Posted by Micky Wrobleski on August 14, 2002 at 16:45:14:
In Reply to: Another Bydlo audition story posted by Jrod on August 13, 2002 at 23:24:07:
The story goes: the smaller the orchestra, the bigger the bull*&^% involved.
Case in point...
2 years ago, here in chicago, a local orchestra held auditions. Somehow, they never sent me the list. When I got there, the committee consisted of the music director, the principal flute, and that was it. I sat down, and played whatever for the "one movement from a standard concerto" and then, the conductor asked what I had brought, because they didn't have any parts copied to audition on. Fortunately, I had an excerpt book put together for something or another, and told him what I had. So, he asked for 1) Bydlo 2)Sensemaya 3) Petrouchka 4) Prokofiev 5 and 5) The Ride of the Valkyries.
As I have been finding out, the reason he asked for them is because he was planning on doing those particular tunes, and we have.
On Bydlo....
I showed up for the first rehearsal with both tubas, anxious to "be the Ox". We got to break, and he came up to me and said, "Micky, I would prefer it if you used the larger tuba on the Bydlo solo. I really don't want it to sound too easy." (Insert plug for David Fedderly for selling me that GREAT Holton!!) The first run through, I nicked a couple of the lower notes, and got an ovation from the group. I called a friend after the rehearsal and he said, "Here's what you do. Go up to the MD at the next rehearsal and say, 'Tell you what. I'll play Bydlo on the big horn, if you conduct Pictures with a pool cue. That way, when you get carple tunnle and I chip the high G#, we'll be even.'" Of course, I did just that, and we had a good laugh.
I don't know what any of this has to do with anything, but I did the concert on the Holton and never looked back. I don't think I've ever played that solo better on an F tuba. The crowed "whooped" and the strings bows were a tappin. I think it was a bold request, for sure. But, not an unreasonable one.
For whatever it's worth...
Micky Wrobleski