Manny Laureano

My ideal audition?

It would be very dependent on resumés to even get a foot in the door. I'd like to see fewer applicants for these jobs and more presence by the music director with only the section affected involved.

All this is based on people having only the best intentions: getting the best person for the job.

There would be maybe a half dozen or so required pieces, a solo of the applicant's choice, and the rest of the list would be a combination of common sense material and sight reading. In other words, if you're auditioning for first trumpet of the Minnesota Orchestra and you don't know what would be expected to get a gig like that or at least have a really good idea, you're not going to be prepared. The same goes for 2nd or 3rd trumpet.

If you want to play 4th trumpet and think the job is only going to involve playing Carmen and the 2nd Eb part to Ein Heldenleben, you're not going to get the job. There's a great onus on teachers to teach and for you, the applicant, to get as much experience as possible, one way or the other.

So, is it perfect, my way? Obviously not. But neither is any other way, that's my grand point.

ML

40cal

After reading this thread with great interest, I am almost happy that I chose to go down another career path. I have the utmost respect for the trumpeters that can find gigs in professional symphonies, as well as those who make their career freelancing. Reading stuff like this only reinforces the level of respect and admiration to those that can be succeed in this day and age.

Heck, I can still play some of the "standard" excerpts by memory and probably will be able to do so til the day I die.

Best of luck to those who will be taking these auditions in the future.

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cornetguy

One thing in the interview that Gerry Schwartz had in ITG Journal 2-3 years ago is that the sightreading isn't pieces with 11/16 time and bizarre intervals, he (and the committee) wants to know that the candidates know the literature

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