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Double Bass College Auditions 2007-08 Already?!?

M

Minibass

Apr 6, 2007
39
0
36
Ann Arbor, MI & Cleveland, OH
#1
Someone had to start this so I guess I'll do it (even though it's kind of early).

PREPARING FOR THESE IS TURNING ME INTO A WRECK!!!

I'm still unsure of where to audition. I know for sure I'll try Indiana with Hurst, Michigan U, Boston U (and/or New England Conservatory), Carnegie Mellon, and Oberlin Conservatory. I don't know if I should try Julliard, Curtis, and/or Manhattan though.

I'm auditioning with the Vanhal Concerto 1st movement, one movement of bach cello suite in G (not gigue or prelude) at pitch, and some etude that my teacher didn't give me yet. I have been working on Beethoven 5 and 9 (recitative), Mozart 40 (and alittle 35), and Ein Heldenleben so far.

One thing that's really been bothering me - Would it make a big difference if I audition on a high school bass if I can't afford my own? Any advice on colleges and audition material would really help.
 
#2
Minibass said:
Someone had to start this so I guess I'll do it (even though it's kind of early).

PREPARING FOR THESE IS TURNING ME INTO A WRECK!!!

I'm still unsure of where to audition. I know for sure I'll try Indiana with Hurst, Michigan U, Boston U (and/or New England Conservatory), Carnegie Mellon, and Oberlin Conservatory. I don't know if I should try Julliard, Curtis, and/or Manhattan though.

I'm auditioning with the Vanhal Concerto 1st movement, one movement of bach cello suite in G (not gigue or prelude) at pitch, and some etude that my teacher didn't give me yet. I have been working on Beethoven 5 and 9 (recitative), Mozart 40 (and alittle 35), and Ein Heldenleben so far.

One thing that's really been bothering me - Would it make a big difference if I audition on a high school bass if I can't afford my own? Any advice on colleges and audition material would really help.
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I assume you mean Michigan State University when you said Michigan U, right?

Beethoven 5 and Mozart 40 are both good excerpts for college auditions. You might want to stay away from Beethoven 9 for college auditions. There are a lot of holes to fall in with the recitatives.

The Menuets from the first suite are probably the best mvts for a college audition. The Gigue is very good too.

The quality of your bass won't affect you getting into a school or not. Most schools own basses that you can use. I used a school bass for my first two years of college.
 
#3
My friend, who auditioned at Depaul, played on her Kay bass at the audition. She did amazing and was accepted. Of course before she started school She and her parents took a trip up to NY to buy a much more nicer bass.

So yes, there's nothing wrong with playing on a high school bass at your audition.
 
#4
I remember Bruce Bransby (who will most likely sit in on your IU audition) saying that one of his biggest pet peeves was hearing high schoolers audition with the Beethoven 9 recits and Verdi's Otello soli, because they more closely resemble solo music than orchestral excerpts. They don't show where you are in regard to standard orchestral bow strokes.

Just a heads up.
 
#8
I don't know about Juilliard and Manhattan, but IU generally takes between 5 and 10 graduate bass students each year. There are two teachers there, each of whom keeps a full studio of 20+ students.

Boston University works a little differently. My understanding is that they have 10 spots for bassists, regardless of whether they are undergraduate or graduate students. If three of them graduate this year, then there would be three openings. Of the ten, six or seven study with Ed Barker and the rest study with Todd Seeber. You can contact either one of those guys to find out how many openings there are next year.
 
#12
Minibass said:
One thing that's really been bothering me - Would it make a big difference if I audition on a high school bass if I can't afford my own? Any advice on colleges and audition material would really help.
Click to expand...

Before I played bass, I auditioned at FSU on euphonium. I didn't have my own (and not until about four years later did I own my own), and I just brought in one solo for audition. They heard about half of the first page, and that was all they needed. They never mentioned anything about the horn I was playing on, and since they had so many brass students to audition, they really needed me in and out. Funny thing, though, they did take a break to talk to my dad and me and tell me that I've made it with scholarship so I didn't have to wait.

Bottom line is, don't stress on it. The bass prof. will know what you're playing on when you walk in most of the time, as it's his job. He will know its capabilities (or lack of) and how you are able to work with what you have. Just make sure it's in good working order before you go. No buzzes, thin sounds, etc. And save some of your scholarship money towards a new bass. Consider it school materials.;)

Don't expect to play everything you prepared, and because they will probably want to hear one or two things and that's it, so put your best stuff first. After years of professional auditions, there's a certain kind of fun or high I got off of it. Relax, go in there and do your thing. Classical string faculties like to look intimidating sometimes, but just stay relaxed and everything will be fine.

One more thing: don't look at names of schools, look at who you will be studying privately with. That one person should be the most important person in your school career, so you want to make sure you get along with him/her and that you can learn the most from this person.

Nick
 
#13
bassbass said:
Hey Thanks for this!
Does anyone know what Rice and Cleveland are like?
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I go to Rice. It's a neat place. The orchestra is about as good as a university could have, and the bass professors are some of the best around. I study with Ellison, but Tim Pitts (the principal in Houston) also keeps a small studio and has had some very successful students. It's a very selective school, but this year there ought to be between three and five openings for graduate students, and up to two for undergraduate. On top of that, the campus is gorgeous and the school is filthy rich. Most of the graduate students at the Shepherd School of Music are on full or nearly full scholarships.
 
#14
I was wondering what the general opinion on the following teachers are? I've heard that they are all very good but i'm not too sure where to audition for. I've been told to look up...
Tim cobb, Lawrence Hurst, Bruce Bransby, Paul ellison, Ed Barker? Has anyone had experience with any of these guys and if so what are they like, whats their focus with teaching?
Any info is of some help!
 
#15
Tim Cobb is a fantastic teacher and a fantastic guy. The only problem is that he is incredibly busy. Between the Met, Juilliard, MSM, SUNY Purchase and now Lynn in Florida, he has a full schedule. You will no doubt benefit and improve from studying with Mr. Cobb but is quite common among his students that I know that they do not have a consistent lesson schedule.

I recently took a lesson with Paul Ellison and it was a fantastic lesson. He played along with me the entire time, and we would work on phrases in excerpts, and then I would play them with him as if he was the principal. His attention to detail, and his way of teaching flexibility was incredible, and I would say it was the best lesson I've ever had.

Bruce Bransby, Lawrence Hurst and Ed Barker are great teachers. Although I have never met them, I have met many students and they have nothing but high praise. On top of Ed Barker being a fantastic player, he is also one of the best bassists living, and plays in my mind the best bass section in the country.

All in all you cannot go wrong with any of these teachers.
 
#18
I second what sibass said about Mr C. I studied with him these last two years in high school and he's super busy...what's this about Lynn in FL?

Yeah, I didn't have a consistent lesson schedule. We still have one more lesson to make up actually before I leave for college.

He's awesome though. Great teacher, good guy, will help you with everything he can during lessons, but don't expect him to help you a lot outside of lessons because he's very busy. I would recommend him to anyone because you can't beat his experience level in the orchestral world & in teaching...he's phenomenal.

As for Ed, I took a few masterclasses with him at Tanglewood and he's fantastic. Very, very, very nice guy and incredible teacher/player. He knows everything & is extremely well-read and articulate in his manner of explaining technique & musicality to you. I'd absolutely recommend him; I know his studio is super hard to get into, but give it a shot because he's great.
 
#19
Cosmos said:
He's awesome though. Great teacher, good guy, will help you with everything he can during lessons, but don't expect him to help you a lot outside of lessons because he's very busy.
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While I wouldn't mind studying with someone like this, I would take this statement into serious consideration. I get impatient if I'm in the shed and can't get something, I have always taken the advantage of going to my professor and playing the trouble spots over for him then and there. I never wanted to wait until the next lesson to get something right.

HOWEVER, such is also the price you pay for the best. The drummers at UNF know it when they study with Danny Gottlieb. He's in and out all semester long. He comes back and teaches lessons two to three hours at a time, though.

Nick
 
#20
Andrew Chilcote said:
what's the difference between a masters and the orchestral performance program at msm?
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The Orchestral Performance program is more focused on training orchestral musicians. You play in more ensembles, perform in mock auditions 3 times a semester, have orchestra rep classes with your individual section(weekly), your family of instruments(monthly), and the entire orchestra(at the end of each semester). You also take classes on the history of orchestral music and an orchestra business class.

I think you have more flexibility with classes that you take in the Masters program but it is not as intense.
 

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