Our Application CD Preparation
In a previous post I promised to discuss our process of preparing our application CD. In fact, I’ve been thinking about writing an article or presenting a clinic session on applying to perform at conferences for several years. We’ve had some nice success (luck?) in applying in recent years to various activities that require audition tapes: 2 MENC North-Centrals, 5 Illinois All-States, 2 IMEA Music Education Day at the Capitols, 5 Illinois Superstate Festivals. It’s always been our “failure” at applying to Midwest that has held me back from following through with sharing my thoughts.
KNOWING OUR COMPETITION
I use the word “competition” only in the most collegial sense of the word, but in a way, it’s extremely accurate. There are a finite number of spots and many groups applying for one of those spots. Particularly with the Midwest Clinic, where it is so very difficult to get invited, it’s important to know what you’re up against.
I strongly recommend visiting Mark Custom Recordings and picking up several of the public school TMEA recordings (tell him I sent you). I suggest the TMEA recordings over the Midwest Recordings for a couple reasons. First and foremost, the performances of these Texas bands are AMAZING. Let’s face it, it’s been Texas, Texas, non-Texas at the middle school level for the last few Midwest Clinics in a row…including 2006. They also have a wonderful tradition of including their audition tapes along with their TMEA performances. It’s a very intimidating exercise, but not one you’ll want to skip over. We own all of them, all the Midwest recordings too. Yeah, our listening library is completely over the top. Just listening to each of the CDs is a tremendous learning process.
Some of my favorites, in no particular order:
Bedford Junior High School (TMEA 2000) Steve Madsen, Christine Belle
American Civil War Fantasy, Shepard’s Hey, The Footlifter
McKamy Middle School Honor Winds (TMEA 2001) Rick Villarreal
Variations on a Korean Folk Song
Quail Valley Middle School Honors Band (TMEA 2001) Greg Countryman
Holst Second Suite. Yes the whole Second Suite. Amazing. The Gladiator – Sousa.
Coakley Middle School Symphonic Band (TMEA 2005) Joseph Figareli, Barbara Figarelli
Shepherd’s Hey, American Riversongs, Salvation is Created.
Griffin Middle School Symphonic Band (TMEA 1993) John Benzer
The tone quality of this band is incredibly stunning. Fortress, Color, The Gladiator
There’s also another fantastic CD of this group…1997 I think. Kind of a best of CD, catalog 2530-MCD
Apollo Junior High School (TMEA 1994) Jerry Brumbaugh
March from Original Suite – Jacobs, Second Prelude – Gershwin, Sketches of a Tudor Psalm (AWESOME)
Desoto West Junior High School Symphonic Band (TMEA 1997) Benjamin Davis
Variations on a Korean Folk Song, King Across the Water
McAdams Junior High School Symphonic Band (TMEA 1997) Wade McDonald, Michelle Perez
Cajun Folk Songs, Spoon River, March of the Belgian Paratroopers
Nimitz Junior High School Symphonic Band (TMEA 2004)
Joyce’s 71st New York Regiment, ARMENIAN DANCES!!!!!!!! – Alfred Reed
AUDITION REPERTOIRE
I firmly believe, although I have no basis for this belief, that the Midwest Selection Committee is interested in hearing strong fundamentals from the middle school bands. Characteristic sounds, good intonation, and mature musicianship above technique. Our recording did not showoff dazzling technique, but I’d like to think we did well in the other areas.
I strongly recommend using works from the standard band/young band repertoire. First of all, they’re in the standard repertoire for a reason. Established quality literature, played well, can really distinguish your recording from the other applications.
PREPARING THE MATERIAL
Don’t kid yourself into thinking anything different. The quality of your ensembles performance is the single most important aspect to your application. I recommend timing the recording session as close to a performance as possible, although sometimes you won’t have control of when the facility you hope to record in is open. Either way, the recording session should be presented as the purpose of the preparation, and not as an afterthought to a concert.
This year, we posted the 2006 Midwest Clinic promotional poster at the entrance to the band room. Each student touched the poster on the way into the room as a reminder of what we were preparing for that rehearsal. Very goofy, I know, but many of our best rehearsals of the year took place during that 6-week span.
I’m a huge advocate of bringing in the best musicians possible to work with our students. Judicious use of clinicians will be a definite help while preparing your audition tape. We had Steve Peterson (Ithaca College), Don Owens (Northwestern University, retired), and James Keene (University of Illinois) work with the kids in the weeks prior to our recording session. Don DeRoche (DePaul University) was also kind to observe a rehearsal and share his thoughts a few days prior to our session.
Record the band several times before the application recording session. Besides being a wonderful rehearsal technique, it is often a shock to discover what you are missing in the course of rehearsals. You don’t want the first time you hear an error to be when you are listening to the recording session masters. I recorded every rehearsal the four weeks prior to our taping. I would listen to the recording several times each night to assist in developing my lesson plans for the following day. It was a LOT of very late nights, but really streamlined my teaching. We were also fortunate that our Superstate Concert Band Festival audition CD deadline fell before our Midwest recording session. We had to have a separate recording session for Superstate about one week before we recorded for our Midwest Application. That first recording session was a huge tool in helping us improve the final week before our Midwest recording session.
Finally, if you are satisfied with your final CD recording, you’re not being picky enough. In all my years, I’ve never heard the director of an invited ensemble say or write, “I knew we were going to make it.” If I’m being honest, I was fairly certain that our CD was not good enough. Don’t get me wrong it’s a recording I’m proud of, but every time I listened I heard things that I was certain would be the reason the committee would stop listening and go onto the next tape. Just a couple days before the acceptance letter Steve Peterson and I were lamenting the fact that although the Irish Rhapsody performance was very musical, there were just too many isolated pitch issues.
HAVE AN HONEST TO GOODNESS RECORDING SESSION
We usually schedule ours for three hours. Since editing is obviously not permitted, we run through each tune 3 to 5 times during the course of the session only stopping for a major/noticeable error which would render the take useless. We take long breaks between takes, with some light rehearsal/fine tuning of things that could have gone better in the previous take, and one long break just over halfway through the session.
HIRE A PROFESSIONAL TO DO THE RECORDING
I know there are a lot of directors who record their groups themselves and have achieved success. Even though we have some decent digital recording equipment, we have always hired a studio to do our recordings. It’s a small investment that makes a significant difference in the final product.
With our Midwest Application, it took me four years to realize the weakest part of our recording was that we were taping in our gym. Sure we were using great recording equipment, but that just our CD sound more like it was made in a gym. After getting our annual Midwest rejection in April 2005, I contacted Don Shupe from Libertyville High School to see where they recorded their audition tapes. Thinking they had recorded in their school auditorium I was somewhat surprised to learn that they traveled both times to make their recordings.
I’ve mentioned several times that our administration is fantastic. My principal, who has attended two Midwest Clinics, had more faith than I did that our band deserved be accepted. As soon as I hung up with Shupe, I walked to my principal’s office to share in the epiphany. After making a few calls, and investigating different options, we reserved the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts on the campus of the University of Illinois. This decision also demonstrated something very important to our students: a commitment, from the top down, to working towards this goal of being accepted to perform at Midwest.
DON’T GIVE UP
Between the various All-State Conferences and MENC Conferences there are several other performance opportunities at conferences for middle school bands, and even more for high school groups. I believe these are important performances for the selection committee to see on your band’s “resume” when they review the application. The notification of Midwest comes at a time that these other conferences are viable alternatives if the Midwest Clinic doesn’t work out. We were already in the process of preparing applications for next year’s MENC North Central Conference in Lincoln, NE and the Illinois All-State when we received our acceptance to Midwest.
It’s hard to receive the rejection letter. We’ve received more than I care to admit in my ten years of teaching. Our four Midwest rejection letters are hanging above my desk. Even though it’s understandable, it’s can be particularly frustrating that there is no feedback on the application itself. For me, though, the disappointment quickly turns to a renewed desire and increased effort to improve our program.
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