I was looking at the audition rep required for double bass at Indiana and the orchestral excerpts asked for are from a list of composers.
I was wondering if it was appropriate to ask to substitute another piece for one of these. I can play two excepts from the list (which is what is required).
The pieces asked for are either by Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, and Strauss.
I can do Mozart 40 and Beethoven 5; I am wanting to do Mozart 40 and Otello except.
Edit: Otello is on the list for possible excepts for grad students to audition on, just not undergrad.
They will not hold it against you if you ask. Though, they specify for a reason and it would be best to comply.
At IU, it would be best to comply. A reason to give you a special consideration means they would have to give others a special consideration. Then it is the domino affect - because everyone is special. And don’t think because it’s on the grad list it would be considered better. As said above, they pick the audition rep for a reason.
Still you are free to ask (that would not be held against you). And you never know maybe they would be OK with it. Every dept is a little different. Still, I think your best chance for an acceptance would be in complying.
Thank you for your responses.
I’m going to play Devil’s Advocate here and tell it like it is.
Honestly, they may hold it against you and I would not ask. There is a good reason why they ask for what they do and schools hear a lot of applicants- they compare one to another and by hearing the common orchestral excerpts, that allows them a base line from which to work. I don’t even think that there is a way to code one particular student’s file to indicate that he/she will be playing something different.
Go to the web site and really look at what you are asking. The school wants you, as an undergrad applicant, to play TWO of the listed orchestra excerpts, where you have listed two, the Mozart 40 (you can only play ONE movement, either the 1st OR the 4th) and the Othello, which is not an orchestral excerpt at all, but rather, is a SOLO. No way are they going to OK that so don’t even bother asking. You already said that you know the Mozart and the Beethoven so polish them up and do your very best and you’ll do wonderfully!