SYMPHONY AUDITIONS:
PREPARATION AND EXECUTION
The gateway to a career in orchestral music is the audition. Just the word - audition - is enough to strike
fear and trembling in many players. But that does not have to be the case. Like any job interview, there are things
you can do that can help you deal with the process. While, of course, it is important to play well, there are other things
that can help your audition be successful - things that can actually help you play your best. Knowing the system and how it
works is one of those things.
Over the years, I have written and spoken extensively on the subject
of taking professional symphony orchestra auditions. This resource represents
my current thinking on the issue based on my experience as one who has been on both side of the audition screen - as an
audition candidate and as an audition committee member. This resource also contains advice that pertains
to the taking of high school, university and solo competition auditions. Each
chapter listed below (after the list of other audition related resources on my website) covers a different aspect of the audition process, and you can easily
navigate from page to page with the BACK | CONTENTS | NEXT
links. For information specifically geared to the high school student who is
taking an audition for district, region or all-state ensembles, see my FAQ
on Taking High School Auditions.
There are also many other articles and resources on my website that might be of interest to those who are preparing for
auditions. They include:
The Bass Trombonist's Orchestral Handbook.
An online
orchestral excerpt book with music and commentary about some of the most frequently asked bass trombone excerpts.
Douglas Yeo's Boston Symphony Orchestra Audition Tape (April 1984).
The audition
tape I made when I auditioned for the Boston Symphony was the only tape accepted for the audition. All nine excerpts I
recorded on my tape are available as mp3 downloads.
Trombone Audition Repertoire.
This resource includes lists of
the most frequently asked tenor and bass trombone orchestral excerpts asked at auditions, compiled from dozens of
orchestra audition lists. It also includes links to online music and commentary to excerpts found in my website and in the
OnLine Trombone Journal.
Taking German Auditions.
The book "Mastering the
Trombone" co-authored by Edward Kleinhammer (bass trombonist of the Chicago Symphony 1940-1985) and me
includes a chapter on taking symphony auditions. For the German translation of the book ("Meisterhaft Posaune spielen")
Carl Lenthe (Professor of trombone at Indiana University, former solo trombonist of the Bavarian State Orchestra and
Bamberg Symphony) wrote a new chapter specifically discussing the German/European audition system. This chapter
appears in its entirety here in my website.
How To Pursue a Career In Orchestral Music.
This article gives
some practical advice on preparing for auditions, with discussion of summer music festivals, the International Musician
newspaper audition listings and other information.
Pros and Cons to a Career in Orchestral Music.
Every job has up and down
sides. This article gives an inside look at life as a symphony orchestra musician, honestly assessing aspects that one ought to consider
before entering into the field.
The Modern Symphony Orchestra: Turmoil, Liberation and Redemption.
Studies have shown that many symphony orchestra musicians are dissatisfied with their jobs. In this article, I take a
look at why this may be the case and I provide some new insight on how this might be changed.
Performance Anxiety.
Many players suffer from debilitating performance anxiety. In this article, I address the issue in a straightforward way,
giving strategies for dealing with this condition.
Additional information that relates to the taking of auditions, life as an orchestral musician, and performance can
be found in other places on my website; take a moment to look at the full listing of materials available in the
ARTICLES and
RESOURCES areas of my website.
SYMPHONY AUDITIONS: PREPARATION AND EXECUTION
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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