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Thread: Ever been upset with your results in an audition?

  1. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by Asianeuph View Post
    I will continue to work harder, so I can beat her.
    The one question I would be asking myself in your place is did I do everything I intended to? Were the tempo, rhythm, pitch, articulation, dynamics, phrasing all what I wanted? If I did what I wanted and the adjudicator went for something different, then that's what happens. As musicians, we all have different interpretive ideas and are all looking for different sounds.

    In the long term for you as a musician, the skills that are really going to matter are your ability to control all the expressive dimensions of your instrument consistently and your ability to fit your interpretive ideas into an ensemble. Strive do what is right for the music and your fellow musicians. Auditions are to see how well you can do that, not pick a winner or a loser.
    Adrian L. Quince
    Composer, Conductor, Euphoniumist
    www.adrianquince.com

    Kanstul 976 - SM4U

  2. Quote Originally Posted by adrian_quince View Post
    Auditions are to see how well you can do that, not pick a winner or a loser.
    I agree that Asianeuph's original quoted statement is worded to one extreme of the competition continuum because "beating her" should certainly not be the focus, but I do remain a firm believer that a healthy competitive attitude with a focus on winning helps lead to success. Gets on soapbox.... so often in our Elementary and Middle Schools these days kids exist within a culture of coddling where "we're all winners" is the theme. Everyone gets a medal, etc. etc. In my daughter's Middle School band they've removed the ability to challenge for chair assignment as there ARE no chair assignments. This ensures no one feels bad. Are we really helping kids this way? Then bam, one hits high school, and college and then the real world and workplace. Although today's job market is one factor, could this partially explain the "failure to launch" phenomenon which is more prevalent these days. The ability to turn on the competitive spirit and drive to win may just make the difference. I say, why not "Live to Win"?
    Bob Tampa FL USA
    Euph -- 1984 B&H Round Stamp Sovereign 967 / 1978 Besson NS 767 / Early 90s Sterling MP: 4AL and GW Carbonaria
    Tuba -- 2014 Wisemann 900 CC / 2013 Mack 410 MP: Blokepiece Symphony American Shank and 33.2 #2 Rim

  3. #13
    @tampaworth: I agree that healthy competition can be a good thing, especially when it helps someone to work harder and smarter to get better. In my view, though, the big thing with music is to aim for excellence because the music deserves nothing less.

    Focusing on excellence because it's the right thing is impossible when trying to ensure that "we're all winners" and no feelings get hurt. Excellence means some people will fail to meet the standard and need to improve. Those situations need to be handled with honesty, not by pretending that all efforts are good enough.

    With regards to the job market, there are times when competition is necessary to a job and times when it can be detrimental. But aiming for excellence is always a plus.
    Adrian L. Quince
    Composer, Conductor, Euphoniumist
    www.adrianquince.com

    Kanstul 976 - SM4U

  4. #14
    It IS good to focus on the music. If you have not already done so, read this guest article. I think you'll find it interesting.

    http://www.dwerden.com/forum/content...-of-the-Screen
    Dave Werden (ASCAP)
    Euphonium Soloist, U.S. Coast Guard Band, retired
    Adams Artist (Adams E3)
    Alliance Mouthpiece (DC3)
    YouTube: dwerden
    Facebook: davewerden
    Twitter: davewerden
    Instagram: davewerdeneuphonium

  5. Thanks for allowing an amateur to vent and for the excellent points made as well as the read. Although it's easy to get caught up in the conundrum of the real world, ideally the drive should be toward excellence as the music deserves nothing less
    Bob Tampa FL USA
    Euph -- 1984 B&H Round Stamp Sovereign 967 / 1978 Besson NS 767 / Early 90s Sterling MP: 4AL and GW Carbonaria
    Tuba -- 2014 Wisemann 900 CC / 2013 Mack 410 MP: Blokepiece Symphony American Shank and 33.2 #2 Rim

  6. #16
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    Texas, where every thing is bigger & BETTER
    Posts
    132
    Wow, I had completely forgotten about this post! Reading back on what I had originally posted, it's been more than a year and I have matured as a euphonium player and as a person. That audition hit me hard, but I continued to practice, not just so I can "beat her", but just because I realized that there is more to playing than placing at an audition. Again, I would like to thank y'all for the positive messages and replies when I was venting.

    @Adrian, welcome to the forum and thanks for reminding me of a little part of my past.

    @tampaworth, I'm not sure I agree with the idea of having no chair placements.

    update on the "beating her part".... Yes, I did beat her ..as well as everybody else at the audition.. Healthy competition, right?
    Yamaha 642s Neo

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