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by Lauren Rongo  Copyright 2001 by Lauren Rongo May not be reproduced in any form without prior consent. All rights reserved. |
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by Lauren Rongo Copyright 2001 by Lauren Rongo May not be reproduced in any form without prior consent. All rights reserved. |
| There
are many factors in determining material
for a competition. First and foremost is realizing your strengths
or weaknesses as a soloist or ensemble player. Do you, or your group,
have a strong flute sound and play musically, or do you
have impeccable technique. In simple terms, do you play better
slow
or fast. If your tone is your forte (no pun intended), select
music that will enhance that particular part of your playing.
Choose
music that is very lyrical and song like. There are many compositions
that
fit into this genre, especially in the Romantic Period. For
instance, Syrinx
by Debussy, Danse de la Chevre
by
Honegger, Sonatines
by Koechlin, etc. On the other
hand, if you are a technical player you must consider other types
of music. Usually the Classical or Baroque periods have a lot of
technical
passages. There are, of course, many selections from these
periods. I will only name a few. The Mozart Concertos,
Bach Sonatas,
Handel Sonatas,
Quantz Sonatas.
etc. There is no sin
in falling into one of these categories, but being a master at
both
will increase your chances at choosing a diverse solo or ensemble
program.
In ensemble playing, who plays what part? There are many situations where the most important part is not the 1st part. Score preparation in ensemble playing is imperative. There are many pieces written where the 2nd and 3rd parts are more important musically and more demanding, especially playing in the lower register. Once again choose parts by who can play the strongest in a certain register. We must be able to hear all the parts, not just the 1st part. One important rule is to learn each others part. That way you know where everything should come together. Also, do not forget to study the score! When entering a competition there are several concerns to keep in mind. First is the judge.This person has been sitting and listening for a number of hours. Keep your selection to at least the minimum requirement but no more than 2-3 minutes beyond the requirement. These adjudicators have heard most of the selections many times before. If you or your ensemble are able to play both musically and technically do two contrasting movements. In other words, a slow and a fast movement. Secondly, watch what you select. In most competitions in is not appropriate to choose pop or jazz selections. Try to stick to classical music for most competitions. Another concern is to pick a selection you can play. One of the biggest mistakes is to pick music that is over your musical ability, in other words, too hard for you. Basically, the judge wants to hear correct notes, correct rhythms, and phrasing. They want you to follow exactly what is printed on your musical page. In conclusion, I wish you a lot of luck and success in your competitions. If you have any questions about what to select feel free to e-mail me!Happy
Fluting,
Lauren Rongo (Flûtée member, 1994 - 2004) (laurenrongo@hotmail.com) |
