Practice Guides: 2007 Texas All-Area Auditions

Greetings!

This post is directed to Texas High School students who have qualified for All-Area auditions, but much of this advice applies to other auditions, so give it a read!).

Obviously, you already know these etudes, but I hope these practice hints help you give your best performance of these pieces at the audition.

First, a few general comments:

In the final days before this, or any other, competition, remind yourself that a competition is only worth the progress you make in your playing and your approaches to the problems presented. Sometimes we win and sometimes we lose, but our musical, flutistic, and personal growth is a reward we continue to reap after the competition is over. Challenge yourself to improve some aspect of your flute-playing in this last week before the audition.

Review the etude study guides and the latest errata at http://www.tmea.org and predominantly notate any changes in your music. At the time of this post, the most recent changes were September 14.

It is a good idea to demonstrate certain skills in an audition:

• even, focused tone throughout all ranges of the instrument
• good register changes (tone at the end of each note prepares for the next)
• accurate rhythm and large rhythmic structure
• dynamic contrast (if there are none in the chosen passages--make your own)
• good vibrato (begin and end phrases with vibrato engaged)
• fluid, even finger technique (eliminate blips and bumps)

Plan (and mark!) your breaths carefully. If you end up taking an extra one in the audition, don't worry, just make it sound intentional, but be sure to take the next one you planned to get back on track right away.

The judges have heard this music as much as you have, and are probably tired of it, too! In the audition, give a musically inspired performance. Reacquaint yourself with all the things about the music that you originally found interesting and beautiful. Play to please yourself above all--this will create the most convincing audition. Engage your listeners.

Practice Guide for Etude #1: Sigfrid Karg-Elert, Op. 107 #17

Concentrate on even tone and finger technique and good register changes. Try buzzing the phrase shapes, to discourage overblowing for high notes and embouchure collapse for low notes, and to encourage efficient use of breath. Also, practicing with a chopstick in your mouth helps with these things.

"Hit or Hid-Inhales" helps produce clear note starts in good rhythm after breaths.

Review and apply these exercises to all the notes in this etude.

Show the dynamic contrast in m 10-11.

Practice Guide for Etude # 2: Theobald Boehm, Op. 26 #6

The two main things to be sure of in this etude: light, clear articulations and focused tone, especially on low notes.

Practice the etude with double-tongue-stop/fingers ahead, beginning each phrase with a "hit or hid-inhale." Keep breaths rhythmic.

In descending intervals to low notes (especially m 49-54, m 76, m 84-85, and m 98-105) keep the tone clear by insuring that the embouchure does not collapse. Lift the mentalis and zygomatic major muscles of the face to keep the tone clear--practice buzzing these intervals! Chopstick exercise practice is also useful in these places.

Observe the p dynamic contrasts in m 9, m 41-54, and the diminuendo m 102-the end.

Practice Guide for Etude # 3: Joachim Andersen, Op. 21 #10

When we practice the same music for many weeks, our performance can become a "caricature" of itself (in much the way as truth is modified in gossip). Get back to the basics and simplify!

Yes, this IS the "slow, lyrical" etude, but I encourage you to revisit practicing this etude with the metronome to feel the overall rhythmic structure of the piece.

Keep the triplets fluid, without a syncopated feel. Be sure duplets are the correct length.

It is a good idea to simplify the ornamented passages (remove the ornaments, playing a rhythmic outline) a few times, then reinsert them, keeping the direction of the melodic line clear and the tone good on all notes.

Double check the tuning of your middle c#'s and your c# octaves.

In the un poco più mosso, m 26-40, keep the tone focused on all moving notes and be sure the longer rhythms do not rush--keep the vibrato going. Chromatic intervals should be expressive without slowing the rhythm.

Notice the "bow-tie effect" on ascending intervals, matching tone and playing accurate pitches.

Observe breathing, phrasing and dynamic indications.

Play each note with great beauty.

All the best for great practicing and a successful audition!

Catherine