This is by no means an all-inclusive treatise on how to have a successful audition; however, I hope that some of the information I have here will prove valuable to some of you that may not have much experience with auditions nor the music involved.

First of all, if you don't know anything about Ludwig van Beethoven, read about him.

Secondly, you need to know about the history of the work you are playing, his Fourth Symphony.

Now that we have that out of the way, let's talk about the audition. It consists of three parts:

1. Prepared piece - Regardless of the work you choose, you must present your absolute best playing. That means that bringing a fairly difficult work that is not at a performance level is not acceptable. The audition committee will be looking for quality of playing regardless of repertoire choice. Obviously, something like "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" will not be accorded the same sort of credit as the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto, assuming both are played superbly well. You need to select something that best demonstrates your skills. Assume that the committee knows the works you are playing, and ensure that your intonation and rhythms are absolutely precise.

2. Audition Excerpts - Most of the orchestra has sections of the 2nd and 4th movements from the Symphony No. 4. Because the excerpts have not been in your hands for very long, you will need to show that you are capable of quickly learning repertoire by incorporating individual practice along with analysis of your own part and how it fits into the score. Look at the given tempos marked on your excerpt handouts! Notes, rhythms, and dynamics must be correct. Listening to a recording will definitely help. I am providing the movements here in MP3 format.

Movement II - 128kbps MP3
Movement IV - 128kbps MP3

For suggested bowings, I am providing a facsimile of the first violin part here in JPG format:

Movement II - Page 1 - Page 2
Movement IV - Page 1 - Page 2 - Page 3 - Page 4

As for suggestions for approaching the work, I would highly recommend figuring out what Beethoven's sf markings represent. Think about the organization of phrases in the slow movement, and watch out for those dotted rhythms! The fast movement can be tough, but repeated sixteenth passages should be practiced LEGATO (as in connected) at slow speeds with the same length of bow you would use at faster speeds. Ramp up your tempo as you practice. Stay in the middle-lower part of the bow!

3. Sight Reading - Your ability to read a piece you have never seen is a skill that needs to be developed should you continue in your career as a musician. It incorporates both note/rhythm reading as well as mental analysis of the part and a bit of improvisation where necessary. Be able to demonstrate your ability to recognize mistakes made the first time around and then correct them upon your second reading of the work.

If you are truly concerned about your audition and need technical and/or emotional support, please feel free to email me and I will be happy to make time to help you out.

Good luck!