 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Clair
Date: 2002-12-15 12:55
Yesterday I had district auditions, for which I auditioned on bassoon and clarinet. I have been preparing hard for these auditions for an extremely long time. But when I got to the audition room, it was like I forgot how to play the instrument!! I was so frustrated and upset with myself that I almost got up and walked out halfway through... What I don't understand is...how could this have happened? I was so ready...I was so prepared!! I'm extremely mad and dissapointed in myself, and wondering if maybe I'm just not cut out for this--for being a musician, if I can't take the audition process. I love music! How can I be so inadequate if I love it and try so very, very hard? It seems I always come up short, no matter what. What should I do? I feel like such a failure...
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2002-12-15 13:05
ah ha ha ha, you suck!
[Dear Aravinda Bhatt/bigleagues00 - you try that trick of "borrowing" my screen name/email address again and you're out of here permanently. I expect a public apology for this.
Mark C., Webmaster]
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Author: Brenda
Date: 2002-12-15 13:41
What is this, Mark?!! I expected better of you.
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Author: Stéphane
Date: 2002-12-15 13:50
Brenda,
I assume this "Mark Charette" is a fake, we all know the real one would behave.
Clair,
Is this your first audition? Stress before and during any kind of competition or event when important things are at stake is perfectly normal, you never come too prepared! Even if you're immensely dissapointed with yourself, don't take it as a definitive failure. You will experience some more, and of course, you will experience even more successes! Hold on tight, keep on going to auditions and competitions, experience definitely helps building successes.
Good luck!
Stéphane.
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Author: Bob Hoit
Date: 2002-12-15 14:28
Brenda,
We have all had this experience. Learning how to take auditions is part of learning how to be a musician. Auditions are stressful situations. Learning how to deal with this stress so that the audition "feels" as close to normal practice as possible is how i deal.(of course you will have adrenaline and any number of other things that will try to distract you and make it not possible to be the same..)
My advice is make sure to try to create an audition atmosphere in some of your practice before the acutal audition.(Have friends/relatives listen to you like the judge will listen to you)
At the end of the day auditions are also a subjective thing, and it is never overly productive to look at it as a failure becuase someone else didn't think your sound/style fit within their ideals. After that has been said, also examine what happened and find ways that you can improve on your own performance.
The main thing is keep plugging away, I will not say the auditioning ever gets easy, because i have never achieved that, but you can learn to cope with the stress. I have given myself a 2 day rule. I can beat myself up for exactly 2 days then i have to let it go. it is a useful rule.
Good luck and certainly don't give up!!
take care
bob hoit
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Author: Meighan Stoops
Date: 2002-12-15 14:30
Clair-
I wholeheartedly second Stephane's comments. The worst thing you could do with this experience is to call it quits. I've had a couple (disastrous) defining moments in my life in music. You have to learn how to look at those moments somewhat objectively without being overwhelmed by the feelings associated with them. There is a psychological growth process involved in performing just as there is in terms of instrument proficiency and musical understanding.
And can I say....YOU HAD TO TAKE AN AUDITION ON THE CLARINET AND THE BASSOON?!?! Wow. Even on a great day the clarinet is a handful. Cut yourself some slack (but) keep working your butt off.
Good luck!
Meg
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Author: ken
Date: 2002-12-15 16:03
Kes, here are a few thoughts/suggestions I shared on the "audition jitters" thread...hope they help (9th post down). Don't ever get discouraged, "success and failure" is part of the game.
[http://www.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=88828&t=88759]
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Author: Ralph G
Date: 2002-12-15 16:22
"oh no! Mark warned me! I'm so scared!!"
Yeah, I remember MY first beer...
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Author: Pam
Date: 2002-12-16 11:39
Back to the original topic...Because it was mentioned on here in the past regarding performance jitters I purchased a book called "The Inner Game of Music" by Barry Green and another gentleman whose name escapes me at the moment. There is some excellent advice/tips in there to help get the nerves under control or put the energy they give you to good use.
I would highly recommend it to anyone. I really don't get nervous playing for a large crowd anymore. The real test for me will be in the spring recital for 2003. The audience is a smaller group and they know who you are rather than just being another person in the orchestra.
I hope you'll forgive yourself for your failure and hang in there. Sometimes we can learn more from the failures than the successes.
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Author: Morrigan
Date: 2002-12-16 12:16
Also read the Inner Game of Tennis. It sheds much more light on the subjects discussed in the Music one, but clearer.
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Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2002-12-16 20:00
Clair -
Courage, and, as the Hitchhiker's Guide says, Don't Panic. I've been through it. Your teacher's been through it. Everybody's been through it. Next year, it'll be a "war story."
In addition to "The Inner Game of Tennis," it might help to read Ristad, "A Soprano on Her Head."
Everybody's behind you, except for LittleLeagues, who's just jealous.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Clairgirl
Date: 2002-12-16 22:25
Brenda...
District auditions should NOT be a gauge of your success as a future musician. They are no more than an auditory "snapshot" where band directors sit in the back of the room turned around, and ask for different sections to be played from the piece. (at least that is how it was where i come from). Most likely, these directors don't always play clarinet! What they are listening for is rhythmic accuracy, good tone, and musicality, among other stuff. I flat failed my first district audition, but this was because I was pretty unprepared and clarinet was not a big part of my life. The next year, equipped w/ 6+ monthes of practicing for that big day, a teacher, a wooden clarinet (yea the other one was plastic) and the confidence that I had done my very best in preparing, I did make it in... So my advice to you is to not undermine yourself! You know you are prepared, so just go in there and show them!
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Author: Jeremy Schiffer
Date: 2002-12-17 20:13
If this was one of your first auditions, you may just need to practice auditioning. Take every chance you can get to play in front of other people, in a "mock audition": sit down your parents and play for them, get your friends (musicians or otherwise) to hear you play. Replicate the audition process as much as you can so that you just feel better about playing in front of other people.
In college, one of the finest musicians I've known had a terrible time with auditions. It got to the point that he was taking anti-anxiety medication to audition for orchestra. While I never advocate popping pills as a solution to life's problems, if you have, over the course of several years, an inability to overcome your fears, it may be something you want to look into - but only as a last resort.
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