UofO auditions
Friday September 21 2007
So I recently took my school placement tests and placement audition. I will be co-principaling the top school orchestra with another grad student who’s major is theory but she also plays the oboe. My professor is a firm believer in rotation, and I am too so I am happy with this arrangement. There are at least 4 groups (2 orchs, 2 wind ensembles) which need to have enough oboes, and currently there’s only about 7 or 8 of us. You do the math. So I think some of us are going to have to do double coverage.
The big piece this quarter is Beethoven 5. The big piece the final quarter is Tchaik 4! Not 5! Big Big solo! Woohoo! So we’ll see which one of us gets it.
I played the Bach Partita I’ve been milking this entire summer (recital in July, Northwest Oboe Conference, and now auditions) and did okay, despite a less-than-stellar reed. But I think the thing that really sealed my fate was I was requested to sightread the final page of the Berlioz Symphony Fantastique with some fast 6/8 stuff with lots of annoying trills.
And it was fast.
And he asked for it fast.
And I went—
HONK…——
SPLAT…——.
Blah Blah Blah. Needless to say, it didn’t go too well.
Symphonie Fantastique is one of those pieces in the major rep that I’ve heard half a dozen times, and every time I hear it I say to myself, “What the heck? What is this crap?” It’s just one of those pieces that rubs me the wrong way. I hope I don’t get assigned to it this first concert (I find out Sunday).
Oh and by the way, by the sheer grace of God, I passed my Grad theory exam, Grad aural skills exam, and the Grad musicology exam. Incredible! (My wife looked at me funny when I told her and she responded, “Did you even study? I didn’t see you!”)
cjwrightoboe
Sep 21, 2007
YES! That would certainly be ideal!
Jillian
Sep 22, 2007
Ahhh…I remember those days. It is a ridiculous amount of meetings, isn’t it? And no more tests for me!! I don’t envy you!! Except to envy that you passed them all…for some reason I didn’t pass my aural skills segment and had to take that part of the theory/aural skills review class. After my first class, the prof said, “and WHY are you in this class?” I could have helped teach it. Bad test.
I quite enjoyed playing principal on the Berlioz. That last movement with the trills though…phew. It’s a work-out…AFTER practicing for several weeks!
Jillian
Sep 22, 2007
p.s. I hope you get Tchaik 4!
Sep 21, 2007
Hmmm. Didn’t you also say you didn’t like the EH solo in Roman Carnival Overture? Maybe you don’t like Berlioz?
I’ve played Symphonie Fantastique a good number of times ... I actually really enjoy the work. It’s also fun to play! Maybe, though, you’ll just luck out and play the off stage oboe part. Then you can just play the simple solo and go home.
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