Repertoire Studies (393-0-2)
Topic
Flute Orchestral Excerpts
Instructors
John W Thorne
Meeting Info
Regenstein Hall of Music MCR: Thurs 2:00PM - 2:50PM
Overview of class
This class will help prepare the student to take professional orchestral auditions for principal flute, second flute, associate principal flute, and piccolo. It will also help students prepare for graduate school and summer festival auditions. Standard excerpts will be covered.
Registration Requirements
This class is only open to flute performance majors. The maximum enrollment is six students. (No permission number applies.)
Learning Objectives
The main objective is to gather the skills and knowledge needed to take professional auditions. Students are expected to listen to each piece and be able to provide appropriate tempos for all movements and works being studied. From your listening you will also be expected to have an awareness of orchestration and the appropriate style. In addition, you will be expected to know which sections are solo or soli in any complete piece being studied.
Teaching Method
This is a performance class. Each week, students enrolled in the class will play 2-3 different excerpts for the class, receiving feedback from the professor as well as students in the class. You are welcome to use repertoire lists for upcoming or past professional auditions, the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, the New World Symphony, summer festivals, or graduate school auditions. There should be a mix of styles, composers, and difficulty so that you gather a list of excerpts that reflects what an audition committee would need to hear; excerpts that demonstrate the skills needed by an orchestral flutist/piccolo player. (If performing an excerpt that has previously been learned, please memorize the excerpt as a new way of working on it.) We will hold a mock audition at the end of the quarter. In the mock audition, playing for your peers will help to simulate a live audition experience.
Evaluation Method
Grades will be determined as follows:
Performance in weekly class: 50 %
Listening/score study: 10%
Mock audition performance: 30 %
Overall contribution to the class environment: 10%
Class Materials (Required)
Students are not required to purchase a specific excerpt book. Students can learn the excerpts from full orchestral scores available for free in the Music Library and online.
Class Materials (Suggested)
Below are some options for purchasing excerpts books. Please note, prices may vary. Students are not required to purchase parts or books. Learning excerpts from the complete orchestral score is an excellent way to learn more about the complete work. The library is a free source for these scores.
1. Presser Excerpt Book Collections
• Orchestral Excerpts for Flute with Piano Accompaniment - $55.00
• Orchestral Excerpts for Flute with Piano Accompaniment Volume. 2 - $55.00
• Great Flute Duos from The Orchestral Repertoire - $55.00
• Opera Excerpts for Flute - $50.00
• Orchestral Excerpts for Piccolo - $53.00
Available from Presser, Flute World, Amazon, RoseMusic, Flutistry.
2. Kalmus Album of First Flute Folders ($12.50 each)
Available from Flute World.
3. Kalmus Individual Parts Purchase
• Go to http://www.kalmus.com/index.php
• Search the desired symphony
• "Click on instrumentation and pricing", select a flute part.
Usually within $10 per part, depending on the work.
Class Notes
This class will allow you to practice your audition skills and focus on the professional world beyond academia. Moving from the practice room to the stage is the goal for any aspiring orchestral flutist. It takes years of practice to do that. This class is part of that process.