Auditioning in Band

Last night I auditioned on a tenor saxophone for the "grown up" band. In the New Horizons band, there are several bands. There are different levels and to be able to play with the higher level bands, you must audition for the conductor. I was auditioning for the Symphonic Band, which is the highest level of the concert bands.

I hate auditioning. I get very nervous. I can play in the band, even in a concert, and be very calm. But if I need to stand out (e.g. solo part or audition one-on-one), I go to pieces. The request is to play something prepared, some scales, and sight-reading (playing a piece of music you have never seen before). I KNEW I would be a wreck. So I did practice my prepared piece and tried to polish it. However, since my life has other things going on, it probably wasn't as well prepared as it could have been, but it was prepared.

For practice, I performed my piece the night before for my family and parents. I fell apart. I found where I had problems in the piece when I wasn't thinking straight and worked hard on those spots that night and before the audition.

Due to other things I wanted to do that night, I took my youngest with me to the audition. This didn't play a major role in the audition, but just as we got started, she popped up above a divider right in my field of view. I explained that she couldn't do that. She disappeared and I continued.

I found that musical theory requires thought. Even after years of training and use, it still requires thought. I found that when I am at the height of anxiety, thinking becomes very difficult. "Are you able to transpose from concert key" "Yes, with a little thought" "Good, what is concert F?" "Uhhhh...." (note the quick well-articulated answer. This is very basic knowledge.) "It's G. Will you please play a G major scale for me?" "Uhhh G? Oh right." I played a G major scale (very easy. very basic) "Play an A-flat major scale for me" "Uhhh..." Blank. A-flat sounded hard. BTW, I had a sheet with all the scales in front of me. This wasn't expected to be all from memory. My eyes were working only a shade better than my brain. "Ok. Now, play an A-minor with a harmonic 7th" "What?" <-- not a well-portrayed level of knowledge with such a statement. He explained. He basically named the notes. I still messed it up. "Ok. Now play your piece for me." I played. It wasn't perfect. However, it was good. The trouble spots flowed. The sound was good. I was expressive. It was a good tempo. A couple of flubs due to nerves. Like having a repeat and going to the wrong place. Once again, neither eyes nor brain were working. However, I sounded like a mature player. Then came sight reading. I knew this would be a problem without eyes or brain. So, I scanned the music a little while asking questions about things I couldn't immediately see like expected tempo. The rhythm was very tricky. I played sloppy, but I kept going. It was ok. I got most of it and it really was not a simple rhythm. "You sight-read well, don't you?" "Yes" I refrained from saying that is a skill you pick up when you don't like to practice :). "Good. Are you available Thursday nights for rehearsals?" "Yes!"

Somehow, he saw through the flubs. Or maybe he needs my part in the band.

It's G! Concert F is G!!!! I know that!

How could I not know that?