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Anchorage Symphony Audition

September 23, 2006 at 12:43 AM

“My audition went okay.” ~Charlie Caldwell

“My audition went well, I think. It was kind of weird... I'm really happy about it since it was my first audition. It really wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be.” ~Lisa M

“Although I didn't perform at my best, I did what I could under nervousness and pressure... I wish I could play as well under pressure as I play at home.” ~William Yap

“It didn't go as well as I had hoped (does it ever?)” ~Kelsey Z

“It went okay. I had some moments where I reminded myself that I could control things. And yet I was still a bit shaky, a bit hesitant... I didn’t feel super nervous or panicky, but certainly my heart was pumping and I wasn’t ‘relaxed’.” ~Laurie Niles

“I hate waiting for audition results...” ~Andrew Paa

“Nervous, oh so dreadfully nervous I have been and am.... But WHY must you say that I am mad?” ~Linda Lerskier–-er, I mean Edgar Allan Poe

It was the same old audition story, plus or minus a few nerves. In fact, I remember telling myself this about halfway into the Tchaikovsky excerpt. So this is what they all write about, I thought, as I ad libbed the last half of the run and landed at the top. ...Except, I wonder how many other violinists found the panel of judges filing into the small dressing room where they were warming up. I’d always pictured standing under interrogation lights on a stage, as an unseen force listened from the seats in a darkened auditorium. Instead, I got to stand five feet from the conductor--under unusually good track lighting–-and reenact a pagan sacrificial dance, following it with Beethoven’s Pastorale. (“It’s very hard to play Beethoven after Stravinsky,” I interjected.) Yes, I was nervous, and no, I didn’t play my best, but I think at least a snippet or two showed them what I really could do. The Schumann #2 was last, and it surprised me by being quite good.

And the results? The fortune cookie preceding the audition announced: You will attain a hoped-for objective. We’ll see...

If you won the audition in your mind, that's all that counts! Every audition is different and no matter how much you prepare there is always some anxiety/nerves it's learning to deal with them! I'm fine for performance settings (most of the time) but you stick me in an audition or a lesson situation and those 1-6 people terrify me more than an auditorium filled with 600.

Oh how I wish it was an unseen face seated in the darkened audience that did my auditions.

I sincerely hope that your fortune cookie is right!

I feel your pain!

Seriously, good for you. Every audition that you take in good faith is a growing experience, whatever the outcome.

You're brave....
Bet you a beer you made it. You can pay me back Wed. night. Brewhouse.

From Pauline Lerner
Posted on September 23, 2006 at 8:51 AM

You are very brave.

From Linda Lerskier
Posted on September 23, 2006 at 4:05 PM

Break the fortune cookie already!

Muahaha! I am not mad! I am Poe!

From Jim W. Miller
Posted on September 23, 2006 at 5:13 PM

She's not brave, she's good. Good luck! Hmmm hope that doesn't curse it :)

From Emily Grossman
Posted on September 23, 2006 at 11:40 PM

Thanks for the kind words, everyone.

Michael, if you're wrong, you get to play in the KPO fall children's concert with me. Or are you doing that already?

Hey Laurie, I gradually tweaked it up to 144, just once while practicing, and then came back down to earth. Auditioned at somewhere between 120-130, probably. 144 is insane. You need more than caffeine for that kind of speed.

From Michael Schallock
Posted on September 24, 2006 at 8:03 PM

I am playing KPO but missing next sunday because of Tschaik 5 in Anchorage.
My daughter Jessica, is playing the first movt of Mozart piano concerto #20, I believe it is, with KPO that concert too, so I wouldn't miss it.

From Emily Grossman
Posted on September 25, 2006 at 6:09 AM

Well, I guess I'll be missing that one, too!

:)

:)

:)

:)

From Emily Grossman
Posted on September 25, 2006 at 6:11 AM

...I mean, the Sunday rehearsal, not the KPO concert. Best wishes to your daughter, by the way.

From Gabriel Kastelle
Posted on September 25, 2006 at 4:16 PM

Good for you following through-- hadn't heard for a while, and I wondered (I was right: you WERE practicing Schumann Scherzo!)

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