My latest audition...

[FltnPicc_David]

So I had an audition for the Tampa Bay Youth Symphony on Friday and generally, I love playing in front of people and I do fine in auditions. I had to play and excerpt from Andante in C, Griffes Poem and then a prepared solo. [I chose Mozart #1]. Warming up was GRRRREAT.

WORST AUDITION EXPERIENCE IN MY LIFE.

I got in front of him and he asked for an A major scale. That was perfect. And then Andante. That was great. I don't think I could've done any better. Griffes......okayish? I squeaked at the end of the excerpt. Onto the solo! We only had to play the first minute and it was a train wreck. I rushed it and I freaked. I'm glad he could still tell it was the Mozart but I made two mistakes where one low D wouldn't come out/speak and I screwed up half a measure in section B.....

I don't think I'll make the orchestra...but I guess my first failure has taught me lessons and I guess that in an audition I need to mentally prepare myself and start playing when I'm ready, not because I'm scared I'll be an annoyance to Bill Weidrich if I take too long...

[flutepicc06]

I need to mentally prepare myself and start playing when I'm ready, not because I'm scared I'll be an annoyance to Bill Weidrich if I take too long...

You're right...That's a very important lessons. Most people that listen to auditions are musicians themselves, and they understand what auditioning is like. Very few (if any) will ask you to leave or immediately stirke you from the list of possibilities just because you don't immediately start playing when you're given the sign. Music should always be about presenting your best to the audience in an attempt to share some musical idea with them....If you're not quite ready to do that, don't start playing yet! It's unfortunate you had to have a bad audition, but as you've noticed, there are always things you can learn from experiences like this, so keep on fluting, and maybe you can give the orchestra another shot next year!