JAVS Fall 2002

83

PREPARING A SUCCESSFUL AUDITION-BEYOND THE BASICS

Scherzo from the Third Symphony and Brahms' Scherzo from the Second Symphony. 3. For detache or spiccato excerpts that involve string crossings, reversing the bowings is help ful. Play the opposite of your normal bowings, starting slowly and gradually increasing the tempo. 4. Play detache and spiccato passages using only your right hand. Pretend you are using your left hand but leave your fingers off the strings so that only the open strings will sound. 5. For clear articulation in fast slurred passages: A. Practice with vibrato, quickly lifting each finger energetically off the string and then relaxing it as you play the next note. This helps left-hand clarity and prevents tension. B. Use left-hand pizzicato to build finger strength and agility. C. Practice even notes in dotted rhythms, espe cially when string crossings are involved. In these exercises, start slowly and increase the tempo gradually.

6. When playing passages with frequent string crossings, practice the string crossings as double stops. This is very helpful in obtaining good intonation, control, and a beautiful legato in slurred passages. Good examples are in the sec ond movement of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony and the sextuplet passage in Berlioz's Roman Carnival Overture. 7. Practice technically difficult passages in small increments and then combine them. This should be done at the final performance tempo only after you have practiced them first slowly and carefully to ensure good intonation and rhythm. l!l - Yizhak Schotten is currently the viola professor at the University ofMichigan, a former principal ofthe Cincinnati and Houston Symphonies, and a former member ofthe Boston and Pittsburgh Symphonies. He has achieved international recognition as a performer and recording artist. On his newly released CD, he performs excerpts from twenty-two orchestral works with spoken practice suggestions for each one.

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