A preparation guide to horn excerpts from the concert band literature

Each academic year, hundreds of students receive performance degrees from the nation's universities and conservatories. A growing number of students who complete such degrees choose to pursue performance opportunities offered by the military organizations. While the inclusion of orchestral excerpts has been a staple of wind pedagogy for decades, band literature has not been given the same attention. This author believes the inclusion of band excerpt study would improve the level of preparedness for auditions and performance in these professional ensembles. No source exists containing information on the preparation of horn excerpts with which to study the style and literature of the concert band. Although the audition lists differ slightly for each of the premier military bands, the twenty-seven compositions included in this document are recognized as staples of the literature, considered to be works of substantive and high artistic merit, distinguished by historical importance, or are contemporary works which have been well-received. The information collected for each of the works includes biographical information for the composer, a brief history of the composition, suggestions for preparation including technical and stylistic elements, and a selected discography. Audition announcements for the premier organizations are separate from the Armed Forces band recruitment program. These groups often advertise their openings in respective professional journals published by organizations such as the International Trumpet Guild, International Horn Society, International Trombone Association, and the International Tuba and Euphonium Association, as well as union magazines, including the International Musician. Requirements often include performance of a standard concerto and works from the excerpt list (orchestral and band), as well as sight-reading and ensemble playing. In some cases, such as the Navy Band, fifty percent of the audition is based on the candidate's sight-reading ability, an area that consists of transcriptions of standard orchestral literature and original compositions for band. Reading/performance sessions with the ensemble can vary from the full concert band to smaller chamber ensembles (brass quintets, woodwind quintets, and horn sections). Well-prepared candidates should be equally comfortable with the orchestral and band literature