Audition time

The last few months have been quite interesting.  We played a rather taxing concert that had a couple of juicy solos in them.  I think I can rate my performance as "pretty good."  There was still a chip or two, but I hope that tone and musicality made up for it.  But it was a LOT of fun!

I spent a short spin on the Wheel of Doom, but I got off pretty fast.  I was doing okay with my Laskey 75J, but still lacked the punch I wanted.  We had a sub this concert -- Ben.  Ben is an excellent player and has the punch I lack.  Of course he's playing on a Conn 8D, and I was pleasantly surprised to see he was using a Holton MC mouthpiece.  Now, I played on a Holton MDC in my early college days, and I tired a Holton SC for a while, but never the MC.  So, a quick eBay auction and I had an MC in my hand.  Foolishly I used it for the concert a couple of days later, but it didn't make any negative impact, so I was happy.

A couple of days later I received a Marcinkiewicz CH 7S.  These are not cheap, and they are known to be excellent mouthpieces.  One practice session and I was using it for another concert.  This may be the final mouthpiece -- it's that good.

So ... auditions.

I've said many times that this is the first time in 30 years that I've had to audition.  In truth that's not completely true as I've done many other auditions, just not on Horn.  Yes, all those acting auditions count, especially when it comes to Nerves.  Yes, they can and just might get the best of me.  But I'm trying to be as prepared as possible.  I know the people who will be listening to me, and I know they like me and are rooting for me.  But I want this to be as fair as possible and I want to EARN the seat, not be given it because I'm a good guy.

It's the Unknown that's haunting me.  I mentioned Ben, and he's good.  Real good.  Like "he could beat me" good.  And there are a couple of others I've never heard.  But all I can do is the best I can and be in as much control as possible.  Produce a nice sound that blends and doesn't blast, be as musical as possible, and above all keep calm.

I'm doing well on the audition piece, in my opinion.  I'm considering all of the musical phrasing and pitfalls and making sure I approach them in a mature, calculated way.  Will it be perfect?  No.  Will I chip a few notes?  Absolutely.  Could it cost me the audition?  It might.  Will I be upset about it?  Well, a little.  But if someone beats me fair-and-square, I can live with that.