January auditions and rehearsal 2008

Stamp... Smile... Bow!

Simple enough instructions, surely, but perhaps not as easy as all that to pull off successfully under pressure in an audition as part of torturously inventive sight-reading exercise. However, even those players who didn't exactly cover themselves in glory on this front (OK, me) would have to accept that they were a very telling test of Nigel Wood's constant emphasis on presentational skills – apparently effortless if they're right, surprisingly un-intuitive to deliver.

There were the more traditional musical and memorization elements of the auditions to deal with as well, and, new for 2008, a searching questionnaire about players' motivation for joining and attitude to the two groups – another reminder that joining the National Saxophone Choir and Ensemble family means more than just turning up and playing the dots.

But there was plenty of that too, with a rigorous and satisfying work-through of Ulrich Schultheiss' Metropolitains with principal guest conductor Richard Ingham, a constructive and enjoyable opportunity for choir and conductor to get to know one anther better away from the pressure of an imminent performance. Behind its superficially minimalist façade, the inventive rhythms and subtle textures of Metropolitains respond well to a bit of detailed attention, and the rehearsal hours will hopefully deliver an exciting and popular work for 2008 audiences.

As far as one could tell through the walls of the DanceXchange studios (and there's not much they hide) the NSE covered even more ground dot-wise than the NSC, in what sounded like a highly energetic and (disciplined) romp through a wide range of repertoire, directed by the versatile and inspiring Chris Gumbley. Released from this arena, Ensemble members joined the Choir (who had had their own romp through Bartok's Rumanian Dances) for a joint reading of Roger May's Saxidentals, another new item for 2008 programmes.

Despite the long day, players emerged looking remarkably fresh-faced and positive, ensemble identities reinforced, if anything, by the competitive audition process – nothing like the shared experience of fear to generate a feeling of togetherness. Sitting in single-handed judgement of over 30 hopefuls, Nigel couldn't share in this camaraderie of course, and it's scarcely surprising that he emerged from the auditions looking drained and wan, recovering just enough energy for a toot on his soprillo, and a restorative drink in the Green Room.

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