Auditions!! (Part 1)

First of all before we begin the fun, this happened before last weeks blog, but I didn't have time to write it then because I needed a de-stresser blog.


ANYWAYS, auditions.

FUN FUN FUN

How to do a successful audition/non successful musical audition.

1. Entrance to the audition.

Correct way: Walk into the room quietly and calmly, and make sure you have collected yourself. Close the door quietly, but make sure it is closed. Say hello to the person auditioning you, smile politely, tell them the piece you are doing.
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Incorrect way: When the person before you comes out relieved, you stay in your seat and start shaking and hyperventilating. Then realize you need to do an audition so stand up, trip over your music stand, slam your reed or mouthpiece on something so it chips, freak out, then trip into the room you will be auditioning in. Smile sheepishly at the person auditioning you, shake nervously some more, realize you forgot to close the door, so go and slam the door close (whoops!). Shake even more, look at your reed/mouthpiece, and shake nervously some more. Then smile at the person, again (they probably think you are really creepy now), and introduce yourself (even though the band teacher already knows you) and your piece.

My general expression during auditions

2. Begin the piece.

Correct way*: After introducing yourself, don't wait too long to start because you don't want your audition to last forever. Start with a solid first note, just like you have been practicing, and make sure your audition-er doesn't know you only had four days to prepare the piece. Play through keeping calm thoughts in your mind but stay focused. You got this!

Incorrect way: After your failure of an introduction, realize you probably completely failed the whole thing. Would you look at that? You are still shaking. Wait forever to start piece because you are scared. What if you mess up on the first note?! What if you have to start over?! What if you miss an accidental?! Oh crud, he's looking at his watch. HE'S SO DISAPPOINTED IN ME! I DON'T KNOW  WHAT I'M DOING! WHY DID I EVEN DECIDE THIS WAS A GOOD IDEA! I'M SO STUPID I KNOW I CAN'T DO THIS! Unceremoniously start, and your tone sucks because you're shaking so much. Well at least you didn't mess up the first note, we'll take what we can get.

3. Play through your piece.

Correct way: After a smooth entrance, just play the way you have always practiced. Those accidentals come naturally, and so do the dynamics. This hard run is coming up, focus! Well, you missed a note, but don't start over, it's in the past now. YOU CAN DO THIS! You start shaking a little bit because everything has caught up to you, but don't give in. You know you want this, and you know you can do it!
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Incorrect way*: OH HEY LOOK AT THAT ACCIDENTAL! WHEN DID THAT SHOW UP?! I guess there are just a bunch of fairies writing in notes to screw me up. WELL MY AUDITION-ER WILL NEVER KNOW! It's not like he's heard this piece a thousand times before.. Nope! Well on the bright side, I'm not shaking anymore, I'm vibrating. Oh wo, look at this run, my brain now thinks I have never seen it. Okay let's restart that bar quickly. Shoot! I was told to never restart! Oh crud, now I need to restart this too. This is really lovely, I'm enjoying myself. I didn't know it was physically possible for a human to shake nervously this fast.

I shall continue later!