Hey guys! I'm trying out for All-State this Sat.!! Any advice on controlling the nerves?

GO TMEA!!! WOO!

Thanks! No I don't think I'm doing the TMEA All-State band auditions. What exactly is that? Your advice is worth millions!! Thanks!

TMEA is Texas Music Educators Association,
TMEA is the auditions for the Texas All State 5A and 4A bands.

A branch of TMEA,
ATSSB (assosciation of texas small school bands)
is a similar process in which the auditions only pertain to 1A, 2A, 3A, and private schools)

They both perform in San Antonio, in the middle of february, every year at what is known was the TMEA Clinic/Convention.

It is massive, and it is wonderful...:D

Ok! I'm from S.C

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I got called back for All-State last year but didn't make it. This year I hope to!

Im ATSSB and I already made the ATSSB State Jazz Band, so technically i dont qualify for area, but if you make state (GOOD LUCK BTW) ill see u there in San Antonio...ill just be in a different hotel.

I definitely agree with theflutist94! (Coincidentally, I have an All-State audition coming up soon, as well...but not this week)

NEVER NEVER EVER "run" the song over and over and over and over again. Becuase you're not "practicing," you're just repeating the song again and again. And so it doesn't get any better. In fact, it gets even worse. So this week, don't just "play" the song again and again. Go back, take a metronome, play everything slowly and cleanly. Am I articulating this correctly? Can I make this slur cleaner? Can my tone sound a little bette rin the articulated passages? Are all the running notes EVEN (another thing, the more you run things over, the more sloppy the running notes). A big thing to watch is that when you run things over and over again, it is likely that you may start rushing the notes! Bad idea. So use the metronome this week, go back, calm down. When you are done making as many improvements as possible, run through the whole thing at least once, no more than 3.

The problem is, when you're at home, you're all cozy & comfortable. NO. Get your mind in the game. Do a mock audition. Clear of all the junk on your stand. Stand up straight. In fact, go outside your room, walk in as if you are imagining yourself walking into that audition room. Do everything, imagining everything just as if you are going to play at an audition. You have to practice this mindset. People just say, "Oh, I mess up b/c I get SO nervous." Well it's that too, but the biggest thing is focus. When you play at home, chances are, you're not giving it 1000% focus. So you go into the audition room and bomb it. Don't. Practice focusing. PRactice getting in the game.

And maybe sometime this week, play for somebody. Play in front of your band teacher. Have him judge you. Also, the day before the audition day, don't kill yourself as flutist94 said. Play everything slowly. Don't go, OMG TOMORROW'S AUDITION DAY, and I DON'T THINK I'M PLAYING FAST ENOUGH (then you run it over again and again, until it rushes). Just calm down. Review trouble spots.

And on the day of the audition, collect yourself. Some ppl fool around with their friends, but for me, I try to get in the game, give it my 200% focus. Look at your piece over again. Warm up a bit w/ some tone exercises, play scales (at a moderate pace). Play your piece no more than three times. Eat a banana if you can. But don't keep warming up until right before the audition. Warm up until you have some time in between the audition. While you're waiting, get in the game. If you're practiced it slow and ran through "mock auditions" w/ yourself, then you will be FINE. There shouldn't be any nerves issues. You will own the game! Good luck! (Another thing, when you get into the room, even if you are realy nervous, think about the music. LISTEN. Do you enjoy music? When you get into it, you won't be nervous).

Hope this helps. Really, I had nerve issues too. Lots of experience w/ piano fail moments, lots of fail flute auditions, a ton of theater fail moments. It will be alright, trust me.

Spark12: thanks so much for the advice! I will take it very seriously, I'm sure it will help a lot this Sat!

Some good sleep is certainly some good advice...
Speaking of needing sleep, don;t get that nasty cold that is going around, kills your throat.

I have an Allstate audition this weekend too. I agree with what others say: don't stress about the auditions and get enough sleep. I guess it's kind of like if you would have a test at school, you need to be alert and able to think clearly. Make sure you get enough sleep, as others have said. Also, it would probably help to eat a good breakfast. It is harder to focus when you haven't eaten! I'm not quite sure, but I have heard that eating a banana the morning of your audition can help calm you down so you aren't as nervous. Don't play for too long before the audition, or you could get tired out. If you have to wait around for a while, I would practice about an hour before your audition, and then take a break. Make sure to shortly warm up before your audition too. Sometimes, judges will let you play a few notes before you start your audition. That way you can make sure your instrument is warmed up/in tune. Also, most people tend to play faster when they are nervous. Before you start playing, take a deep breath and relax. Concentrate on not speeding up as you play. Hope this helps, and good luck!

Good luck to everyone auditioning!! All-State is really an incredible experience I hope you guys make it I made All-State my junior year, and then didn't even get recalled this year.. our auditions are in October, festival in November)

Get in a good warm-up. Spend about 20 minutes, but not more, warming up.. I start with long tones going from mid staff B down to low B chromatically, then above the staff B up to the highest note I know. Then I do a short tonging exercise from a method book. Then I may run one or two spots in each etude but do NOT play the whole thing! Really the whole week before you shouldn't just be running songs, practice what needs to be practiced; don't practice what you can already play. And play with a metronome!

I am not sure if this was a factor or not this year, but I didn't realize my audition center was ahead (we had several scratches) so when I showed up like 2 mins ahead of my scheduled time, they had been waiting.. check (or send a friend to check) to see if they are ahead/behind..

Also don't listen to others audition.. it makes you more nervous :P

If you don't make it, realize how valuable the experience of auditioning is. If you aren't a senior, remember you still have another year

And in my opinion, (at least at my HS) All-State is WAY overrated.. its really just another honor band.. remember these auditions do absolutely nothing to define how well you play.. sometimes you just don't have the best day. The people listening only get to hear very little of your playing.

Just relax and show the judges how well you can play. You can (almost) never be too musical in your playing! If you make it you make it, if you don't you don't.

Good luck!!

GMEA All-State here I come! :D

Thanks again! I'll tell y'all how I do next Sat!

Good luck!

I did the audition and I'm pleased with how I did. Now, I'm just waiting for my band teacher to call me. (probably sometime tonight)

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I'm 1st chair in the Region!!!!! And I made it to the Call Backs!!!!! Thanks guys!