Today is audition prep day (as will be many of the days to come).
I'm currently working on the 1st Mvt of the Tomasi Concerto, which is the required solo for the National Symphony Orchestra Principal Trumpet audition. I've spent the last 3 days working on this movement, VERY slowly! I started at quarter=100, which is very easy for me. Today was move-up day for tempo. I'm aiming for a final tempo of about 135-140. After 3 days of slow practice I was able to get close to that. But it's still not perfect. So, I will return to the slower tempo for a bit more today and then speed up again tomorrow, aiming for perfection at around 130. 135-140 will follow shortly.
I've learned, through the years, that slow practice is the key to confidence! There's something about repeating the same thing over and over again, perfectly, that makes you feel good about your upcoming performance. Everyone has a tempo that they can play their assigned music correctly. I try to make sure I find the tempo where I can play every note, articulation, color, vibrato and intonation as I would want it for a performance. Then repeat. And repeat. And repeat, until I feel I can go a bit faster. Then repeat. And repeat. Until I feel I can go even faster. Then repeat. You get the idea.
I try to do this process on everything, be it orchestra parts, solo rep, quintet, etudes and even fundamentals.
It seems like common sense, yet I'm consistently surprised by how often I have to teach this practice basic.
Slow practice. An under-used fundamental. Re-introduce yourself to slow playing and see how it helps. Let me know the results!
Ok, break over. Back to Tomasi!
JM
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