Boléro Solo (High Range Agility)
Boléro (1928) — Notoriously treacherous high D-flat (Db5) solo requiring supreme embouchure endurance, flexible slurs, and Spanish bravura.
Click any notehead on the staff to hear pitch and inspect slide position
Alternate Slide Positions & Legato Route Strategy
Execute high Db5 in sharp 5th position or 2nd position (6th harmonic). Alternate 1st/3rd positions efficiently to avoid long hand jumps.
Orchestral Audition Jury Checklist
Verify each criterion during slow practice before bringing the excerpt up to concert tempo:
Historical Context & Performance Tradition
Originally written for French narrow-bore trombonists with light instruments, performing this on modern large-bore symphonic horns requires immense airflow speed.
Recommended Bore, Bell & Mouthpiece Setup
Yamaha Xeno YSL-882GO or Conn 88H with shallow mouthpiece cup (Bach 6-1/2AL or Schilke 51D).
Orchestral Audition & Slide Kinematics Matrix
Measure-by-measure jury evaluation points, alternate slide routes, and conservatory audition benchmarks.
| Section & Measures | Clef & Pitch Range | Audition Jury Evaluation Focus | Alternate Slide & Acoustic Strategy | Orchestral Audition Standard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rehearsal 10 to 11 (Famous High Register Solo) | Tenor Clef · C3 – Db5 | Razor-thin high register security up to Db5. Sensual Spanish glissando without crude slur breaks. | High Db5 played on raised 2nd position (+2nd); take C5 on 3rd position; C#5 on 5th position. | The ultimate audition nightmare piece. Tested by Chicago Symphony, Boston Symphony, and Orchestre de Paris. |
| Rehearsal 11 (Cadential Glissando & High E-flat) | Tenor Clef · F3 – Eb5 | Dynamic restraint in piano dynamic while keeping projection. Ultra-fast cold airflow support. | True physical slide glissando from 5th to 2nd position on upper partial. | Principal Trombone final round worldwide. |