Double Bass College Audition Season!!!

[SCbasss]

Does anyone know the current acceptance for double basses at Juilliard or Manhattan School of Music for the 2019 fall semester for freshman and what can really make one stand out in a great way!? How can I improve my application and prescreening to get me noticed?

 

[Deleted member 90176]

Getting beyond the normal joke here which would be "play good", pick your repertoire wisely. It's to your advantage to play something like the Bach 3rd suite bourrees well than to hack through something from the 6th suite. Many schools have a set repertoire, but usually choices to choose from within that rep. Work with your teacher to determine which pieces will show you off the best.

For prescreening recordings, don't start recording during thanksgiving break. Sometimes it takes many many tries over several days to get the best representation of your playing, but also that best representation sometimes turns out in the very first video you make. Watch your video before you send it in!!

 

[SCbasss]

@Deleted member 90176 Thank you for your feed back!! So far my audition rep includes the first movement of the Vanhal concerto, Sarabande from the first bach suite and my orchestral excerpt is from Strauss Alpine symphony. Do you have any idea on how competitive prescreening is (compaired to live auditions)?

 

[Dbass926]

IMO Strauss Alpine Symphony is probably not a great excerpt to represent what a high school senior bassist is capable of. You're going to be judged based on your solo playing primarily, and there are many orchestral excerpts that are often asked for on auditions but feature more musicality and can make you sound comfortable and tension-free. Strauss excerpts in general, while impressive technically under the best circumstances, tend to expose many weaknesses in young players. Mahler 1 or other orchestral solos, Otello...these are opportunities to make music without being pushed to your limits.

 

[SCbasss]

IMO Strauss Alpine Symphony is probably not a great excerpt to represent what a high school senior bassist is capable of. You're going to be judged based on your solo playing primarily, and there are many orchestral excerpts that are often asked for on auditions but feature more musicality and can make you sound comfortable and tension-free. Strauss excerpts in general, while impressive technically under the best circumstances, tend to expose many weaknesses in young players. Mahler 1 or other orchestral solos, Otello...these are opportunities to make music without being pushed to your limits.

Thank you for the tips!! I was not aware of that and I will definitely look around for better excerpts to express my musicality. Do you think the Pulcinella suite by Stravinsky excerpt would be okay?

 

[wathaet]

Thank you for the tips!! I was not aware of that and I will definitely look around for better excerpts to express my musicality. Do you think the Pulcinella suite by Stravinsky excerpt would be okay?

You should play something standard that shows your strengths. None of us here can know. Find a good teacher and have him/her decide with you.