nplotts1

Georgia Southern is a large school, yes; but not huge (about 17k students.) Right now our music building is undergoing renovations and I have no idea where the music library is. Besides, I would much rather own the music and not have to copy it illegally. Again, I get the feeling my trumpet instructor doesn't really want me working on standard rep. right now, and wants me working 98% on Fundamentals.

misty.sj

Have you ASKED where the library is? Have you ASKED your teacher about working on repertoire? By the way 17k is huge to me -- I went to a college with about 1000 students. :) We had a kick-ass music library. We were allowed to have pieces out for a whole semester -- you may be able to as well.

nplotts1

I haven't asked where the music library is yet, I thought it was in our main library, but I found that to be wrong. I have asked about playing repertoire and he gives me the same line about how my fundamentals need to be better and all that jazz. I know that about my fundamentals, and they have gotten better nearly 10 fold since the beginning of fall semester. I am not going to neglect work on them just because I have repertoire to practice as well. I just don't see what the point of a 30-45 minute lesson on buzzing helps for a second week in a row. (I was sick the week before and didn't get nearly enough practice on the new exercise he added the previous lesson.)

Hags888

Ed,

This was so nice to read. We complain about the audition process from our end all the time...it's great to finally hear someone else complaining about it on the other side. Maybe someday there will be a better system...

As to the Georgia student...if you don't understand the importance of fundamentals and why you're having to work on them...then you're not ready to be auditioning and learning standard rep anyway. A lot of the really great "young" trumpet players have actually been playing trumpet or studying music longer than it seems. Many of those players started piano at a very early age, and then started trumpet prior to "public school 5th/6th grade band" or took private lessons for years and years prior to college. So, even though a lot of them are 21-23 years old, in actuality, they're playing with 15-20 years of experience. If you started learning music at age 10 when you joined public school band and are now in college as a music major, then you're behind the ball and spending time working on fundamentals is the best thing a player like that can be doing.

It's true, there's a lot of standard repertoire to be learned, but you have to have a solid foundation on which to learn said repertoire first. As a general note to everyone, if you're in college as a music major, and don't have a solid foundation yet...consider yourself to be behind the pack.

nplotts1

I never said that I don't think fundamentals are important. You have to learn to do the basic stroke when you swim before you can learn all the others. I just wish that my lessons didn't focus on fundamentals only. I have the Basic Stroke, I just want to be let out a little deeper into the pool. I may need to use floatees or even have to come back to shallower water, but I am ready to start going deeper.

(Oh, I am NOT a Georgia student, I go to Georgia Southern. We are WAY cooler then those nasty dogs 3.5 hours north west )

trptcolin

all-
I thought the article was interesting; he's certainly speaking his mind. Don't know that if I had been at the audition, and gotten nervous or played Mahler V in a way he didn't like, I would like him mocking me on the Internet, but I (personally) would've loved some specific criticisms. I took a sub list audition for the Atlanta Symphony recently (kind of strange in that there are no official results; they aren't publicizing placement or anything), and got some GREAT comments that are already improving my playing.

I start to realize in situations like these that one of the reasons orchestra trumpet sections are sounding relatively similar (as opposed to 30+ years ago) is because people have similar ideas (from recordings of Bud/Phil/others, I presume) of what a good orchestral trumpet sound is (and I mean tone, articulation, maybe volume too). Anytime you get the same comment from multiple people you know it's not them, it's you---kind of like metronome practice. Personally, I like the sound they're looking for, and I'm looking for it too.


nplotts1-
Hey, I represent that! ;) I'm a nasty dog...

In all seriousness, I know it can be frustrating to really break things down and work on fundamentals throughout a lesson, but usually there's a very good reason. We always have to find the weakest parts of our playing and fix them, and fundamental practice is going to make everything easier, as you know since you've improved a lot since the fall.

Personally, I'm all for playing the standards and learning rep, but not until the fundamental skills needed for a given piece are in place and easy. Not saying anybody thinks differently, but I do hear too many students playing rep that's too hard and developing bad habits (usually too much tension, also a sort of satisfaction with missed notes/bad tone/etc.) So I'd suggest playing music, but do the music that your teacher assigns you (he'll know better than us or maybe even you) what you're ready for in terms of long-term development. Also do lots and lots of sightreading!!! Easy and hard stuff.

That said, here's info on your library: Zach S. Henderson Library
(you don't have to illegally copy music to study pieces that are in there). Looks like there might not be a separate music library, it's just part of the main one? Listen to all of the trumpet recordings that are there. Search for them using http://gil.georgiasouthern.edu There's a recording by Ed Carroll (you might've heard of him..)---great stuff!

-Colin

nplotts1

I went to the library last night, finally found the music section and couldn't find a single thing I wanted. I spent a good bit of time on the library search computers too. I definitely cannot wait until our fine arts building is complete. We are supposed to be housing all of the scores and what not there when it is done being renovated. As for listening, I use youtube a lot, and also borrow stuff from my professor.

Oh and yes I have heard of Ed Carrol, this is his section of TM after all. I don't think I have ever heard any of his music yet. Might have to ask for some in my lesson later today.

ecarroll

Colin,

Mr. Eddins didn't mention names and I doubt that his intention was to mock anyone on the internet. He seemed surprised that anyone had even found/taken time to read his piece. That said, it's a good lesson for all of us. Be careful what you write on the internet, TMers! It may come back to bite you years from now.

I know the candidate from Montreal that was offered a trial period in Edmonton. He's a wonderful player and has his own distinctive voice. No worries about homogeneous playing/style with this guy! (something that concerns me as well)

I've dug up an old thread concerning reparing for auditions here http://www.trumpetmaster.com/vb/f146...ras-32457.html (Auditioning for Professional Orchestras) Take a moment to read Jim Wilt's comments. They're good, as was that discussion.


NP,

Your library has inter-library loan arrangements with many others in North America. Spend the time -- do the research -- and then ask that any title that you need that can't be found in your school's database be ordered that way.

Let's stay on topic here. We can start another thread on finding repertoire if you'd like to do so.

Best,
EC

robertwhite

It is strange though, that his primary criticisms of the audition process are that it's cruel to the auditioners (he reiterated this sentiment in an email to me responding to a comment I made), yet he has no problem whining that no one played Mahler 5 correctly, or that you need to roll out of bed and play Haydn or you have no business trying to get a job. Baffling.

Also, it seems to me this audition yielded a perfectly satisfactory result for Mr. Eddins. So why is he complaining about it?

rowuk

With all of the trumpet majors, our societies advanced pedagogical techniques and the realization that there is only a couple of playing jobs, I think it is fair to EXPECT great preparation.

I was talking to a colleague here a couple of weeks ago and the comment fell that what was required at an orchestra audition 30 years ago, would not get you into one of the top 5 music schools today BUT a lot of what was COMING OUT of music schools today couldn't have gotten a job back then either.

I think it is important to remember that the repertory stone cold means that you have energy free to make music out of it. Not having it down cold means that you are playing all of the notes but............

The question is legitimate of why someone would travel 3000 miles for an audition where they do not have a snowballs chance in hell to win. Could it possibly mean that the players do not have an objective estimate of how well that they play? I can understand "to gain experience" if the base is strong enough.

I would be interested in what the university professors tell their students these days. Do they spread false hope or present a realistic picture to the players?