 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: Morrigan
Date: 2002-09-26 11:17
Hi guys.
I have an audition for the college I auditioned for last year and didn't get in (Victorian College of the Arts, Australia), and this time around it's very different.
Last year, I was told continuously that I was so good I'd definitely get in. After not being accepted, my teacher (on the panel) told me the eunanimous decision was that I 'over-played' everything and came across a little eccentric.
I've been told I play like I own the stage and it can seem very arrogant. I've heard people talk about great clarinettists and they say that they own the stage they play on, like it's a good thing. I thought, "What's the difference between them and me?"
My answer came when I got some completely open criticism last night. I was told, simply and truthfuly, "Coz you're up yourself." I didn't know how to rspond to that, but it was a real eye-opener, and it's even more shocking because maybe I know it's true, or maybe it's the people constantly telling me "You're a good player, you'll get in"...
This time around, I don't want to make the same mistakes. I don't want to overplay and I don't want to come across as arrogant. This audition is about overcoming my own worst enemy; myself.
I just wanted to ask everyone, particularly, people here who have ever been on audition panels, how should I come across? I know the obvious answer is 'be yourself' but I don't have a 'myself' when I go on stage (yet). If I get into the music, I will over-play it. I'm trying to find a happy medium that will impress but not show off. And I would really like to overcome this arrogance, however one does it.
My repertoire looks to be Weber Concertino, Arnold Fantasy and a Baermann Study, but I'd also like to include one of those Gershwin arrangements for solo clarinet, which a friend of mine got in on similar repertoire for.
ALL advice would be much appreciated to do with ANYTHING I've written here! Please, I'd love to hear from your experience. Thanks in advance everyone
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Robert
Date: 2002-09-26 12:04
Morrigan-
In my opinion, self-confidence is a good thing for a performer. One of the the consistent qualities of great musicians is that they play with absolute conviction. I don't think that trying to be less confident is going to help your clarinet playing.
My advice would be to take the focus off yourself, and to put it into the music that you are playing. The only way to "over-play" something is to play it in such a way that you are far out of context in terms of the style of the piece. For example, playing a sudden crescendo from pp to fff would be completely inappropriate to a lot of Mozart, but would be perfect for a modern piece where that is required by the composer.
Try to listen to some "stylish" performers, and see how they achieve the balance between expressive playing and exaggeration. Then try to find this balance in your own playing.
Don't be discouraged. Most of the great performers did a lot of experimenting before they produced their best interpretations.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Morrigan
Date: 2002-09-26 14:03
Mark Pinner
Yeah that's exactly what I'm doing.
Robert
Thanks for the great advice! You're right about taking the focus off myself, that's what I need to do. And I've been told being subtle is more classy - and I tried it in a performance once and it had a far-reaching affect, more so than any of my other performances! I think you basically answered all my queries, I'll give it all a try again, this time round I might get in!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: William
Date: 2002-09-26 15:12
Thee are tow basic styles of playing: 1) sectional, where playing exactly what is written--rhytumns, dynamics, articulations, etc--and being a "team player" is most important; and 2) soloist, where technical skills are still just as important but more individual liberties--rubato, excentric phrasings, etc--are practiced by the artist. I would suggest that as you play your college auditions, that you project your "sectional" and "team" strengths rather than your "my way" attitude. Do not get me wrong--I am not saying that your soloistic style is bad. I am just saying that you need to show the auditioning panel the skills that they are looking for. It's like, "dress to impress" on the business world. After you win your audition this time--and get accepted and established--then be yourself and "go for it" with all the personal musical energy that you possess. Just my two cents (USA)--Good Luck this time around.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2002-09-26 15:45
Morrigan -
Forgive me for analyzing you from a distance without hearing you play, but I have an idea about what happened. If the audition judges and your teacher told you that you overdid it, then you probably did. Your teacher has your interests at heart and wants you to succeed.
I suspect that you "felt" the music strongly and did what occurred to you to do. However, there's more to it than that. At a Leon Russianoff master class several years ago, a high school player did a Rose etude that was full of "interpretation," all of which was what occurred to him as he played. Russianoff worked the whole time getting him to play the notes exactly as written. He emphasized that interpretation doesn't mean doing what you feel at the moment. Rather, you have to understand the harmony and phrase shapes (and, later, the character of the music), which tell you what's possible.
This isn't easy. It feels like you're taking out everything that's "you," and for a while it's about as interesting as reading the phone book. It takes a change of focus to realize that you're expressing the composer's ideas first, and your own second. As a performer, you of course bring your own personality to the translation of the notes on the page to the music in the air, but that comes from the person you are -- your own unique tone of voice that's part of you all the time. It's not something you add.
A couple of years ago, I wrote a long analysis of the Weber Concertino. It's at http://www.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=14529&t=14450. When you read it, you may think I'm contradicting myself, since there's a lot there about expressing yourself. The difference is that the suggestions there come out of the music. They have nothing to do with on-the-spot "inspiration."
The Concertino is tremendously exciting. When you do it right, it practically plays itself. You're like the car on a roller coaster. You give the audience a ride, but the plunges and loops are built in.
Stage deportment is fairly simple. Walk out as if you were balancing a book on your head. Smile and look at your feet. Straighten up and start playing. Do it in reverse to get off. Don't play the diva. (Are you old enough to remember Miss Piggy?) Hold still as you play, and keep movement to a minimum. Your playing should be almost as effective if they listeners had their eyes closed. Make your points with the music, not body movement. Of course you can do a little sweep with your clarinet as you play the rips at the end of the Concertino, but this comes out of the music and isn't added on.
Work on the audition materials and come back with more questions.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Wes
Date: 2002-09-26 20:03
Once, I saw a famous Los Angeles player jump across the stage just to play a middle B on the clarinet. It was very distracting as were the continual rocking back and forth of a great violinist on TV the other day. If one moves a lot while playing, the audience will get the idea that the player does not have control of his/her self and will be diverted from the musical aspects of the playing.
Baermann is not my preference for any kind of audition. While it could demonstrate technical facility, the musical value of any Baermann piece or etude seems to me to be minimal. Good luck!!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Tim2
Date: 2002-09-27 00:07
Ken's on the money. Composer and what he/she wants comes first!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: diz
Date: 2002-09-27 02:45
wow, Morrigan, the famous "Tall Poppy Syndrom" strikes again (all fellow Aussies will understand this).
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: diz
Date: 2002-09-27 02:48
Wes - I have to agree with you, players who move around a lot just plain give me the s**ts when I'm attending a concert ... worse still, players who sing along (often out of tune), hence, I hate anything of Glenn Gould. If I could just get his playing without his singing - I buy it.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Morrigan
Date: 2002-09-27 04:39
Thanks SO much Ken Shaw, you're completely right, whether I knew it before or not (deep down I think I did). I think I'll do better this time and there will be no sweeping!
Yes, my teacher definitely wants me to succeed, I have no harsh feelings for him not letting me into the college - I understand perfectly why I didn't get in, and so this time I have a clearer idea as to what I'm doing.
I'll let you guys know, the audition is in october.
By the way, about the repertoire, I DO want to scrap the baermann study.
I've got:
Weber concertino
Arnold fantasy
Baermann
BUT I would like to do one of the four gershwin arrangements for solo clarinet... But then I have to give up the arnold as my solo piece, and there's simply no way! What's a good study? All i've been doing is Klose and Baermann!
Thanks HEAPS for your help guys, I'll let you all know how I go by the time November's out!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Tony Pay
Date: 2002-09-27 12:46
In case you might find it helpful:
<a href="Composer/Performer or Notation/Performance?"> http://www.woodwind.org/Databases/Logs/2002/09/000553.txt</a>
Tony
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Tony Pay
Date: 2002-09-27 12:53
Sorry, trying to be too clever; try again:
<a href="http://www.woodwind.org/Databases/Logs/2002/09/000553.txt">Composer/Performer or Notation/Performance?</a>
Tony
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: d dow
Date: 2002-09-29 00:59
I think a study of Eurythmics which is a Swiss method for teaching movement and musical rythmn is informative to just how straight-laced society has become.
ultimately its what comes out of the horn so to speak that counts.
I like Led Zep alot and they move around too. but I still listen to their records. As for Beethoven apparent he was pretty violent in his movements as well!!
Best Regards DD
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: diz
Date: 2002-09-29 23:10
I take back what I said about Glenn Gould - just "reheard" his second Goldberg Variations on the weekend - singing aside, his playing is simply without equal.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
