The Wind Band Audition Book For Horn Players

The Horn Player's Audition Handbook provides a handy, one-volume reference guide to the literature, especially for those players preparing for an imminent auditions, containing, as it does, the repertoire most frequently asked for by American orchestras. Since audition lists almost always include a few "non-standard" works, the well-versed student will also want to have employed the more comprehensive collections of excerpts in the course of his/her general preparation for an orchestral career. However, the advantages of having the most "important" audition material under one cover will readily be appreciated and makes this book a welcome addition to the literature.

The Audition Playbook is a two-part guide and workbook designed to help musicians of all instruments and levels efficiently and effectively plan and prepare for orchestra, band, or other ensemble auditions. No matter the goal, the Audition Playbook provides the framework upon which musicians can carefully create, implement, and follow their own plans from start to finish. Many factors go into having a successful audition and every winner will tell you about wildly different tools and secrets that set them apart from the pack. Every person--and every audition--is different. However, there are certain elements that tend to be universal among audition winners, and often, the most important factor is simply having a plan--a thoughtful, deliberate plan--and sticking with it. The Audition Playbook is not a "one-size-fits-all" template and does not set out to plan your entire audition for you. "Part One: The Guide" offers an overview of the the many different facets of audition preparation to consider and provides tools, suggestions, and exercises to implement into your own plan. "Part Two: The Workbook" provides the canvas upon which you will build your personal audition plan. Among the many topics covered: The four phases of audition preparation Goal-setting and re-setting Taking honest assessments of your technique, knowledge of the repertoire, and other skills Planning your daily and weekly practicing The development of performance skills Planning for the unexpected Recording your practice Mock auditions Writing your "Audition Day Script" Reflecting on your auditions Whether you're already a regular on the audition trail, a first-timer new to the world of auditions, or an already-established professional looking to up your game, the Audition Playbook is for you. ** Rachelle Jenkins is an accomplished horn player who has played with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Montréal Symphony, Iceland Symphony, Hawaii Symphony, and many other orchestras and chamber ensembles around the world. She studied at The Colburn School, McGill University, and the University of Central Florida. Foreword by Dr. Don Greene, author of Performance Success, Audition Success, Fight Your Fear and Win, and College Prep for Musicians.

Audition Success presents a groundbreaking method that has already made Don Greene one of the country's leading audition trainers. Combining specially designed self-tests and real-life examples from the careers of two performers, Audition Success will help performers understand what prevents them from nailing an audition and give them the tools to reach their goals.

Performance Success teaches a set of skills so that a musician can be ready to go out and sing or play at his or her highest level, working with energies that might otherwise be wasted in unproductive ways. This is a book of skills and exercises, prepared by a master teacher.

An essential companion for any orchestral French horn player, this book contains excerpts from the core orchestral repertoire including many standard excerpts requested at audition.

A definitive study of bands. It provides histories of their European and American origins, as well as discussing contemporary bands, their technical problems and repertoire. It also makes practical suggestions for improving band performance.

First to be published in the series was The Art of French Horn Playing by Philip Farkas, now Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Music at Indiana University. In 1956, when Summy-Birchard published Farkas's book, he was a solo horn player for the Chicago Symphony and had held similar positions with other orchestras, including the Boston Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra, and Kansas City Conservatory, DePaul University, Northwestern University, and Roosevelt University in Chicago. The Art of French Horn Playing set the pattern, and other books in the series soon followed, offering help to students in learning to master their instruments and achieve their goals.

Douglas Hill is professor of music and horn at the University of Wisconsin at Madison as well as a past President of the International Horn Society, and a respected teacher and clinician. The 27 chapters of Collected Thoughts cover topics ranging from getting started to preparing for college and professional auditions, and include other subjects such as composing and improvising. There are seven chapters on repertoire that include reviews of music and texts that are the most comprehensive of any horn (or other instrumental) text to date. The process of learning and teaching is extremely insightful for everyone, from the serious student to the most experienced instructor. This book is a must for anyone interested in the horn. It is invaluable!!

"Each academic year, hundreds of students receive performance degrees from the nation's universities and conservatories. A growing number of students who complete such degrees choose to pursue performance opportunities offered by the military organizations. While the inclusion of orchestral excerpts has been a staple of wind pedagogy for decades, band literature has not been given the same attention. This author believes the inclusion of band excerpt study would improve the level of preparedness for auditions and performance in these professional ensembles. No source exists containing information on the preparation of horn excerpts with which to study the style and literature of the concert band. Although the audition lists differ slightly for each of the premier military bands, the twenty-seven compositions included in this document are recognized as staples of the literature, considered to be works of substantive and high artistic merit, distinguished by historical importance, or are contemporary works which have been well-received. The information collected for each of the works includes biographical information for the composer, a brief history of the composition, suggestions for preparation including technical and stylistic elements, and a selected discography. Audition announcements for the premier organizations are separate from the Armed Forces band recruitment program. These groups often advertise their openings in respective professional journals published by organizations such as the International Trumpet Guild, International Horn Society, International Trombone Association, and the International Tuba and Euphonium Association, as well as union magazines, including the International Musician. Requirements often include performance of a standard concerto and works from the excerpt list (orchestral and band), as well as sight-reading and ensemble playing. In some cases, such as the Navy Band, fifty percent of the audition is based on the candidate's sight-reading ability, an area that consists of transcriptions of standard orchestral literature and original compositions for band. Reading/performance sessions with the ensemble can vary from the full concert band to smaller chamber ensembles (brass quintets, woodwind quintets, and horn sections). Well-prepared candidates should be equally comfortable with the orchestral and band literature."--Abstract from author supplied metadata.