Honors Band Audition Solos for Bassoon 20012/13

On this page you will find helpful tips and suggestions regarding the three North Carolina honors band audition solo pieces for bassoon for Middle School, HS 9/10 and 11/12. Included as well are videos of myself performing these pieces. If you're unsure of a fingering, be sure to check my fingering chart. If you have any other questions, please contact me. Good luck!

High School 11/12 Honors Band Solo: Menuetto from Piano Sonata no. 11 by Ludwig van Beethoven

This arrangement from Beethoven's Piano Sonata op. 22 gives us the opportunity to demonstrate the variety of the bassoon's range, dynamics and expressive qualities. Don't miss the chance to show your ability to play forte and piano, short and long and with different articulations. Play the first phrase, through measure 8 as smoothly and legato as you can by not breathing until measure 4 and playing the grace note without an accent and right before the beat. It's important to use the flick or speaker keys on the first A natural in the first measure so it won't crack. See my fingering chart. I strongly discourage using the suggested fingering for F-Sharp/G-Flat on page 27 of the Master Solos book. Again, please consult my fingering chart. When working on the running sixteenth notes beginning in measure 30, start practicing slowly of course, but also practice using different articulations. Try slurring 2 and tonguing 2, then slurring 2 at a time, then slurring 3 and tonguing one. When you go back to slurring the entire passage, it will be much easier. Don't forget to play expressively here too by using dynamics to show the arc of the phrase.

High School 9/10 Honors Band Solo: Romanze by Edmund J. Siennicki from Master Solos for Bassoon, Leonard Sharrow

In the Romanze by Siennicki, you should try to show a large contrast between the three different sections; the Moderato, Allegretto and the Andante. An effective way to do this is by using very different articulations. The Moderato should be your most legato or connected playing possible. Don't play with any accents and decide which are the important notes in the phrase and which are not. Bring out the important notes with dynamics and with vibrato. In the Allegretto section, change your articulation so that the staccato is short but also bouncy and light. Remember, staccato means detached, not just short. In the Andante sections, again you should play with a full and legato style however make the contract using dynamics here. The eigth note in measure 48 should be in the new tempo and style, not at quarter note equals 80. Although it's not written, there should be a ritardando or slowing in measure 56. In measure 68, simile is marked. This indicates to continue to play the Allegretto section using staccato style sixteenth notes.

Middle School Honors Band Solo: Andantino from the First Book of Practical Studies for Bassoon, Paul McDowell

In the solo on page 8 of the First Book of Practical Studies for Bassoon, Andantino is marked as a tempo indication. Andantino actually means a little faster than Andante so don't play this melody too slowly. In a lyrical solo like this, it's crucial to decide how you want to play or phrase the line. Take time to sing the melody without your bassoon at first and come up with ideas about where the high and low points are in each phrase. Decide which notes are more important than others and where you are going to take breaths. When deciding on where to breathe, try to do it when it seems natural to the phrase and not simply when you run out of air. Mark down where you will breathe and practice in the same way each time. Choose which notes will be the loudest and the softest in the entire solo and challenge yourself to play them louder and softer respectively each time.