A thread was recently posted on another forum about the Navy Band auditions for euphonium. The audition panel didn't find a candidate they thought was suitable, so they didn't hire anyone. Several posters expressed dismay that the band would hold an audition and not hire a player.

It happens from time to time. I remember a Marine Band audition several years ago with similar results. The Marine Band's panel would have been lead by either (or both) Michael Colburne, who is now the director and was solo euphonium, or Phil Franke, who is solo euphonium. Both of them are nice folks, really fine musicians, and really fine players. I know from talking to Phil that the result was frustrating and disappointing to them as well as to the players.

We would sometimes not hire someone at the end of the Coast Guard Band's auditions, and I can tell you first-hand that it is not a happy experience. But as has been pointed out in this thread, when you could be working with someone for 20 or more years, or ever for 4, you want a good player and a person with a good attitude toward the job.

There are many, many reasons why an audition could come out this way. If you were a participant, I have no doubt you were impressed by the quality of the other players you heard. But keep in mind that you are hearing players who have been practicing hard (I hope!!) and are in their personal top form. They will be warming up on excerpts and exercises that they sound wonderful on. I have often advised folks who are planning to audition for a gig that they should not be distressed by this. I have heard players sound fantastic when warming up, but then sound much less than fantastic when playing for real.

Each panel will have their own set of standards, that is true. But it is probably not going to result in too much inconsistency from panel to panel. You may come away from playing feeling like you were at your absolute best that day and did a great job. And that is probably a valid assessment from your perspective. Remember, though, that there are many components to a fine audition.

First and foremost: are you going to fit in with the section? If you listen to Roger Behrend (Navy) and then to Phil Franke (Marines), you will hear considerable differences in their style and tone. Roger might not fit in to a "Phil" section and Phil might not fit in to a "Roger" section, even though they are both great players at the top of their profession. And that extends to the band as a whole. What is the band's style compared to others? Are they a take-no-prisoners band or a warm-and-sensitive band? Where are you on that spectrum?

Tone: this really fits into the above paragraph. But for example, I play a Sterling and previously played a Besson, both with a Wick 4AL. Those two British horns with that mouthpiece are going to sound different from a Willson with the typical 51D. If I were auditioning for a section of Willson players, I would probably keep my horn, but I would almost surely switch mouthpieces to adjust my tone to be more like theirs.

Rhythm: this has been a tremendous weakness in a great many players I have heard in recitals, master classes, lessons, and auditions. In the Coast Guard we were very tough about rhythm. You really had to count and play subdivisions accurately. In an audition for a different band, your tone might be far more important, or your power, or...

Dynamics: this is another commonly weak area. The top bands need you to be able to play a real piano when it is written and a powerful fortissimo in all ranges when required. Think about the music you played at the audition. Were there pianos indicated, and did you play them really softly? Were they more like mp's? In loud sections, did your tone and dynamic hold up as you went higher or lower? Did your tone stay centered at all dynamics?

Articulation: it is important to observe all markings in prepared music, and to catch them as you sight read. You should have a very fast tongue when needed. If you played a march, did you keep a nice tempo at all times, even when going from a soft trio into a ff breakup strain?

Musicality: last but not least! At auditions the panel wants to hear you show musical maturity, and especially wants to hear you play in a style appropriate to the music you are playing. You should be able to play in a very romantic, expressive style when called for, and you should be able to play in a very noble style when called for, and you should be able to play in a very aggressive style when called for, and... As you are thinking about playing musically, don't forget to learn how to play a march the way the service bands do. There are certain elements of style expected.

The point of all this is that you could be a really fine player and not win an audition. And also that the other players you heard warming up may not have done all that well during the actual audition. Holding auditions is a tremendous amount of work and expense for the band, and they do NOT want to come up empty at the end of the day.