Excerpts, Auditions & Overcoming Nerves
Orchestra Chops Vol. 2 by Joseph Conyers Out Now!
7 essential excerpts and inspiring lessons to transform your technique.
Orchestra Chops: The Complete Collection
Save $30 when you enrol in the complete collection.
Interview with Joesph Conyers
Here is a great chat with Joseph Conyers about a really important topic that affects anyone preparing for auditions. Joseph talks about when you should start practicing excerpts, how to overcome audition stress and anxiety so it doesn’t show in your playing, and what mindset to aim for when going into auditions. Joseph also tells about his first audition experience (which wasn’t perfect!) and what he learned from it.
Joseph Conyers is the Assistant Principal Double Bass at the Philadelphia Orchestra, where he has played for over 10 years. He has loads of experience both auditioning and being on the audition panel, so it’s great to hear his unique advice.
If you’re preparing for auditions, or just want to work on your orchestral technique, Joseph’s comprehensive course Orchestra Chops Vol. 1 will be perfect for you. It covers 6 orchestral excerpts in detail, teaching technique, expression, and articulations with everything you need to nail the pieces included. Joe performs part of one of the excerpts at the end of this video: Wagner’s ‘Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg’, Overture (mm. 158-191).
TIMECODES:
00:00 Introduction
00:37 When should you start learning orchestral excerpts?
03:16 Joseph's first audition experience
05:52 Overcoming audition stress
08:50 Performance snippet