Brass Band Auditions and Audition Advice

[stevevaughn]

Cool idea!

My introduction to brass band was through drum corps. I marched with Phantom Regiment from 2009-2011, and my first year the entire last half of our production was taken from the great work 'Paganini Variations' by Philip Wilby. I remember one day during spring training we listened to all of the source music on a rainy afternoon with JD (the brass caption head at the time), and when we listened to the Wilby piece I was blown away! I had no idea what I was hearing, but I was hooked!

When I moved to Colorado in 2013 to start my MM degree I started playing with a local brass band (non-competitive) called Rocky Mountain Brassworks. Really great group that sits at about the 2nd section in NABBA if they competed. We did about a concert a month or so, and every concert was in a packed auditorium! The guy who runs that group, Doug Harris, knows how to put together a great concert with a theme that's fun for players and the audience. That's where I got "used to" the brass band instrumentation and learned a lot of repertoire. We would occasionally play some championship level stuff and we programmed 'Of Distant Memories' one concert cycle, and I realized I really enjoyed playing test pieces.

I played with that group for 2 years, and then there was an opening for Pikes Peak Brass Band (about an hour and a half south of Denver) which is/was a competitive 1st section band. I sat on 2nd Eb Tuba my first year and then moved to the solo euphonium chair the next year. I remember sitting in the first rehearsal with that group and I could barely keep up with how much sound was coming out of the band, but I freakin loved it! The music was great, and the people were great! I took a year off after 2 years with that group, and then the following year I auditioned for Colorado Brass which was a new-ish group that competed in the Championship division, which is ultimately what I wanted; to play that level of music in a competitive group. I joined them in 2019-20, and was super excited to do NABBA 2020 in the championship section on solo euph, then COVID hit. I had my first taste of playing in the solo euph chair in a championship level brass band competing at NABBA 2022 this past April and I can't wait for the next one!

Favorite non-test piece I've played would be the Sandy Smith arrangement of Los Hermanos de Bop - super fun!
Favorite test piece I've played - Of Distant Memories
Favorite test piece I want to play! - Vita Aeterna Variations

[bayoung36]

I’m auditioning for the Frontier Brass Band near Edmond, Oklahoma run by Dr. Ryan Sharp! I’d love to hear any advice or tips for playing in a brass band for the first time. I’ll be playing euphonium and I’m excited to have a chance at being apart of a British style brass band!

[spkissane]

I’m auditioning for the Frontier Brass Band near Edmond, Oklahoma run by Dr. Ryan Sharp! I’d love to hear any advice or tips for playing in a brass band for the first time. I’ll be playing euphonium and I’m excited to have a chance at being apart of a British style brass band!

One thing I'd do is listen to recordings of the greats - Black Dyke, Grimethorpe, Cory, Brighouse, etc., to get a sense of the differences in style between brass band and concert band.

For euphonium specifically, the sound concept tends to skew more "round" than the American-style concert band sound, with more/different vibrato.

Also make sure your treble clef chops are good!

[miketeachesclass]

I would lean heavily toward playing the audition. If you are offered a position and can’t take it or don’t feel it’s the right fit, you can decline. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Mike

Doug and Jake,

Thanks for the nice message, Doug. I can really sense the "second wind" you seem to have gotten lately. And good for you for doing what you did. I am practicing now as much as I can daily so that I can be in some sort of decent shape should an invite come calling.

And it looks like both of you know Margie and Neil, what a small world we're in indeed. Yes, they are good people and they have had both Linda and me over to their place and made us feel welcome in our new spot in the world.

Good luck with the San Francisco Brass Band, Jake!

I am fortunate to have landed in several ensembles already. Just not quite sure if the Brass Band of Central Florida is in the cards or not. We will see. I am leaning on giving it a go to see if I can make it if given the opportunity...

[John Morgan]

I would lean heavily toward playing the audition. If you are offered a position and can’t take it or don’t feel it’s the right fit, you can decline. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Mike

You just might have given me some good advice, Mike. Thanks!

[Jhnthn]

Do ya'll have advice on preparing for a Brass Band Audition? It looks like I'm about 20 minutes away from the Atlantic Brass Band. They're staffed up except for percussionists, but it looks like I can audition to be a substitute.

What should I expect?
What should I prepare?

[davewerden]

Brass Band Auditions and Audition Advice

I moved the audition-related posts here, but the order you see above may seem a little odd.

[JakeGuilbo]

I responded via PM but my advice for auditioning for a brass band on Euphonium is as follows:
-If they ask you to just come to rehearsal to sub, make sure you know the music you are playing backwards, frontwards, leftwards, rightswards. Find a recording and play through your part 10 times. Even if you can't play the technical stuff right now, NOT GETTING LOST, knowing the transitions and knowing who is playing what and where is more important. If the conductor gives feedback during play (too loud, too soft) follow whatever they tell you.
- If they ask you to play a piece, choose something well known with brass band accompaniment. I'd suggest either Sparke's Harlequinn or Pantomime or Peter Graham's Brillante. Chances are the people auditioning you will have played those pieces before with other soloists and it makes it a more fair comparison. Especially for a competitive brass band, comparison is everything. If you can't play the technical parts of those pieces, choose something you can play that has brass band accompaniment - anything by Philip Sparke or Peter Graham will probably be fine.
-Offer, even if they don't ask, to play either baritone chairs. Be enthusiastic about it and plan to get your own instrument if asked.
-This goes with the above but offer to be at any needed rehearsal at a moment's notice. The more available and flexible you are, the more gung-ho and positive, the more useful you are.

[Magikarp]

I responded via PM but my advice for auditioning for a brass band on Euphonium is as follows:
-If they ask you to just come to rehearsal to sub, make sure you know the music you are playing backwards, frontwards, leftwards, rightswards. Find a recording and play through your part 10 times. Even if you can't play the technical stuff right now, NOT GETTING LOST, knowing the transitions and knowing who is playing what and where is more important. If the conductor gives feedback during play (too loud, too soft) follow whatever they tell you.
- If they ask you to play a piece, choose something well known with brass band accompaniment. I'd suggest either Sparke's Harlequinn or Pantomime or Peter Graham's Brillante. Chances are the people auditioning you will have played those pieces before with other soloists and it makes it a more fair comparison. Especially for a competitive brass band, comparison is everything. If you can't play the technical parts of those pieces, choose something you can play that has brass band accompaniment - anything by Philip Sparke or Peter Graham will probably be fine.
-Offer, even if they don't ask, to play either baritone chairs. Be enthusiastic about it and plan to get your own instrument if asked.
-This goes with the above but offer to be at any needed rehearsal at a moment's notice. The more available and flexible you are, the more gung-ho and positive, the more useful you are.

IF you’re auditioning for a euphonium position why would you offer your services as baritone player? If they have a euphonium vacancy audition for that alone, otherwise you might as well suggest tenor horn or trombone. Offering to play a position that isn’t the one you’re planning on auditioning for smacks of desperation. Where would it end? Cornet? BBb bass?

My experience of auditions in the UK brass band scene is that you don’t know the pieces before you arrive. In at the deep end, which is clearly best, as our bands have a weird compulsion for competition and pressure.

I also wouldn’t play a well known solo if you have the choice. Be off the wall. Be challenging. If you play Brilliante there’s every chance someone will say “David Childs does it better”.

Just my two penn’orth.

[davewerden]

IF you’re auditioning for a euphonium position why would you offer your services as baritone player? If they have a euphonium vacancy audition for that alone, otherwise you might as well suggest tenor horn or trombone. Offering to play a position that isn’t the one you’re planning on auditioning for smacks of desperation.

I disagree. If a player doesn't mind playing baritone, that's a good way to get into an ensemble. I don't suppose Gail Robertson and Demondrae Thurman play baritone in the Brass Band of Battle Creek out of desperation.

also wouldn’t play a well known solo if you have the choice. Be off the wall. Be challenging. If you play Brilliante there’s every chance someone will say “David Childs does it better”.

That is a risk. However, it's also a risk to play something that is non so well known. It's a matter of guesswork sometimes, and either choice can be valid. The important thing is to pick a piece you can nail!

[JakeGuilbo]

IF you’re auditioning for a euphonium position why would you offer your services as baritone player? If they have a euphonium vacancy audition for that alone, otherwise you might as well suggest tenor horn or trombone. Offering to play a position that isn’t the one you’re planning on auditioning for smacks of desperation. Where would it end? Cornet? BBb bass?

My experience of auditions in the UK brass band scene is that you don’t know the pieces before you arrive. In at the deep end, which is clearly best, as our bands have a weird compulsion for competition and pressure.

I also wouldn’t play a well known solo if you have the choice. Be off the wall. Be challenging. If you play Brilliante there’s every chance someone will say “David Childs does it better”.

Just my two penn’orth.

In the US the british baritone is a rare instrument. When I've asked for baritone subs in our band I have to reach out to euphonium players AND I have to provide them an instrument. Literally nobody owns one aside from regulars in the band. There is not a single music school in this country, that I know of, that offers a Music Performance degree on Baritone whereas there are tons who offer Euphonium.

And if you think you can succeed on tenor horn, offer those services as well. The point was to make yourself attractive to the band, however that needs to happen, and then put the work in. That will come through way more than anything.

And the saying "David Childs does it better" will apply to literally any piece of music ever written. The point was, again, to show you know the lit and that you can play it.

[DaveBj]

"David Childs does it better."

Yeah, and he's a lot more expensive

[rgorscak]

that makes me wonder if a euphonium player wanted to also play a baritone, and money was not an object, which baritone would be recommended? I see praise on the web site for the Yamaha Neo and Prestige 2056.

I have new Bach bass trumpet and wonder how close it comes to a baritone. I just like dabbling on different horns in my old age! I also would like to play more jazz. I do so on a trombone in a local community jazz band, but my skills are lacking (never got lessons on the trombone and consequently, my slide technique leaves a lot to be desired). I am, however, working on improving.

[MichaelSchott]

If you want to playbaritone in a brass band you need a real British style baritone. There is no substitute. As far as brands, I am not nearly as well versed as others but there are many threads on that topic.

[bbocaner]

that makes me wonder if a euphonium player wanted to also play a baritone, and money was not an object, which baritone would be recommended? I see praise on the web site for the Yamaha Neo and Prestige 2056.

I have new Bach bass trumpet and wonder how close it comes to a baritone. I just like dabbling on different horns in my old age! I also would like to play more jazz. I do so on a trombone in a local community jazz band, but my skills are lacking (never got lessons on the trombone and consequently, my slide technique leaves a lot to be desired). I am, however, working on improving.

It really depends on the band. I know there are probably some community-level brass bands that would just be happy to have the part covered. But for any serious band that competes it would not be legal for them to be at the competition with a bass trumpet in the band, nor is it anywhere close to the right sound. A euphonium would be closer to the baritone sound than a bass trumpet or a marching trombone would be.

I really like the Neo YBH-831S, it's absolutely my favorite, but I tried Doug Ruby's Sterling Virtuoso baritone once and thought it was excellent, although very different. I also used to own a 2056 and I like the sound and the playability and feel are very good but the intonation borders on unusable, for me at least -- but I have a strong aversion to having to regularly use alternate fingerings when there are instruments out there that don't require it. Besson 955 is much better, and I also like the 3-valve compensating wessex quite a bit and it's a bargain.