Double Bass Résumé help and questionable qualitifcations

[thecolinhealey]

Hi bass world,

I'm looking to build a playing resume and was wondering if anyone could pass along any templates or advice. I'm in my early 30's and have been playing in a small symphony in Oklahoma for the past 10 years. The experience has been great but I have very little else to go on my resume and I wish to take my playing to a higher level by auditioning for a higher tier symphony. I didn't study music in college as a business I began at the time took off and my studies shifted. Aside from an impromptu audition for the group I currently play with, I've not had any other auditions. So my question is this: Will I even be considered for an audition with what some might see as limited qualifications? I may not have the chops to play at a full time level but maybe a part-time professional symphony? I'm hoping my playing will get a chance to speak for itself, but I'm worried my lack of college degrees won't get my foot in the door. Any thoughts?

Thanks,
Colin

 

[Brilee]

As someone who took a crooked path to playing in several part-time union orchestras, it came down to two things: 1. Be able to play a good audition. 2. Make connections. I got my foot in the door and better work on my resume by subbing. A principal player I knew recommended me and I got a chance to prove myself. As for #1, there are a couple dozen audition excerpt hits that you should know. Study those with the best teacher you can find and get frank feedback on your level. What you seek is possible, with a lot of focused work. You need to practice auditioning to get good at auditioning.

 

[thecolinhealey]

Thanks for the response. I'm currently subbing where I can, have taken on a couple administrative roles within my symphony, and am working on audition excerpts. I guess that's about all I can do at the moment!

 

[Sean Riddle]

Asides from your work in the symphony you’re in, what else have you done musically? You don’t want to treat your resume as a CV, but if there’s been some cool performances you’ve done outside of the symphony, add them! It sounds like you need to add some diversity to your resume. Top it with your symphonic experience as that’s what’s most important, but focus on your performance experience since you don’t have a degree in music.

 

[Anne Millington]

Some places might require an audition tape. Perfecting that would keep you busy, and be a reality check of the first order. Nothing is harder than listening to myself play; well, except hearing myself sing. If you create a good one, you might find a way to submit it even if it is not requested.

 

[bassically_eli]

Where did you learn to play? Seems like often times pedigree in the music world is more about "he/she studied with so-and-so" more than "he/she has a degree from X." Regardless of the answer, I would be looking for some lessons with the best symphonic players/teachers I could find. They should be able to coach you through the process and help you network as well (not to mention the actual playing).

 

[Bobby Scharmann]

You wouldn't have any trouble auditioning for smaller regional orchestras, but I think most of the full time ensembles would look at your resume and you would get that classic email: "Due to the high volume of qualified applicants, we are unable to offer you an audition at this time..." I got this email a few times early on before I had experience, plus I only had an undergrad from a small state school at the time.

What you may be able to do is recruit someone - perhaps a player in a full time symphony or a well-regarded educator - who you either studied with or have played for, to write the committee to appeal the resume rejection. The suggestion above about subbing is a good one; if you can get your excerpts to a solid level and get on the sublist at a larger orchestra, the principal may be able to help you appeal a rejection.

My path into this field initially was also not straightforward (I was primarily a jazz player for most of my college years) but as long as you work hard and play your best, you're bound to find the opportunities. Best of luck to you, and feel free to reach out if you ever want a set of ears on your excerpts!