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Exotica Performance Program
Last Updated June 3, 2008
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Updated June 5, 2008
For the Serious Exotica Musician
The Exotica Performance Program (EPP) at Okonkuluku University is geared towards students who dream of performing live exotica across the world. The EPP has two basic tracks: Classic Exotica (for the study and performance practice akin to Martin Denny, Les Baxter, Arthur Lyman, Gene Rains, Augie Colon, Robert Drasnin, and others) and Modern Exotica (for the advancement of exotica music towards the modern/post-modernist aesthetic, as has been done by Don Tiki, WAITIKI, Combustible Edison, and others). Students are strongly encouraged, however, to participate in courses from each track.
Admission to the EPP
Because of the intense nature of the program, acceptance to the Exotica Performance Program is by successful audition and interview only. Audition requirements are listed below. Upon notification of a successful audition, program candidates will be invited for a live interview and drinking session at an Okonkuluku University campus. All applicants must contact O.K.U. for a current admissions package (includes short essay requirements). We regret that we are not able to offer admission to all applicants.
Essay Questions
All applicants must answer the question titled “Strong Drinks, Strong Livers.” Then, respond to 2 of the following short essay questions. Responses should be typed using font no larger than 12pt Times or Garamond (do NOT use monospaced fonts), with equal 1″ margins. 1-2 pages per short essay question. Cite sources if applicable using applicant’s preferred style format (MLA or APA accepted). For “Strong Drinks, Strong Livers”, your response should be at least 3 pages.
- Strong Drinks, Strong Livers.
At a time when Americans are continually faced with propositions from The Man—buying from giant wholesalers, eating at chain restaurants, succumbing to the “King Corn” scandal, and consuming weak (practically) “mocktails” from Pizzeria Uno’s or T.G.I. Friday’s—enjoying high-quality, strong drinks is quickly becoming a brilliant luxury, an expensive distraction that keeps consumers away from wasting money on cheap liquor. What is beginning to wane away is an appreciation for the art of cocktailology (a.k.a. mixology). In your essay, you should advocate for why the advancement of tiki cocktaillology in mainstream society is not only good for the tiki lifestyle in general, but how it also affects who you are as an exotica musician. - Exotica and You.
How did you become acquainted with this music and its connected pop culture? What place do the music and the culture of tiki have in today’s world? How do they fit in with who you are? - Exotica Influences.
Describe 2 musicians (and/or their music) that you consider to be strong influences on classic exotica. Do not describe actual exotica musicians (i.e. Martin Denny, Les Baxter, Arthur Lyman, etc.) - Why Tiki?
Choose a commonly-accepted exotica musician and argue why they SHOULDN’T be considered as such. - Favorite Place for Exotica
If you could perform exotica for any audience, at any venue (no limitations), where and for whom would you perform? Why? Describe the circumstances that lead up to the performance and what (if any) obstacles surround the performance.
Audition Procedures
All applicants must submit a DVD (with audition repertoire as noted) prior to their live audition at Okonkuluku University. If invited for a live audition, please check-in at the registration desk in the foyer of Watermelon Hall of the Royal Consqueezatory. Plan to arrive at least 1 hour before your audition time; applicants will be served complimentary mai-tais and shrunken skulls in the order they are queued.
Please note: For the 2008-2009 academic year, we are giving vibraphone applicants first priority!
WOODWIND Audition Requirements
All woodwind instrumentalists must demonstrate proficiency on flute, alto flute, soprano and tenor saxophones.
- Round 1 (for DVD) - no accompaniment
- Major, Melodic Minor Scales, full range of instrument.
- Solo piece of applicant’s choice.
- Perform “Leis of Jazz” for flute principals, “China Clipper” for saxophone principals, from memory.
- Improvise over “Manila,” “Plamingo Flagoda,” or “China Clipper.” Minimum 2 choruses, maximum 4.
- Round 2 (Live Audition) - standard exotica quartet will be provided (alto flute, bass, percussion or drum kit)
- All applicants must perform “Bwana, Bwana E” and “Quiet Village” from memory.
- Committee will select 6 pieces each from standard exotica repertoire list (see below) and contemporary exotica repertoire list (see below) for applicant to perform with live accompaniment. Selections must be performed from memory, in standard keys. Applicant responsible for ALL vocal parts, when noted (i.e. Background humming on “Black Orchid” or chanting in “Fuzzy Mammoth Breath”).
VIBRAPHONE Audition Requirements
- Round 1 (for DVD) - no accompaniment
- Solo arrangement, from memory, of choice (choose one): “Quiet Village”, “Adventures in Paradise”, “Akaka Falls”
- [B] section of “Tiki” (play triple-stops). Quarter note=120
- Complete form from “Cave of Uldo”. Play double-stops at measure 9. Measure 17: play two bottom voices (parallel sixths).
- Contemporary 4-mallet piece of choice. Can be played on marimba or xylophone.
- 3 contrasting excerpts from the standard orchestra literature of choice. (Can include non-mallet instruments)
- Round 2 (Live Audition) - standard exotica quartet will be provided (alto flute, bass, percussion or drum kit)
- All applicants must perform “Bwana, Bwana E” and “Quiet Village” from memory.
- Committee will select 6 pieces each from standard exotica repertoire list (see below) and contemporary exotica repertoire list (see below) for applicant to perform with live accompaniment. Selections must be performed from memory, in standard keys. Applicant responsible for ALL vocal parts, when noted (i.e. Background humming on “Black Orchid” or chanting in “Fuzzy Mammoth Breath”).
BASS Audition Requirements
- Round 1 (for DVD)
- Three 3- or 4-octave major and melodic minor scales, in keys of applicant’s choice. Quarter note = 76.
- Solo piece of applicant’s choice.
- Two contrasting movements of Bach, of applicant’s choice.
- 12-bar blues, of applicant’s choice. Play head twice, then walk 3 choruses.
- Non-classical piece of choice
All bass applicants must demonstrate strong proficiency on upright bass and either electric or fretless electric bass
- Round 2 (Live Audition) - standard exotica quartet will be provided (alto flute, vibraphone, percussion or drumkit)
- All applicants must perform “Bwana, Bwana E” and “Quiet Village” from memory. Bass applicants should be able to demonstrate to the Committee the ability to simultaneously play the bass part to “Quiet Village” while humming or singing the melody.
- Committee will select 6 pieces each from standard exotica repertoire list (see below) and contemporary exotica repertoire list (see below) for applicant to perform with live accompaniment. Selections must be performed from memory, in standard keys, and on the instrument (upright or electric) requested by the committee. Applicant responsible for ALL vocal parts, when noted (i.e. Background humming on “Black Orchid” or chanting in “Fuzzy Mammoth Breath”).
Standard Exotica Repertoire List
- Adventures in Paradise
- Akaka Falls
- Aloha Oe
- Black Orchid
- Bwana, Bwana E
- Chant of the Moon
- China Clipper
- Cobra
- Coronation
- Diga Diga Doo
- Hawaii Pono’i
- Imi Au Ia Oe
- Jungle Drums
- Jungle River Boat
- Magic Islands
- Primitiva
- Similau
- Scimitar
- Quiet Village
- Ruby
- Taboo
- Tiki
- Voodoo Love
- When First I Love
Contemporary Exotica Repertoire List
- Bananas & Rice
- Cave of the Tarpon
- Cave of Uldo
- Dew Drop Inn, If You Please, My Humming Flower
- Flower Humming
- Fuzzy Mammoth Breath
- Green Rose Hula
- L’ours Chinois
- Oanalao
- Pan-XOTIK-Da
- Pineapple Lilt
- Plamingo Flagoda
- Plamingo Merengue
- Rendezvous in Okonkuluku
- Wadada
- Wet Cave
Topics: degrees, exoticology, majors |
July 4th, 2009 at 3:31 pm
This is hysterical. “I wouldn’t mind attending this University hehe”. I’m a concert/jazz pianist with music studios in Long Beach and OC CA. I coach advanced artists in piano, voice, violin, songwriting and artist development. I’m on faculty at Coastline College. I’m an exotica specialist and I have performed Exotica as a pianist here in CA, in Hawaii and Austin. I have had the pleasure of interviewing Yma Sumac and Martin Denny before their passings, and I have performed my own arrangement of exotica standards including those of Baxter, Denny and Drasnin. I have met Drasnin. I am planning to write a ph. d. dissertation on exotica, so I am glad to be introduced to Waitiki, and enjoying reading the blogs of Randy Wong, as I have also come to the same conclusions concerning Baxter’s relationship to Stravinsky and Ravel especially. There are few Exotica specialists out there, so I’m hoping to form some Exotica connections around the world.
Thanks,
James Spencer
Spencer Music Studios
562 394 2694
jimspencer@charter.net