(This article originally appeared in Saxophone Today, November/December 2016.)
I have officially been in this business long enough to have a son that just auditioned for all state jazz band. It has been many years since I took an audition, but being with my son in the warm up room really brought back the memories. Hearing all those musicians shedding the same excerpts, not to mention the cats showing off with their flashiest licks . . . I felt like a teenager again, and not in a good way! In this issue, I am happy to share some strategies to have a good audition experience.
You Cannot Cram
These days, audition requirements are almost always listed online. Get the music as early as possible, and start preparing right away. The details are important, so don’t miss the specifics about things like scale requirements, tempo markings, articulations, etc. Around all state season, I always see a spike in private lesson requests. No, I cannot teach you how to make district band when the audition is in two weeks and you haven’t learned the etude and can’t tongue your chromatic scale at the required tempo! When you do this, you are wasting everyone’s time, including your own. Make sure that you have adequate time to prepare. You cannot cram for an audition.
Long-term Private Study
Rather than desperately trying to fix all your problems right before an audition, take regular private lessons over a long period of time. That way, you will have a foundation of skills that you build slowly. When a student comes to me asking for help with an audition excerpt, I often find that they really need help with basics like tone production, articulation, and good technique. These things require sustained, disciplined practice. If you can’t tongue a chromatic scale in sixteenth notes at 100 BPM, there is nothing I can do to get you to 120 in a few weeks. I don’t have a magic wand, and if I did, I would charge a lot of money and retire as soon as possible!
Did I Mention Details?
When you are performing an audition excerpt or etude, be sure to extract every bit of information from the score. Things like articulations and dynamics are not mere suggestions. Chances are, the judges will be using a rubric to score your audition. Be extremely clear with your interpretation. Exaggerate the dynamics, demonstrate all the articulations, and execute the rhythms with precision. Translate every foreign language term in the score, and know how to interpret accordingly. (I recently had a student try to play a stringendo by dramatically slowing down . . . wrong guess!) Play with your most beautiful tone, and be true to the style. For example, a Duke Ellington part would have very different vibrato and overall style when compared to something more contemporary. Show that you know something more than just what is on the printed page. For a classical audition, don’t show up with your Otto Link 9* and a Vandoren Java reed! You will be judged immediately on your tone, then on your style, and finally according to how well you nail the material. Experienced judges can tell the difference between a little slip and a general lack of preparation.
Warm Up Room Etiquette
The warm up room is a terrible place. I got a rush of anxiety just dropping my son off in that noisy band room! Be respectful of others and give your fellow auditionees their own space. This is not the time to play altissimo exercises and try to play ten clicks faster than the in the other corner of the room. Try to relax and play some long tones and scales. Make sure that your G# and C# keys are sticking, and that your reed is working well. Have extra reeds, just in case something goes wrong, and bring a screwdriver in your case – screws have a way of backing out right before auditions and performances! If you have a lot of time to kill, don’t blow your chops out in the warm up area. Bring a book and a light snack, and definitely bring a water bottle! The water will keep you hydrated, but can also be used to wet your reed, in case it dries out. Be friendly to the other folks auditioning and remember that they are just as nervous as you, and they want to pass the audition just as much as you do. Don’t be overly chatty, but don’t be afraid to say hello and to introduce yourself. It is worth mentioning here that attire should be appropriate for the audition. For example, something like khakis and a polo shirt might be ok for a district band audition, but a college audition calls for a tie, or business attire for ladies. Dress comfortably, but never risk being embarrassed by being under-dressed.
Practice Sight Reading
Sight reading is often a part of any audition. You must practice sight reading. For more on this subject, check out my blog post at the following link:
For a jazz audition, regularly read sample jazz band charts and etudes; the Greg Fishman series is highly recommended! Good sight readers are familiar with lots of rhythmic clichés. Practice with a metronome and record yourself, so you can go back and analyze your mistakes. Sight read with your best tone and try to be true to the rhythms, even if you can’t catch all the right notes. Practice counting, and whatever you do, don’t stop and start, and especially refrain from groaning (yes, I have heard auditionees mutter “oh crap” after making a mistake – this is certain death!).
For classical auditions, be familiar with a variety of styles. Saxophonists should be ready to play marches (marches are HARD to play well) and well-known excerpts, such as pieces by Percy Grainger, and famous orchestral parts like Bolero and Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet. There are a number of good excerpt books out there, and you can always ask your band director if you can look at sax parts from the school or university library. The more music you know, the less you will worry about sight reading.
The Day Before
Leading up to an audition, take it easy on your chops. Play a normal amount, but no more. You don’t want a sore lip or a swollen wrist on audition day. Something as simple as being adequately rested can make the difference that pushes you over the top. Eat healthy, nutritious meals the day before an audition, and try to eat lightly before the audition. You can always celebrate afterwards with a heavy meal, but you don’t want a belly full of pizza on the big day! Likewise, don’t make yourself shaky with caffeine and sugar, and for you college students, steer clear of alcohol. You want to feel comfortable, strong, and in control. Did I mention sleep? Nobody plays well when exhausted.
Practice Like Every Day is an Audition Day
Far and away, the best approach to being prepared is to always be prepared. Any serious classical saxophonist should have Ibert, Glazunov, Creston, and the last movement of Tableaux de Provence in decent shape at all times. Check out the audition requirements for military band auditions (these are always posted online when there is a vacancy). Preparation is a state of being. Cultivate a culture of preparation and you will never have to work too hard to get ready, as you will be accustomed to working hard as a normal mode of operation.
Perspective
Remember that anyone that is judging your audition has probably been on your side of the room many times. I never even made district band until I was a junior in high school, and I didn’t make district or all state jazz band until my senior year. I was rejected by Busch Gardens and Disney. It felt terrible at the time, but I turned that disappointment into fuel. By my junior year in college, I won the DownBeat award for Best Collegiate Instrumental Soloist. I never gave up, and I won a professorship when I was only 27 years old. I was focused on the long game, I practiced and studied like crazy, and I never lost focus on the importance of fundamentals. Practice, and audition well! §
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