Chamber 1 auditions

Please send an email to dbourret@cox.net if you are planning to audition, and an audition time will be scheduled for you. Auditions will take place on Sunday, 31 August 2008 at the Bourret's home - 6426 East Eli Drive (between 22nd and Broadway east of Wilmot Road)

NO AUDITIONS WILL TAKE PLACE AFTER THE 31st of August.

If you miss scheduling an appointment, you will have to wait until next September (2009). Requests for audition appointments will be accepted UNTIL the 30th of August. In other words, auditions for Chamber 1 will be CLOSED after the 31st of August.

We will hear an audition with only one qualifying audition piece (suggestions for each instrument listed below), however, those who have already worked on the upper positions prior to this month, and have begun preparation on two pieces for audition stand a better chance at success. One piece should show your ability at producing a beautiful tone, intonation, and vibrato; the other should contain 16th notes at an allegro tempo going ABOVE 7th position (violins), 5th position(violas), and into tenor clef and/or treble clef with thumb position for cellos. Basses should also be able to play the higher positions. Audition will include: scales in any key of Mr. B's choice -- both major and minor; and sightreading in the required positions. These pieces listed below are examples of eligibility. If you don't find your piece listed here, contact the Bourrets to check on eligibility.

VIOLIN
Beethoven - Romance in F
Bloch - Suite Hebraique; Rapsodie (good for vibrato demonstration)
Bruch - g minor; all movements are good (2nd movement good for vibrato demo)
Kreisler - Praeludium and Allegro
Lalo - Symphonie Espagnole; all movements are good - 4th movement good for vibrato demo
Massanet - Meditation from "Thais" (good for vibrato demonstration)
Mendelssohn - concerto in e; all movements
Mozart - Concertos in D Major and A Major; all movements
Viotti - Concerto #20, 21, 22

VIOLA
J C Bach - Concerto in c minor - all movements (2nd movement - good vibrato and intonation piece)
Bloch - Suite Hebraique (Rapsodie) - good vibrato piece
Bruch - Romanze
Handel - Concerto in b minor
Hoffmeister - Concerto in D
Kreisler - Praeludium and Allegro (praeludium good vibrato piece)
Stamitz - Concerto in D

CELLO
J C Bach - Concerto in c minor
Boccherini - Concerto in b minor
Bruch - Kol Nidrei (good vibrato piece)
Faure - Apres un Reve (good vibrato piece)
Faure - Elegy (good vibrato piece)
Haydn - Concerto in C
Lalo - Concerto
Saint-Saens - Concerto
Saint- Saens - Allegro Appassionato
Saint-Saens - Swan (good vibrato piece)
 

What you need to know about auditions

Auditions are a needed part of your instrumental training.  If you are intending to pursue a study of your instrument (whether professionally or as an avocation) you will be asked to play an audition many times during your playing career. 

How does one prepare for an audition?  During your TJS years, once you have attained your placement within an orchestra, it’s generally a very good idea to start learning the skills for the next orchestra up.  It’s generally a very good idea to remain within a level for a minimum of one semester, preferably for one year, to master the skills offered at that level. 

Hopefully you won’t wait until two weeks before the auditions and say, “gee, I’d like to move up. I’d better learn how to play in XXX position now so I can call for an audition!.”  More likely than not, because you’ve not really learned to master the new material, you will not be able to audition successfully. If you’re a good faker and get in, you could be “over your head” when you play in the new orchestra, won’t play with confidence, and will not be an asset to the orchestra.
 

For more information regarding your audtion,  please read “Taking an Audition” by Dennis R. Bourret, Director of Tucson Jr. Strings.