Solo Tenor-Trombone Pieces for Conservatory Auditions

[zarkosis]

I was wondering what solo pieces anyone would recommend for conservatory undergraduate auditions?

I already have most of the pieces that are listed on N.E.C.'s website in my repertoire:
David Concerto, Bozza Ballade, Grondahl Concert, Larsson Concertino, and Saint-Saens Cavantine.
I've been working on a few more pieces, and know a handful of otherworks, too.

Are there any other pieces I should look into? Would any of these pieces be better to display my musical abilities?
As of now, I am looking to using the Bozza as it is the most fun and interesting piece to me, but I'm not 100% sure if it would be the best choice for auditions. The schools I'm looking at are New England Conservatory, Curtis, Juilliard, and Manhattan if that makes any difference. One of my friends got into N.E.C. a few months ago and he played some obscure modern solo piece that wasn't listed on their website, so I am not too sure if the piece you play actually matters for the audition - or if I am overthinking the choosing process.

[Zandit75]

Rimsky-Korsakoff's Concerto is a good one to challenge yourself with.

[hyperbolica]

They just want to hear a range of styles and to make sure you have good basic skills - sound, range, time/rhythm, intonation, articulation, musicality. I'd play something romantic, like a movement of the David. Play something multi-meter like Sanders Sonata in Eb, play a Rochut. Select something that plays to your strengths. If you have great range, play the last movement of David. If you have great double tongue and range, even something like a selection from Blue Bells would be appropriate.

If you've worked on some advanced studies stuff like Bitsch, or Rochut book 2 or 3. Certainly be ready to pull out some excerpts

You'll have to play scales, and do some sight reading. They might ask you to play a duet with one of the audition board members to evaluate sight reading and intonation.

The main thing is to show your strengths on a range of styles in single movements from trombone solos, and to just sound competent on a wide range of other stuff. If you were perfect, you wouldn't need to go to school.

[brtnats]

You're totally overthinking it.

Play something that shows you have good time, good intonation, good precision, and good legato. You're better off 100% of the time by playing something easier that highlights your strengths instead of something harder that underscores your deficiencies. That's a lesson I didn't learn (until too late!) when I was listening to Charlie Vernon talk about auditions. One of the things he had to prepare for his Chicago audition was Rochut #4, as written and down an octave. He said that everything a player had to offer could be shown in that one piece, and he's right.

Matt

[Neo Bri]

Sulek's Vox Gabrieli is a good one.