help!

[S M]

Here’s my problem: I’m trying to get into a youth orchestra which
has auditions on the 22nd of October.

[tony-morosco]

Well, it’s a bit clich?, but you can always play the first movement of Handel?s Bb concerto. It really isn’t hard to learn, will almost certainly be recognized by your auditioners, and is easy to find. Both Melody’s and Sylvia Woods carries arrangements of it.

It’s a good piece to know anyway. A bit overplayed, but it is kind of a standard in harp repertoire and you most likely will be asked to play eventually anyway. May as well learn it now. You could have the music sent overnight and have it in a day or two.

[unknown-user]

Tony’s suggestion is a great one- if you haven’t encountered the Handel Harp Concerto yet, then first: consider yourself lucky. Second: get your hands on that harp part!

Although the Handel is on the rather easy spectrum of harp concerti (depending on which edition you use) in the repertoire, it may be a little tricky to conjure up in a week and a half. Sure, S.M. (curious to find out your name, also…), you could learn the notes in a week and a half easily- but to really obtain a strong, even tone without buzzes and with proper technique, that could take quite a while longer.

Perhaps you should try one of the Naderman Sonatinas. While they have very basic chord structure throughout all seven of them, they can be quite showy if played correctly.

Hope this helps, good luck at your audition!

-Steve

[S M]

Thank you very much!! I ordered the Handel concerto right away, and now I’m just holding my breath hoping it will get here on time — and hoping that by some chance I’ll get in. It’s really not very likely that I will, though, considering I’d be using a small pedal harp, and that I hardly have any time to learn an absolutely new piece, and that all these other harpists probably have a lot more experience than I do. *sigh* Oh well. Try, try again…except I only have one more year after this to try for the youth orchestra. After that, it’s college.

Okay, I guess I’ve been thinking out loud…nevermind, and thanks again for answering!

[Author]

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