Colby Norton Euphonium All-State 2020-2021Rochut #20
A quick read of the 2020-2021 Kentucky All-State Euphonium Excerpt Rochut #20. I like to play the pieces that my students are working on allowing my natural tendencies (tone, tempo, rhythm, intonation problems, style, and so on) to exist. This gives me an idea of possible problems that may occur during a lesson so that I can have a game plan on how to fix said problem.
Much like the bass trombone lyrical euphonium's need to learn their E major scale! The next step will be to practice it slowly Much like the tuba excerpt there's a lot of notes here. Once you get comfortable with the rhythms you can start speeding it up but don’t be in a rush to play it fast. Slow practice equals fast progress.
Personally, I don’t use any tongue except for the beginnings of phrases and very light tongue on the grace notes to give them a little accent. The grace notes are ornamental yes, but at a quick tempo they can add a color that goes beyond ornamental and can sound almost virtuosic in nature. (re: way more impressive sounding than it actually is).
The biggest challenge I see in this excerpt is playing scalar lines nice and smooth and suddenly a leap of a 3rd or larger interrupts the smoothness... DON’T LET IT! Practice simple lip flexibility exercises like this one couples with fingering exercises like this to help keep things smooth.
Borrowed from Dr. Micah Everett
Borrowed from Dr. Micah Everett
Beyond the technical skill, this still needs to be musical. Starting soft is tough enough, so quickly increase the volume to give you a floor and ceiling for your dynamic contrast. This will help you be a little more secure as the piece develops. I suggest the following dynamic pattern that allows me to also keep the phrasing.
In the second line, really go after the rallentando. Make it obvious and dramatic but paced. Don’t think of the C# as a fermata just a 16th note in whatever time you have slowed down to, breathe like normal and begin again a tempo
Any phrase that ends with a quarter note followed by an eighth note... lean into the quarter and play the eighth note full value. Try not to drag like I did, it stops the forward momentum.
Any phrase that ends with a quarter note followed by an eighth note... lean into the quarter and play the eighth note full value. These are tension points of suspension and release. Try not to drag like I did, it stops the forward momentum.
This etude is rather repetitive, so seriously take your time learning the first few lines and getting the feel for the piece as a whole. Finally, as with all auditions, keep your attention on high all the way to the end... I got a little excited as I neared the last note and let my hubris take over, causing me to flare out my tone, under support the last E and crack a note on a scalar descent. Stupid mistakes seperate first chair to not making 2nd cut!
The purpose of this etude is to test your range connection (not super high or low, just right in the sweet spot of the horn) finger dexterity, the key of E, and your ability to play in a compound time signature. This is just a “ground and pound” excerpt that you just bump the metronome up a little day to day.
If you would like a one on one lesson with me or to hear some feedback on how you are sounding, book a lesson here!