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A Study of the Process: A Guide for Aspiring Orchestral Violinists

Arriaga, Sophia L
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1583155006163813

Abstract Details

2020, DMA, University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music: Violin.
This document provides a guide that studies the process of preparing for orchestral violin auditions. For this subject, there are many emerging resources, with a breadth of related material ranging from personal accounts to scientific studies in the sports field and brain imaging. Today, these resources take on accessible forms such as blogs, podcasts, and online courses and schools, in addition to books and in-person instruction. Much of this material is scattered across disciplines and not within common knowledge of auditionees. This lack of education may contribute to the reporting that only a third of those who show up to auditions are “seriously eligible candidates.” Modern sources can fill in holes that are still found in a typical musical education, including topics related to violin playing, expert performance, orchestral auditions, scientific research related to learning and practicing, performance psychology, and injury prevention. Much of traditional violin pedagogy focuses on physical technique or performance traditions of the violin cannon. Today, studies make it possible to explore, not only physical mechanics, but also the mechanics of the mind as a combination of technique, musicality, mind, and wellness are all necessary for a resilient audition preparation. This guide is drawn from dozens of lessons with orchestral musicians of major orchestras, as well as the aforementioned modern resources. The first part of this guide provides an overview of the challenges presented by orchestral auditions as well as a literature review of sources available to violinists today. I, then, proceed to discuss expert performance and mindset in order to provide a framework for the main body of the undertakings involved in the process that is discussed. Injury prevention and self-care are also discussed as these topics are crucial for any long career in music but are not typically addressed in schools. I discuss the process of research and organization as it pertains to violinists preparing for auditions, compiling views from various professional orchestral musicians. The next portion of my document is devoted to note learning, which I explore in relation to theories of motor learning. A discourse on the explicit phase of learning and refining of excerpts follows. The next portion of this document is dedicated to the topic of mock auditions. I also address psychological elements of performance that may prove useful in the audition preparation process. Research for this document involved compiling and synthesizing information from various courses, books, blogs, podcasts, and violin lessons. I experimented with ideas from this array of sources and documented the results in audio recordings in order to vet their effectiveness in both the practice room and on stage in live auditions.
Catharine Lees, D.M.A. (Committee Chair)
Kurt Sassmannshaus, M.M. (Committee Member)
Won-Bin Yim, D.M.A. (Committee Member)
191 p.
Music
violin; orchestra; auditions; practice; violin auditions; orchestra auditions

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Arriaga, S. L. (2020). A Study of the Process: A Guide for Aspiring Orchestral Violinists [Doctoral dissertation, University of Cincinnati]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1583155006163813

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Arriaga, Sophia. A Study of the Process: A Guide for Aspiring Orchestral Violinists. 2020. University of Cincinnati, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1583155006163813.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Arriaga, Sophia. "A Study of the Process: A Guide for Aspiring Orchestral Violinists." Doctoral dissertation, University of Cincinnati, 2020. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1583155006163813

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ucin1583155006163813
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© 2019, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by University of Cincinnati and OhioLINK.