The Section Round in an Audition

[BrianJohnston]

Hi all,

I'd like to start a discussion here regarding the "Section Round" In an audition.

Some sample questions to fuel this discussion:
________________________________________
• If you've been an auditionee for a section round for an audition, what did you notice/learn from the experience?

• If you've been a part of the audition committee for section round hoping to hire someone, what did you learn/notice from the experience, what things did you like from the auditionee, what didn't you like.

• Are there some things you'd want done differently from a principal vs section vs bass auditionee in a section round?

• Other general thoughts, experiences, stories:

[paulyg]

I have had some experience along these lines, but not in an audition setting- hope that's not too off-topic.

I did a fair amount of playing in school with area "semi-pros" and professionals who trekked up from LA. Different sections- sometimes the same players, sometimes different, generally covering different parts. In that setting you have to get up to speed pretty quickly or it's gonna sound bland.

I think that the most successful performances in that setting come where everyone locks into the strengths of the other players in the section and does their best to amplify them. I can't imagine auditions being too different. It's not about "not stepping on someone's toes," more about enhancing the final product with what you bring to the table.

There is a preoccupation with "blend" and that translates into all sorts of BS about people having the same brand instruments, overly rigid/brittle conceptions about each player's role in the section, ect. that creates sort of a race to the bottom environment, with a boring final product. I'd say the avoidance of that mindset is key to making a positive impression on the section members.

[FOSSIL]

We do a second round where a player plays with the whole brass section, with the music director conducting.
It's usually a hell of a day, playing big heavy chunks of the repertoire eight or nine times in a row. People often come across very differently from the first round...you soon know who can be part of a team and who is out for themselves. It can be helpful but I sometimes wonder if we need that day for how much extra insight we get.

Chris

[CalgaryTbone]

I find the section round to be very informative. Is the candidate listening and adjusting attacks and note lengths to match the section? Same with intonation, volume level. If it's for Principal, do they lead those things and show them with breaths and body language? Phrasing - not just where the person breathes, but does their part sound like a phrase with melodic shape? Also, is that phrasing relating to the others? Lastly, how well do they know the music, such as adjusting up the volume a bit when it's melodic and down a bit when it's more of an accompanying figure?

The orchestra is looking for a musician who will be a valued colleague for years to come - not just someone who can play the trombone well. The section playing in N. America is usually just with the other low brass, and I think it is vitally important. If I had to give advice to an applicant in 2 words - "Listen! Adapt!".

Jim Scott

[Burgerbob]

My teacher told me the decider in a large 2nd trombone audition recently was how they played in that section round. Both players had done very well up to that point, and then one just slotted perfectly into the section.

[FOSSIL]

I find the section round to be very informative. Is the candidate listening and adjusting attacks and note lengths to match the section? Same with intonation, volume level. If it's for Principal, do they lead those things and show them with breaths and body language? Phrasing - not just where the person breathes, but does their part sound like a phrase with melodic shape? Also, is that phrasing relating to the others? Lastly, how well do they know the music, such as adjusting up the volume a bit when it's melodic and down a bit when it's more of an accompanying figure?

The orchestra is looking for a musician who will be a valued colleague for years to come - not just someone who can play the trombone well. The section playing in N. America is usually just with the other low brass, and I think it is vitally important. If I had to give advice to an applicant in 2 words - "Listen! Adapt!".

Jim Scott

I take your points. I should have been clearer...the section second round is used to thin down the list that goes forward to trials in the job. These trials often go on for years, gradually getting down to two or three players before a decision is made. I sometimes wonder if we should not hear more people on trial....the second round saves money and eases the administration task....and they always say that the job will be settled quickly, but it never is !

Chris

[CalgaryTbone]

No problem Chris - I understood. We don't tend to have long trial periods here - maybe one or two finalists will play a week, if that. One of our players is currently going through the trial period process w/the LSO (as much as he can with Covid). The section playing is really important in the system we use, since we want to hear how they work with others - not just as an individual. The only alternative if a player is hired and doesn't work out would be to deny tenure, and no one wants the if at all possible.

Jim Scott

[RustBeltBass]

I can only answer the original question from an auditioner’s point of view.

Many auditions in the United States mention the possibility of section playing in the audition invitation. Some of these auditions are then decided based on the section playing rounds which usually happen as part of the final round. Some auditions are being won without such a round. It depends.

A few years ago when I auditioned for an American full time orchestra on bass trombone, I played 3 rounds behind a screen, before being one of two finalists, I had to play a section round consisting of standard romantic orchestra repertoire. I did not win this audition. Though the decision was apparently extremely tough from what I had been told, the other candidate was a better fit, locked in with the section right off the bat, plain and simple.

I could live with the decision and was ok with the result as that had been my first professional audition after graduating from college and really became very busy freelancing. I felt it was a good way for the orchestra to find a winner as they heard every single invited candidate alone and heard every possible match in several rounds before closing in on the two of us.

The thing I wish to have been different was that the section round took place at the end of a very long day of focusing, playing, meditating, waiting, etc. I was one of the last players in the preliminary round and therefore had played that first round the same day while others had played theirs in the days before.
In retrospect I do think this audition could have maybe had a different outcome if the final round had happened on another day and I know some orchestras do that, most recently the Dallas Symphony Orchestra during their search for a utility trombonist.

But as an auditioner you don’t get to choose, they looked for the best player on that day and they found him. For me it was a great lesson I learned that day that would help me prepare for other auditions in the future.