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

  1. #1
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    Ever been upset with your results in an audition?

    Today I auditioned for a spot in the Texas All-Region Zone 1 bands. I made a band, but it wasn't what I was expecting. All throughout this school year I practiced and practiced. I took private lessons for the first time in my life. I practiced more than I ever have in my entire band life. Today I auditioned and i did better than i thought i would. Kids from my school said " As much as I hate you, You did a lot better than I thought you would", and so on and so forth. I got sixth chair over all , and second chair symphonic band. The problem is I missed the chance to go to area by one chair, i would probably be less upset if it was some odd person from another school, but no. It was a girl that I've been battling with since the sixth grade. I don't know how she did better than me! I have a better tone quality, I didn't mess up as much as she did. She barely took her horn out of the case to practice. Geez she's the luckiest daughter of grrrrrrrrr. She barely works for anything in her life. She doesn't do her homework, she has friends to copy from. Her grandpa buys her a lacquer Yamaha 321? The place he bought it from is out of lacquer, so they send her a silver one for the price of a lacquer. Has anybody ever had an upset like this?

  2. #2
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    Sure! We've all had our moments that we get jealous of those more fortunate than us. Remember though that enviousness gets you no where. Instead of using all that energy in proclaiming how good her playing level is, use that energy to get your own playing level equal to hers. Being able to play more difficult pieces doesn't depend on how long you practice, but rather how focused you are while practicing. Quality over Quantity.

    I'm a junior in college. I JUST got a college level euph. Believe me, I'm as envious about her new euph as what you are, however I wouldn't stress out over it.
    Just work on getting better and someday, you'll beat her. I bet ya.

    Hang in there kid, Life gets better.
    1938 H.N. White Model 1171 - Omega 12C and Blessing 6 1/2 AL-S
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    "Some things are prized only due to rarity. Rarity creates their value, but not the euphonium. The euphonium will not be remembered by history. Because of this, we play each note like it is our last." - Matthew Tropman

  3. #3
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    "playing level equal to hers", I'm past her. I have better tone quality, fundamentals, etc.

    "envious about her new euph as what you are", she's been playing on a NICE Yamaha 321 all her school years, I got to high school and the directors give me the crummiest horn they had (Yamaha 641, leaking, lacquer all worn off), I got into honor band my freshman year of high school (before her, she was in symphonic), and my parents got me a silver Yamaha Neo 642, so I think i got her beat there.

    in her audition she barely put any air in her horn, like literally piano the whole time.


    I did dynamics and everything! Even my friends said i got cheated, it was a bunch of bull.

  4. #4
    Don't waste a lot of energy worrying about it. Also, you should allow for the fact that the judges may be listening for something different than you focused on. Or they might have been wrong - doesn't matter. Always try to learn from the best of what other players do, even if overall you are a better player.

    Even on a bad horn there are ways to make progress in your playing. Before parades in the Coast Guard Band I would practice what I could. We marched with student-level 3-valve King euphoniums (many would call them baritones).

    I went o all the way through high school (and one year of college) playing on American-style bell-front euphonium. There is still plenty to practice, even on those!

    Here is a photo of me, my senior year in high school. I was first chair in All State and NO ONE in the 8-member euphonium section had a European-style horn like the Bessons. Overall, it is a better world for euphonium players, as far as today's equipment goes.

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Dave Werden (ASCAP)
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  5. #5
    Work to control the things that you CAN control. You can control your energy, focus, and effort in practice and in performance. If you truly did your best then it's out of your hands. Judging is subjective... perhaps they were looking for something you didn't bring to your performance. At any rate, congrats on getting into the Regional Band... that's really a terrific accomplishment.

  6. #6
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    Thank you for everybody's inspirational tips and messages. I will continue to work harder, so I can beat her. My new goal is to learn and memorize Sonata in F by Marcello, so i can hopefully get a 1 and move onto the Texas State Solo and Ensemble Contest!

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Asianeuph View Post
    I will continue to work harder, so I can beat her.
    I think you would do yourself a great service by rereading this entire thread. None of this is about her or "beating her". It never has been. It's actually not about music or musicality, or practicing, or what people say about you or to you, or what kind of an instrument you or anyone else may have. It's about something else that's much more important.
    Gary Merrill
    Wessex EEb Bass tuba (DW 3XL or 2XL)
    Mack Brass Compensating Euph (DE N106, Euph J, J9 euph)
    Amati Oval Euph (DE 104, Euph J, J6 euph)
    1924 Buescher 3-valve Eb tuba (with std US receiver), Kelly 25
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    1947 Olds "Standard" trombone (Olds #3)

  8. #8
    When we are auditioning the measurement used is the one used by the evaluator. Sometimes that is tough to take. You can only focus on what you can do. There is some great advice listed here. I hope it helps you and I wish you well. There is a YouTube video about Carol Jantsch. She was at the Interlochen Academy I believe and after auditions she ended up third or fourth chair. She shared that she didn't like that and her response was to practice harder and in a more focused manner. She is now principal tuba in the Philadelphia Symphony and was invited back to Interlochen as a guest clinician. You have your whole life ahead of you. We aren't defined by our failures in life but how we respond to them.

  9. When I was in high school I qualified for All State band. The week before All State I lost my first chair to a girl (who was admittedly also very good). Then at All State I won first chair. So I was first in the state but second at my high school. EVERYONE has peaks and valleys.

  10. At least you guys have horns! Mine is still on the way if it makes you feel any better I missed all state by 1 chair 3 years in a row. My senior year I missed out on all-state by ONE.. yes one point. But its mainly the process that counts. You're a wickedly better player now from playing 3 college level etudes for 6 months. I auditioned at WTAMU( 4 all state euphonium players in that band, 3 of them were 1st chair when they made it) and the euphonium professor said if I were to be in the band now I would be sitting second chair overall. So yeah don't feel too bad about it!

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