Happy Monday readers! Pete Tambroni here from MostlyBass.com.
I have some rants on my blog but I thought should also be posted for you readers. So here are my thoughts on student bass auditions.
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Teachers – Stop asking ridiculous audition material of bassists that they haven’t been taught! Every year I get private students that come to me with scale and excerpt requirements that are not in their repertoire. Now, I’m not talking about youth orchestras, master classes, etc…Rather when public school orchestra teachers ask their own bassists to play a 2 or 3 octave scale that they never taught them. These students are not going to magically learn thumb position just because you ask it!
Meanwhile, sometimes these same students should be working on first position intonation, a solid bass tone, and proper technique.
Ask for better quality things that have been taught! Perfect the 1 octave Bb scale or have them practice with a tuner to improve intonation rather than force poor habits with outrageous requests. Stop asking for a 2 octave D scale!!! Just because it works for the violins or is in first position for violas and cellos, it is monstrous on the bass for young players!! Ask for a 2 octave E or F scale. ARGH.
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Read more rants here and visit MostlyBass.com for more bass talk.
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wow! I couldn’t agree with you more. I teach privately, and some of the music that these students get is ridiculous and I know that they cant play it unless they have had private instruction. one school was playing Mozart 39. !!!! I just about fell on the floor when I was asked to do a sectional. I have middle school stundents that have to play a 2 octave scale and learn the marriage of figaro for their honors concert. A little ridiculous.
I agree. Asking for rep that is simply to advanced makes teachers neglect fundamentals and shortcut the process to teach certain techniques before they are ready. Thanks for checking in with Pete’s post–very good stuff.
Thanks for reading and your comments!