MMEA All-Sate Trombone Audition tips

Here is a set of exercises designed to help high school students prepare to play the J. E. Barat Andante et Allegro for this year's All-State Auditions.

Working on these exercises consistently will develop your chops and improve your playing on the Barat. They also provide examples of a good way to practice: break the music down into chunks so you can focus on one aspect or skill at a time, and improve it.

All the exercises should be played slowly enough to get a great sound at first. Then you can work up to the performance tempo. My favorite recording of this piece is by Carl Lenthe on his CD The Audition Window (Summit Records 354). It's also available on Spotify, iTunes, etc...


Click here to download the PDF 

Here is a click track/metronome audio file that can help you fit together the main theme. It's not necessary to perform the opening theme with a rigid pulse, but it is a helpful way to begin learning the complicated rhythm. You can use this audio file with section 3 of the exercises. It begins with 4 counts of eighth notes—then you can come in at m. 2 of the piece, or any of the exercises in section 3 of the pdf above.

Exercises for the All-State Tuba and Euphonium audition pieces are coming up soon!

Faculty Low Brass Recital, September 18th 2012 — Dan Barrett and Laura Artesani

Minsky Recital Hall at the University of Maine, 7:30 PM

The program for this concert will include the three MMEA All-State low brass audition pieces for the coming year:

Barat - Andante et Allegro (Trombone)
Vizzutti/Mead - Cowboy Dance and Pas de Deux (Euphonium)
Troje-Miller - Sonatina Classica (Tuba/Bass Trombone)

We'll also do two other standard pieces:

Guilmant - Morceau Symphonique
Rimsky-Korsakov - Trombone Concerto (1st mvt.)

Maybe a couple others things mixed in. I'll add some more information about the music as it gets closer. I will also post a set of exercises I've written up that are helpful when you're working on these pieces.

Fall 2012 Events

Here's what's coming up this fall. More to come...

September 18, 2012
Faculty Recital, Dan Barrett and Laura Artesani, Minsky Recital Hall, 7:30 PM
Works by Rimsky-Korsakov, Barat, Vizzutti, Troje-Miller, and Guilmant

October 24, 2012
Women Composers Concert, Minsky Recital Hall, 7:30 PM
Including new works for trombone by Beth Wiemann and Ellinor Petersen

November 3, 2012
University of Maine Orchestra Concert, Minsky Recital Hall, 7:30 PM

November 8, 2012
Faculty Trumpet Recital, Jack Burt and Laura Artesani, Minsky Recital Hall, 7:30 PM

November 29, 2012
University of Maine Jazz Ensemble, Minsky Recital Hall, 7:30 PM

December 4, 2012
Brass Night, Minsky Recital Hall, 7:30 PM

December 6, 2012
Symphonic Band Concert, Collins Center for the Arts, 7:30 PM

Brass Quintet Concert - February 16, 2012 7:30 PM Minsky Recital Hall

Here's the program for the concert:

A Mighty Fortress is Our God.................... Martin Luther, arr. Gary Slechta

3 Views from a Shimane Elementary School...........................James Barrett
1. Asa

(World Premiere)

Intermezzo Interotto..........................................Béla Bartók, arr. Dan Barrett
from Concerto for Orchestra

Fingerwärmerpolka..................................................................Leonhard Paul

PAUSE

Suite from The Pirates of Penzance.......Sir Arthur Sullivan, arr. Fen Wadkin

Abendlied.............................................Robert Schumann, arr. Leonhard Paul

Angeluswalzer.............................................................................Gerhard Füßl

Wo die schönen Trompeten blasen............Gustav Mahler, arr. Michael Allen
from Des Knaben Wunderhorn

Fetzenschädelgalopp.................................................................Leonhard Paul


PERSONNEL
Jack Burt, trumpet
Sarah Sukeforth, trumpet
Scott Burditt, horn
Trevor Marcho, trombone
Dan Barrett, bass trombone

Recordings online from Premiere of Ellinor Peterson Trombone Quartet

You can listen to our premiere performance of Ellinor Peterson's trombone quartet "I Will Take Care of You" at her website:
http://www.ellinorpetersen.com/
You can also hear some other music performed by Dan and Ellinor while she was visiting Maine.

The trombone quartet is now published by Svensk Musik, and is available here.