Missouri 2024-25 State auditions click here
Ted botsford excerpts 2023-24 click here
KS 2024-25 District and State auditions (note Kansas asks to prepare everything and they will pick at audition). Please take the tempos you can on anything that is played at a tempo too fast for you currently. Metronome work is highly recommended to overcome any issue in this regards. It is Far better to play the correct rhythm The sheet music and guidelines for these excerpts can be found at Ksmea.org or you can use Sandor’s fingerings and suggestions for you to study (his edits are clearly marked so you can know the choices).
LInk to Sandor’s two octave scales (note after a tuning G note the scale does half notes 3 times, then you will hear them speed up to quarter notes after 3 times, it moves to 8th, Triplets, etc.) Once you hit triplets you are playing what you are required. It is advised to play with the video first and then start practicing with this link. In your audition you should play it the speed you can control but, not faster than demanded. To practice things from slow to fast is a great way to develop control of your sound and inner sense of rhythm. Note that the link is non-stop to help develop stamina. So please don’t just try to play along with the whole thing right away. Take breaks and just finger along instead of playing. This is Francois Rabbath’s concept of virtuosic mastery of the instrument (vol. 3).
LInk to Sandor’s 3 octave scales for A melodic minor you can play along with the C major scale and the A major scales and then play the A melodic on your own. Or you can also play along with the C major link while starting on A instead of C. A little bit harder to hear at first but, still works.
All of the faculty at kcbass encourage you to try out for the district and state orchestras but, also your school orchestras, youth symphony, and community orchestras. Each one of you have different opportunities to play with other musicians…. please try them. This offers a rich lifetime of playing bass that we hope you enjoy. It’s super fun to do solo playing and bass orchestra stuff that we do at our events as well. Our instrument has the best of all things. Please don’t forget to like our youtube channel or on facebook or instagram. For the youngest students you already know the Mahler symphony no. 1 3rd movement (very beginning of the movement you hear the bass). You may only know the version you play in the books but, it’s a solo version and it’s really cool to play with all the other instruments. This is the best piece to start listening to Orchestra music if you don’t already. Other great Orchestra pieces in the George Vance books are: Sheep May Safely Graze by J.S. Bach, Jesu, Joy of Man’s desiring by J.S. Bach, The Elephant from the Carnival of the Animals by Saint Saens, Russian’s Sailor’s Dance by Gliere, and Beethoven Symphony no. 9. Of course there are other great classical pieces but, these are mainly orchestra pieces. Remember that the Baroque orchestra was smaller and it grew thru the Classical and Romantic eras. This is always easier to hear by just listening and watching videos of pieces like these.
Also the youtube score of each piece is also highly recommended to listen and watch the bass part go by for the whole piece. This is a great way to study the orchestra part. all of them are the next youtube with the time of when the excerpt is in the piece. It is recommended to play up to the part required to better play the part. A bit like knowing the whole piece will inform your small excerpt. This is usually easier sight reading parts as the excerpts are generally the harder section of the piece.
You may also find the orchestra bass part for the entire piece at Imslp.org under the name of the piece in parts. This is highly recommended for many of you that have finished or almost finished the George Vance method books.
George put the 9th symphony by Beethoven in the final book to encourage you to seek out these amazing works of art. You are ready to play these great baselines if you can play concertos (vol. 3). Anyone still in vol 1 or 2 note that you are ready for some great bass parts (such as the Mahler symphony no. 1 3rd movement) but there will still be some challenging things. Please enjoy the idea of being part of a larger work of art than a solo piece. These are some of the greatest works of art known to the world.
Regardless, always have fun playing and practicing the bass.
MISSOURI 24-25 District and State District is B minor scale, Mahler, and Brahms. State will be all of the material. For anyone who can’t play the part up to speed please listen to these links and audition with the tempos you can play. Metronome work is highly recommended to overcome any issue in this regards. It is Far better to play the correct rhythm notes and overall musicality than the exact tempo. If you like to see the original pdfs of these excerpts visit Mostaweb.org under excerpts. Sandor’s fingerings and suggestions are below and can also be used (his suggestions are clearly marked to have choices).
LInk to Sandor’s two octave scales (note after a tuning G note the scale does half notes 3 times, then you will hear them speed up to quarter notes after 3 times, it moves to 8th, Triplets, etc.) Once you hit triplets you are playing what you are required. It is advised to play with the video first and then start practicing with this link. In your audition you should play it the speed you can control but, not faster than demanded. To practice things from slow to fast is a great way to develop control of your sound and inner sense of rhythm. Note that the link is non-stop to help develop stamina. So please don’t just try to play along with the whole thing right away. Take breaks and just finger along instead of playing. This is Francois Rabbath’s concept of virtuosic mastery of the instrument (vol. 3).
for B melodic minor you can play along with the D major scale and the B major scales and then play the B melodic on your own. Or you can also play along with the D major link while starting on B instead of D. A little bit harder to hear at first but, still works.
These are the excepts from 2023 school year.
KCBass has got our lifetime faculty member and L.A. Philharmonic bassist Ted Botsford to perform the excerpts that are asked for Kansas and Missouri bassist. He also provides insight into each one after the performance. Ted was a George Vance student and grew up in workshops just like the kcbass. He is a true inspiration as he gets to work in one of the great orchestras in the world performing the masterworks such as these.
All of the faculty at kcbass encourage you to try out for the district and state orchestras but, also your school orchestras, youth symphony, and community orchestras. Each one of you have different opportunities to play with other musicians…. please try them. This offers a rich lifetime of playing bass that we hope you enjoy. It’s super fun to do solo playing and bass orchestra stuff that we do at our events as well. Our instrument has the best of all things. Please don’t forget to like our youtube channel or on facebook or instagram. For the youngest students you already know the Mahler symphony no. 1 3rd movement (very beginning of the movement you hear the bass). You may only know the version you play in the books but, it’s a solo version and it’s really cool to play with all the other instruments. This is the best piece to start listening to Orchestra music if you don’t already. Other great Orchestra pieces in the George Vance books are: Sheep May Safely Graze by J.S. Bach, Jesu, Joy of Man’s desiring by J.S. Bach, The Elephant from the Carnival of the Animals by Saint Saens, Russian’s Sailor’s Dance by Gliere, and Beethoven Symphony no. 9. Of course there are other great classical pieces but, these are mainly orchestra pieces. Remember that the Baroque orchestra was smaller and it grew thru the Classical and Romantic eras. This is always easier to hear by just listening and watching videos of pieces like these.
A list of Orchestra pieces that maybe if you are looking for pieces you may have heard before.
Great links to Ted Botsford on his faculty page on our website.
KS 20230-24 District and State auditions (note Kansas asks to prepare everything and they will pick at audition). Please take the tempos you can on anything that is played at a tempo too fast for you currently. Metronome work is highly recommended to overcome any issue in this regards. It is Far better to play the correct rhythm
The sheet music for these excerpts can be found at Ksmea.org under excerpts for Kansas and Mostaweb.org under excerpts.
Also the youtube score of each piece is also highly recommended to listen and watch the bass part go by for the whole piece. This is a great way to study the orchestra part. all of them are the next youtube with the time of when the excerpt is in the piece. It is recommended to play up to the part required to better play the part. A bit like knowing the whole piece will inform your small excerpt. This is usually easier sight reading parts as the excerpts are generally the harder section of the piece.
You may also find the orchestra bass part for the entire piece at Imslp.org under the name of the piece in parts. This is highly recommended for many of you that have finished or almost finished the George Vance method books.
George put the 9th symphony by Beethoven in the final book to encourage you to seek out these amazing works of art. You are ready to play these great baselines if you can play concertos (vol. 3). Anyone still in vol 1 or 2 note that you are ready for some great bass parts (such as the Mahler symphony no. 1 3rd movement) but there will still be some challenging things. Please enjoy the idea of being part of a larger work of art than a solo piece. These are some of the greatest works of art known to the world.
Regardless, always have fun playing and practicing the bass.
These are the Missouri state requirements (note the district requirements are usually picked beforehand and you should ask your orchestra director. Prepare the district ones first of course).
Ted Botsford does amazing work for the 2023-24 excerpts. Please enjoy these amazing tips and performances for further study.
These are the Kansas all state auditions. You are to prepare all and then they pick the day of the district auditions (so you will not have to play them all at audition).