Play It Like Tarzan: Peak Performance Mondays
“One thing to remember for the show…whatever passage you are playing, once you make your entrance, stay in character!” - Michael Tilson Thomas, 3/28/24, Walt Disney Concert Hall, Petrouchka
Hey everybody, and welcome to this week's Peak Performance Mondays, continuing our special 6-week focus on orchestra auditions.
A few weeks ago, the Los Angeles Philharmonic had the pleasure of being led by the renowned Maestro Michael Tilson Thomas (MTT) through some incredible music at Walt Disney Concert Hall.
This is certainly not the first time I've worked with MTT...he's been a conducting icon for my entire career.
But the thing that stands out every time I get a chance to work with him is that he is always focused on saying something musically. He's the King of Character.
This got me thinking.
What's the difference between good and great, in an orchestra audition?
And what's the difference between great and hired?
The answer? Playing with character.
🧠 Consider This: As a member of the audition committee, I'm not going to lie, many prelim rounds, the concept of character doesn't even enter my mind. Why? Because I'm hearing excerpts that are out of time, with questionable intonation, unrefined sound, and inconsistent articulation.
And don't even get me started on how many musicians don't have a clue about the context of what they're playing (hint: listen to a recording, guys!)
So, the idea of expressing your musicality is kind of moot if you don't have your nuts and bolts worked out.
🛠️ The 10% of musicians who have worked out the details get to do something that is the point we all started playing our instruments in the first place...making music! Expressing something. Making me feel an emotion.
And the more specific you can get with this, the more impact it's going to have on the committee and your audience. Which is kind of the entire point of the art form, isn't it?
💡 Action Item of the Week: Today, I'm going to focus on one of my favorite tools to test and see if you are actually achieving this goal. I call it the Ten Word Test.
How it Works
Number from 1-10 on a sheet of paper.
Write your keyword somewhere on the list for the excerpt you want to test.
Fill in the other 9 spots with random, unrelated adjectives.
Ask a friend to listen to you play, and have them circle the word that feels like.
If they circle your keyword, you’ve done your job.
Do this for every excerpt on your list.
🎁 The Takeaway: I showed this to so many people in my audition accelerator class, and I'm amazed that very few of them have ever actually tried this technique. See if you can do it. It's not as easy as you think.
As a bonus to this week's performance Monday, I'm going to share something personal from my iPhone. For years, I've been the trumpet section's dedicated quote scribe, jotting down clever or impactful things that colleagues and conductors say. I have a special file for MTT.
Below, I've listed some of my favorite keywords that he has actually said to us in a rehearsal over the years, and maybe they will inspire your own keyword practice.
Feel free to print these out and hang them on the wall in your practice room.
Can it feel in tempo, but a little less upholstered
Flirtatious sparkle-ando
On the threshold of audibility
Glissy, launch the zhuzh
Cream-a-lando
A tiny whiff of ponticello
Enormously charming, slightly disguised as malevolence
More bow noise! (said to the brass section)
High energy spiteful
Sadder and wearier
Screechier
Slurpy
Use your fingers a little more schmoozily,
a little more encore-piece-ish
Snarl
Screechando
Sexy
Sardonic
Tenutify
Bucolic
Pastoral
Boozier
More Salieri-ish
Tranquillo moving to terrifying
Allie-oop
3D
Sour
A little like ice skating
Schmaltzier
Histrionic and nuts
A little more crocodile-ish
Like a Parisian Club Date
A little bit on the out of control side
Like a demented nutcracker
Carnivorous
Legato creepalando
And my personal favorite... As Tarzan-like as possible.
Remember, this conversation about keywords and character is absolutely pointless if you don't have your technique nailed down. Split your focus when you practice excerpts into two buckets: Nuts and Bolts versus Character. And then make sure you're delivering both with confidence and intention for every single excerpt.
🔜 What's Next: Next, we delve into "Mastering the Mental Game: Overcoming Audition Anxiety."
We'll explore strategies for managing nerves, building confidence, and staying focused under pressure, ensuring you're not just prepared musically but mentally and emotionally ready to take the stage.
Happy practicing,
Chris @ Honesty Pill Coaching
P.S. Big news! The next cohort of The Audition Accelerator, open to all orchestral instruments, starts on May 1st. Only 10 spots will be available, and not everyone who applies will be accepted.
