Orchestral Excerpts - the learning process

I’m currently working on an assignment for my MMus module ‘Applied Performance Studies’. For my project I have chosen ‘preparing for an orchestral audition’ as the focus.

I decided to actually prepare for a real orchestral audition (LSO Principal Flute) as part of the project. For the 13th Jan I have to prepare 4 difficult orchestral extracts and a good portion of the Dutilleux Sonatine (I like a challenge 🤷‍♀️).

This extract by Mahler is the first of the excerpts that I started learning today. I want to share my learning process with you and I will attach videos of me going through that process.

Step 1
I listened to various recordings of well-known flautists in professional orchestras playing the excerpt

Step 2
I listened to Emily Beynon’s tutorial and made notes

Step 3
I sightread through it completely (recording 1)

Step 4
I translated all the German terms (probably should have done that before the first read through 🤣)

Step 5
I practised each individual section a few times, working on tone, notes, dynamics, rhythms etc… 

Step 6
I played it all the way through and recorded it 

Step 7
I listened back to the recording and made notes on the score in the areas that I wasn’t happy with

Step 8
I listened again to other recorded versions of it to compare and gain ideas on what I might like to change

Step 9
Practise again tomorrow!

All the recordings were done with my phone balanced on my music stand so may be of questionable quality 🤣