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Honorary advisor
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I learned that the orchestra I will join now is probably going to hold auditions. No one said anything about auditions. My teacher, who has played in this orchestra, said they have not historically held auditions.
So I will need some of your tips, experiences, and advice. I do not think this will be a "pass or fail" audition. I believe it is more for determining your position in the orchestra. It is still a community orchestra, non-paid.
I have never auditioned for an orchestra, even when I played percussion.
Any advice will be greatly appreciated!
- Pete -
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Do you know the format of the audition? Are you picking a piece to play for the audition at all?
Except for the few elite (semi-pro) community orchestras that aspire to professional-level performance and run auditions similarly to professional orchestras, community orchestra auditions are quite informal and usually just for seating. They most commonly ask for two contrasting selections of your choice, and this almost always means they want one fast piece and one slow piece. Sometimes they'll ask people to play excerpts from their upcoming concert program, but it's only commonly done in more selective orchestras.
If you have any choice in what you play, pick something you can play consistently well. Don't try to stretch yourself. Better to play something easier and play it well than to try to show off the most difficult thing you can play. Make sure you have prepared your entire piece. They will typically only listen to two or three minutes, but may ask you to jump ahead in your piece if there are specific passages they want to hear.
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AndrewH said
Do you know the format of the audition? Are you picking a piece to play for the audition at all?
Not yet... We hope to be getting notice of audition format and dates soon. The orchestra is with our local college and will begin in September with the school semester so it is pretty near to that time now.
If you have any choice in what you play, pick something you can play consistently well. Don't try to stretch yourself. Better to play something easier and play it well than to try to show off the most difficult thing you can play. Make sure you have prepared your entire piece. They will typically only listen to two or three minutes, but may ask you to jump ahead in your piece if there are specific passages they want to hear.
My teacher, who will also be playing in this orchestra, says that we will likely just choose a simple piece to play of our own choice and will probably be asked to site read something they have for us.
She recommends something we have been recently working on. It will be quite familiar to me and something I have been playing for a while. She said not to be too concerned about the formality or whether it will be very strict. I agree with you, that this will be for seating.
I am still nervous....
- Pete -
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When you find out what is required, let us know.
Perhaps we can give you some good pointers.
Picture the jury in their underwear 😜
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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