hi my name is spencer. i have been playing flute for 2 years and am a junior in high school. i play on a gemeinhardt 3SB. I tried out for districts my freshman year and got 68 place and i got really depressed. then i got sophmore years solo learned it and got ninth chair. Then my school held chair auditions and i got first chair(because the person that was first chair for 4 years finally graduated). so now district auditions are coming up next week and i am really nervous to see how ill do. I play the piano as well and i sing. i used to be on the swim team but i quit because the coach hated me because i liked music more than swimming(and i was like, you can just get over it) so i quit. that is basically it about me. Umm, i would like to get to know more about you guys and become a big part of this forum.

if you can reply to this I think it would be great to help me.

Sounds like we're in a pretty similar situation, love.

My name is Lynsey, I'm a high school senior, and I also play a Gemeinhardt 3SB.

Are you currently taking private lessons? They've helped me tremendously...in my solo skills (before, I had only played in ensembles, which is a different beast), my general skills (and correcting bad habits learned taught by a band teacher whose primary instrument was sax), and my overall confidence in myself as a flute player. I highly recommend them.

Other than inquiring after private lessons, my best advice that I can give you is to relax! If you're placing as highly as you have been, you obviously have some talent and skill. Don't rest on that fact, by any means; definitely continue to seek chances to improve, like your district band opportunites (which are always fantastic, I know from experience). But take a second to realize that you are a player of skill and talent...that can do wonders for nerves.

Really nice to meet you, Spencer.

just remember that when you go into an audition, those on the panel want you to do a good job, yet most expect that they are counting every little mistake you make..not true..

try to impress them with your musicality and not dazzling technique, impress them with how soft you can play and not how loud you can, always tell a story with each piece you play for them, and relax, and as la _ flauta said, be yourself, it is all you can be...

Hi Spencer...

I have my district band audition next week too. I auditioned last year an did not do very well because it was a last minute decision my teacher and I made just for the expierience. I understand the dissappointment of not placing well. This year I am a lot better prepared and have done several auditions since, and gotten a new flute (Muramatsu EX).


Thats a great improvement from 60 something (sorry I can't remember exactly) to 9th.

Good Luck with your audition!!!

kate

What is your audition piece this year??

Hi there!! I'm Brandy, and I've played for about 6 years. I'm in college, but I'm not in the Band at my school. I did go to Region competition and all of that. I went to 4States, and made 1st Band, 3rd chair my Senior year; the only 2 people that beat me were from Texas.
Anyway, what I always did, was walk into the competition with the attitude that you're better than everyone else, (even if you're not) and just tell yourself that YOU GOT IT!! Don't have a defeated attitude, or you're setting yourself up for failure.

I know how you feel. I have a region band audition coming up at the beginning of January. The only other time i've auditioned to get into a major band was the region band audition i did back when I was a begginner.

I hate the piece that we have for the audition this year. It doesn't have any dynamic or tempo markings, it's basically nothing but a run of sixteenth notes. The only notes shorter than a sixteenth note either have a trill on it or a grace/ghost note in front of it. plus the fact that there's 2 scales that I can't play entirely. I only know half of the terms i'm supposed to have memorized, and my flute has a leak in it at the moment making it impossible to play the low notes. I'm worried i might not get it fixed in time.

Anyway, I'm kind of nervous already and my audition is only a month away.

I wish you luck on your audition.