Nande:
Every professional choir audition that I've taken & even a few auditions
for community/volunteer groups have made sight reading part of the
process. And you never know what to expect from place to place. I've seen
a few simple lines on a sheet, renaissance motets & contemporary pieces.
SIght reading is especially important in groups that have limited
rehearsal time before a performance... usually they'll cluster rehearsals
over a week or two before the concert & this means you better be able to
pick up on the music quickly or you won't know the music come the
concert.
I also find sight reading a challenge in the audition situation because
of the "nerve" factor. It is especially troubling when there are a lot of
accidentals in the music. At the last audition that I took, however, the
music director said to take a minute or two to review the first 3-4 pages
& it helped me to calm down & also have an idea of what was coming.
Sight reading is also useful as a soloist, particularily when those last
minute calls come whether it is for a funeral or to fill in for an ailing
"star".
Pat
On Wed, 09 May 2001 14:50:17 -0000 "Nande" <denanny@h...> writes:
On Wed, 09 May 2001 14:50:17 -0000 "Nande" <denanny@h...> writes:
> Dear list,
>
> Yesterday, I had an audition (for a new chamber-choir). Not very
> remarkable, I seem to have a lot of them recently. But this time, I
> was told something I hadn't heard before....
>
> I was given a piece by Rudolf Escher in advance which I found quite
> challenging, both in rhythm and 'melodic'. I studied it with my
> teacher as well as with a friend who is quite a good pianist. They
> both agreed with me that it was not the easiest piece of music they
> ever heard. It was do-able, but would not come naturally to me until
>
> real practise with all voices and a conductor.
>
> So, I did my best to reproduce what I rehearsed at the audition. And
>
> it went completely wrong because of my nerves/insecurity. (Which was
>
> no surprise to me, but nevertheless very annoying and frustrating)
> Then I was told that, despite my "fantastic voice", I really should
> work on my reading skills..... (So, I think I was rejected)
>
> I wish I could easily read music. I've been reading music nearly my
> entire life (from the age of 6), I played the violin, I played the
> flute, but the reading never really came naturally. I was always
> counting and searching for the right position.
> Musically, I think there's nothing wrong with me, I could play
> nearly
> everything I heard (within technical limits) on both my violin and
> my
> flute. But to play the simplest tunes from sheet was dramatic.
>
> The way I now learn new music is to find a recording of it, listen
> to
> it while I read and then I start to see the music in all the notes
> and the symbols. Before I hear it, I can make out the basic
> structure, the tempi, some rhythm and determine whether or not this
> is going to be relatively easy or relatively difficult for me. I do
> not see/hear the music in my head when I read it the first time.
> I do have a very good musical memory and a good musical ear.
>
> Do I really need the reading skills? (since learning new music is
> not
> really difficult for me) Can't I do without? Or rather isn't what I
> now 'have' enough? Is it useful to take a course? (I've taken a few
> before, but that was when I was 10 - 14 yars old. I'm 29 now) i
> really want to do solos in the future. I think solos are easier to
> learn thar choral pieces.
>
> What's your opinion?
>
> Nande
>
>
>
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>
>
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