careful not to overload/overdo the dynamics and playing stylistics etc (when your audience begins to notice and think about them- you've lost the game), but too much might still be better than too little.
Read up on "cold chills" and strive to give them to your listeners.
[http://www.mentalfloss.com/article/51745/why-does-music-give-us-chills]
Stan in Orlando
EWI 4000S with modifications
Post Edited (2014-04-11 06:59)
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Author: Exiawolf
Date: 2014-04-11 06:10
Greetings!
I have looked at most of the pieces suggested, but alot them don't strike me. Taking what fskelly said and causing a "cold chill" in my audience I have considered songs that mean alot to me and would fully show my emotion. In your guys's opinion, would this song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZaqJFnnai0 (From 0:30 to 1:01) be a good choice? It has always striken me as a flowing melody and one that will send chills down my judges if played with emotion and possibly some vibrato in there. Thank you all so far!
~Exiawolf
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Author: fskelley
Date: 2014-04-11 06:23
That's a nice selection. Do you have a clarinet transcription, or are you creating your own? Your teacher(s) should be able to help. There would be room for a (subtle!) flourish or 2 that go beyond just the melody and would show you've got a powerful engine under the hood, you're just keeping it under control. I'm imagining an arpeggiated riff to the top of your range stuck in at the right moment... completely under control, perhaps even getting softer the higher you go, but every note speaking perfectly. You'll know it's right when the piece no longer sounds right to you (or your teacher) without the extra riff(s).
The other thing to strive for is a hauntingly beautiful tone on a couple of sustained notes- vibrato on/off/transition/whatever... that grabs attention and holds it.
Remember also, whenever you do something understated, it seems to work out that the people before and after you will do something astoundingly technical. And you have to be OK about that, just like the guy with a 700 HP beast in his truck who is content to drive conservatively and save the power for when it's really needed, while showoffs are ripping up the road all around him.
Stan in Orlando
EWI 4000S with modifications
Post Edited (2014-04-11 02:38)
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Author: Exiawolf
Date: 2014-04-11 02:51
I have a clarinet sheet already. I figure Ill add in a few subtle things and also what you said. Could you possibly show an example of what you mean? I'd be glad to add it in. The song is in the key of G major and my range reaches up to the A 5 lines above the staff if that helps you give an example or an explanation of any kind. Thanks
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Author: fskelley
Date: 2014-04-11 03:28
What you have to do is identify the spots in your 30 sec that you think something extra fits- sustained note, arpeggio, chromatic run, whatever- and experiment to find a winner. And don't settle on something just because it works (though that can be very satisfying)... yank it if it's not an obvious improvement.
You asked me to describe what I mean by an arpeggio up. I don't know this tune, but just for the sake of argument let's assume there's a nice spot with a sustained E minor chord. (If you don't know chords- get help or just experiment until you find the notes that fit well in the given spot.) E minor is E G B E G B... which you'd carry upward to the G just below your high A. Your starting note could be anywhere, even the lowest E- depends on how much time you have, how fast sounds best, what starting (and ending) notes seem to fit best- no right or wrong, just what works. And in most cases you can and should add additional notes to the basic chord. For Em I'd almost always includes the D's (makes it an E minor 7) or the C#'s (E minor 6), and some (but not all) F#'s might sneak in. If it's a major chord like G that would be G B D I'd probably add in the A's and sometimes the E's.
Also you need to figure whether it's just once on each note going up, or whether you make some of it like a G1 B1 D1 B1 G2 D1 B2 pattern, there's a zillion permutations. And whether it's a single run up or down, or instead it goes to the top and then reflects back down, or the reverse of that.
It's not rocket science. Let me know how it goes!
Stan in Orlando
EWI 4000S with modifications
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Author: fskelley
Date: 2014-04-11 07:51
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZueXY7Yn_AY]
At about :21 is (sort of) an arpeggio down at a good open spot in the melody. It's a G7 chord and I'm hitting mostly G F D B Bb A G all the way down. At about :29 is sort of an arpeggio up at another good spot, a G6 chord where I use G A A# B D E G and go back and forth a bit.
Stan in Orlando
EWI 4000S with modifications
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Author: Exiawolf
Date: 2014-04-11 08:35
This is what I was able to play in the waning hours of the day: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SqtZSYkhR4&feature=youtu.be . There are quite a few things messed up that could be done better (And the tone is not accurately represented because I recorded this with an iPhone) however I believe it was a good first run.
Here's what I noticed was messed up.
1. The B to C to B at 0:11/0:12 sounds forced as if I have trouble getting them out
2. The pause at 0:14 shouldn't be there, but I needed to take a breath
3. The vibrato on the High G is sloppy and could be a lot better
4. The B at 0:38 didn't start as well as it should have.
Thanks for your time! Tips on where to go (Other than whats stated above) would be greatly appreciated.
~Exiawolf
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Author: clarinetist04
Date: 2014-04-11 17:11
1. I have no idea if you can play technically, that doesn't show any agility. Musicality, yes, but technique, none. Can we combine the two?
2. Why are you using vibrato? You are auditioning for a band where clarinets don't use vibrato. To me, that shows a lack of understanding how a clarinet is played in this ensemble. If you're playing a piece that showcases you as a soloist, have at it, but for these circumstances it's over-the-top. You have a nice vibrato, though.
3. You do have a nice tone. But your long tones, if this is the piece you choose to play, would benefit from more musical expression. Make the music go somewhere. Tell a story.
4. What is the aversion to playing a traditional piece? I've used the first 30 seconds of Mozart for almost every audition I've ever done that I got to pick the music for and have had success at every level, from middle school to college and beyond. Just because a piece of music is in the standard repertoire doesn't mean it can't have an emotional impact. But you're not here to make the judges cry, you're here to showcase your talent. I can't tell you how many auditions I've heard the first two bars of Mozart and already known the outcome - it's a deceptively tricky piece that NEEDS musicality, an understanding of the music, and awesome technique/articulation.
My suggestion would echo shadow1. Rose is an excellent option, any of the slower, technical etudes. I might also consider the Jeanjean etudes as a source of inspiration. Some of those are gorgeous - the last one in the 16 etude book (I think) is a duet written as a round - that melody is one of my favorites. The first movement to Weber 1 is also good.
I'm just saying, don't over think this. Showcase your technique and musicality. Make sure you hit both.
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2014-04-11 18:04
I would echo clarinetist04 above. You have a good tone, but this is just a series of long notes. It doesn't demonstrate agility or articulation, and I also think the vibrato is misplaced considering what you're aiming for. You shouldn't be pioneering new techniques, you should be showing them that you can do what they need. I'd go with one of the slower Rose etudes, making sure that it goes over the break in both directions.
Tony F.
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Author: fskelley
Date: 2014-04-11 18:41
Your recording does sound polished already, and the flaws you've identified are not obvious (only you know what you intended). That's good, you have a critical ear- and more work will make it even better. Your tone is sweet.
Vibrato is a can of worms. I like it in this solo, and perhaps all through- the way you've done it- might be the best sounding (matter of taste). But it is essential you show you've got it totally under control. So at least some, perhaps most, of these sustained tones need to be solidly on pitch with zero vibrato. What I meant by transition is a note that starts with none and then adds it toward the end (perhaps same time note is getting louder or softer). Same kind of thing vocal soloists (and string players) do all the time.
Robert and Tony are correct that the piece as is does not show the depth of your technical ability (though I hope your audience recognizes the difficulty of making something that slow sound that good). You said at the beginning that the teachers are already well aware of your abilities, so perhaps faster material is not essential. My previous suggestion to add more technical embellishments to your BOB piece is difficult to carry off well (how much? where? does it fit?), where the standard literature stuff is well established and covers all the bases.
When you leave the beaten path you do run the risk of your audience spending your 30 seconds thinking, "Why is he playing that?" instead of concentrating on your playing. Perhaps one of the persons doing the audition could offer an opinion now about your selection- would be nice to know what they really need to hear in 30 sec, and how flexible are their attitudes.
Stan in Orlando
EWI 4000S with modifications
Post Edited (2014-04-11 15:32)
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Author: rmk54
Date: 2014-04-11 21:18
I might also consider the Jeanjean etudes as a source of inspiration.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Jeanjean 18! The kid (while talented) can hardly go over the break.
Why not suggest the Corigliano Concerto?
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Author: gregbaker112@gmail.com
Date: 2014-04-11 17:40
Perhaps the first set of sextelets (sp.?) from the last page of the Weber Second Concerto. Just a bit of advice to get you started [IMHO], no accent on the first of each set (the throat a's). Good luck.
Greg Baker
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Author: clarinetist04
Date: 2014-04-11 22:21
"The kid (while talented) can hardly go over the break."
Really? In a slow, soft section, he had a little trouble. I'd hardly say that's an issue and if he indeed does have issues getting over "the break" then maybe the highest high school band is not the place to be. The last etude in the set of 18, the duet, is hardly the most difficult etude in that book! Some of the others might compare to the Corigliano (really, not hardly) but the last one, if you play the first 30 seconds if it, is really not that difficult. And when played with musicality, it's the best one in the book - an absolutely gorgeous melody. And when it's played with the accompanying "duetist" it's even more beautiful. I think I'm going to play that when I get home.
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Author: Ursa
Date: 2014-04-11 18:25
The Bordogni Vocalises as presented in Rochut's compilation "Melodious Etudes for Clarinet" could provide something valuable for a 30-second audition.
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Author: Exiawolf
Date: 2014-04-11 23:16
Rmk54, are you suggesting I can't go over the break? If so then please know that I can (quite well I'd say too). If you need I'll post a video of me playing some scales in my entire range...
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Author: rmk54
Date: 2014-04-12 21:55
Well, you are able to make it over the break, just not very smoothly.
I'm afraid my sarcasm regarding the Corigliano Concerto was a bit esoteric for some of our friends here...
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Author: fskelley
Date: 2014-04-12 23:27
rmk54 wrote:
> I'm afraid my sarcasm regarding the Corigliano Concerto was a
> bit esoteric for some of our friends here...
You would think the thin-skinned would learn what to expect here. But that does not seem to dissuade them.
Some posts (mine included) seem a bit like walking into a strange biker bar and loudly proclaiming that anybody who'd buy a Harley (or plug in any brand here) must be a complete idiot. And then expecting to have a logical exchange about the various merits and advantages of brand A vs brand H. If you're lucky you just get completely ignored (that happens here also).
Stan in Orlando
EWI 4000S with modifications
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Author: Exiawolf
Date: 2014-04-13 01:06
A quick run of a 3 scales (F Major, C Major, and G Major) long with a selection from Among the Clouds and Old Friends from The Hobbit an Unexpected Journey.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ee8lQhXBo5E&feature=youtu.be
I figured I'd give a sample of some more of my playing. Here you go!
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Author: AAAClarinet
Date: 2014-04-12 21:24
Exiawolf, don't feel a need to prove yourself here. Some people here can't remember what it is to be young. You sound good and have many years to refine your playing. We are ever growing as we strive to be makers of music. If you ever find yourself in southern California let's play some duets.
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Author: ruben
Date: 2014-04-13 18:24
I am in full agreement with triple A. I wish I had been able to play a third as well as you do when I was your age. Your keenness warms the heart and there are a few of you youngsters out there bringing the average age of the participants of this board down. Given your enthusiasm, ability and curiosity, you'll go steadily up to the top!
rubengreenbergparisfrance@gmail.com
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Author: Exiawolf
Date: 2014-04-14 04:09
I don't feel a need to prove myself, just a need to get a good suggestion from you guys. And you have done that, thank you all. Although when someone talks about not being able to make it over the break, I felt slightly offended because to me thats a very beginner clarinet problem and I believe I'm past the beginner stages (Quite a bit hopefully)
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Author: Exiawolf
Date: 2014-04-15 08:00
Okay. The audition is coming up in 18 days. Its down to my choice and it needs to be made now. The decision is between the Rose Etude 2 or Rose Etude 4 (Of which I am familiar with) or if you guys have a better suggestion for my audition specifically, please tell me. Thank you for all your help!
Post Edited (2014-04-15 08:13)
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