OMG, you guys. I had a competition a couple of days ago and my judge was totally not fair. I have PROOF..listen. ok, so you play a solo and the judges score you on tempo,expression..etc. And i had to play that solo 2 times..one at this high school, and another at a college. I played AMAZING at the highschool, and i performed..uhh..OK, at the college place.

My performance at the highschool was so good, that's the best i ever played it! And the judge took A LOT of points off, for tempo, expression, how i interpert the music. AAAHHHHH!!!! and i didn't get first division..NO, i got SECOND!!
OK, and at the college, the judge told me i had AMAZING rythem, REALLY good style..everything what the other judge said that was bad.

I know the judge at the highschool, didn't like me at all. When i came in the room, she just stared at me..and was like.. WELL, aren't YOU GONNA TUUUNE?..(i was like) i already did..(judge gives a big *STARE*) OK, i'll tune...
GEEZ! i'm so mad...i don't know. I always got first division and the top score and everything. This is my first time ever getting a ...bad score. i didn't know how it feels like until..now. But seriously, that judge..i don't know. What do you guys think?

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I wish it was a blindfolded judge. I mean i smiled and tried to be nice. grrr. And i KNOW that i had a steady beat because my piano accomplanist is a beginner. She's my friend and played for 3 years. And when i'm off beat...OMG,...We would get totally lost. So i learned a lot to listen for the piano. I practicly MEMORZED the piano acommplanist piece, so we will be together...so not fair.

Well sorry you're upset! What is this division you are talking aobut? Is it a band you get into or a rating system for individual players? And how many divisions are there and what do they mean?

I hate competitions. I allways blew district band auditions based soley on nerves. My throat close up and completely tense and race through my peice. Not to mention one time they wanted 2 octave D scale so I thought I'd be savy and play 3 octave. All three judges looked at me and didn't look happy. Then again maybe they can't but that's when I realized ok stick with what they ask of you. They had to go through so many flutists they just wanted you to play the required element and when I thought I'd impress them only I think in hindsight turned them a little off b/c I didn't need to do it and they didn't have time anyway. It was probably against me b/c that wasn't the requirment.

Anyway is their a chance you played differently with the 2 performances? Some judges seem more critical. I don't know if it's their different backgrounds or what. Maybe some are extremley critical to help you improve. I mean judges are individuals and maybe they look at it differently. Ok the tuning thing would freak me out too.

When I participated in solo festival, where you are graded on a performance, this peice I practiced so much and my director gave me so much praise and I'd thought I'd get Superior the top rating and got Excellent the next one down and was so upset. But then again I took the judges comments to try and improve which mostly consisted of improving the upper register and tempo I got superior rating with more difficult peices later on.

I didn't know the judge, and soon as i walked in, i know it didn't feel right. Division is like the rating of everyone's performance. Number one is, of course the BEST. Which is not hard to get, that's why i'm SO upset! I know judges are crital and everyone's different. The (highschool)judge, i read her comments over and over again....it just doesn't make sense. OK, she marked off points for certain things, and i just don't understand why? i don't UNDERSTAND. She didn't write how i should of played and what i could do..

AND you know what? at the highschool, i was SO RELAXED. I wasn't nervous, because i was used to playing in front of ppl. She said i used no dynamics and expression, well you know what? i played my heart out,...i was so focused on the style..and played expressively. My dad said there's ppl like that out in the world..

I'm going to ask my teacher what the comments mean. because..it doesn't make sense? She said i rushed..umm..REALLY? and she said i'll get the stlye if my technique is good. ok, 3 measures i know my technique wasn't that good, because my tounge didn't match up. but..?!??!

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District honor band i always made it in,..because it was a BLIND AUDITION. well, the recent one it was. And the other ones, the judges were super nice. I was played with confidince^^
*SIGH* i guess you can't always get first division. I got first division for the past 3 solo festival thing. And it was always a REALLY diffcult piece. These things never happen to me..yea i know, i'm kinda crazy here@__@!! I just need to learn to accept...(i guess)

welcome to the real world of the arts. dust yourself off and move on, lots of judges are !****!s, they seem to hear things differently from others, this is typical in the music biz

YEP, i know i need to get over it. ok,...*BIG BREATH* i just need to tell my band director about it and i'll be fine. I just want to show what the judge did. THEN, i won't think about it again. i'm in the real world... I've been spoiled with too much great achievments..won't always happen..nobodys perfect. OK.

Thanks you guys..not used to this stuff.

Schoolgirl, when I was in college I assisted with the high school and university placement auditions. The other assistants and I were usually surprised by the judges' outcomes. One year the judges got it right, but usually we all agreed they were way off (Whose idea was it to have drummers judging flutists anyway?).

You shouldn't let one judge get you down. From what you say, so far she's the only one who has disagreed with all your other judges. And what does that say about her?

Thanks. I didn't know other ppl went through this too. I've joined the club^^. Thanks you guys..i feel better.

Sorry to hear about that nasty judge. Hey..find out where she lives and go Toilet paper her house!! No..Just kidding!! (Kara smiles an evil grin!)
Really I swear I am 29! Lol!!!

So what piece did you play?

About the tuning thing for you guys. I know you already tuned, but pianos make mistakes too...ALWAYS tune when your accompanist switches instruments. Who knows when the last tuning was. You definitely want to be at least close. Even temperature changes between practice cafeterias, the outdoors, and the judging classrooms can alter your pitch slightly. Tuning isn't a one time thing when you put your flute together for the day. Good luck with your next audition! I am working on lots of pieces right now. Getting back into Flute Music by French Composers after finishing the Ibert. I need a break from the unpredictable, and need to play the predictable once again. I have to maintain the predictability of course! Although, I forgot how horrible Taffanel's Scherzettino (Andante Pastoral et Scherzettino) is. Took me an entire HOUR to relearn it. GEEZ!!!

-Dennis

Hey Schoolgirl,

Unfortunately music is very hard to compete in. When someone judges you it is a subjective decision. It is not like you are out running a race where who "wins" can actually be decided by something other than a human point of view. I mean, could you imagine if a race was judged that way? The judges could say "Well, I THOUGHT he was running faster, so he should win." That is how a music audition works.

Case and point. I had four judges for All-State. When I looked through all of the scores for scales I received I was kind of shocked. One judge gave me 10/10 points, and another one gave me 5/10. So, one judged passed me as perfect and percentage wise the other judge failed me. The last two judges were pretty close in their scoring. How can two people who were sitting in the same room each have such a different opinion of how I played? Judging is subjective, maybe one didn't like my tone, or thought I was showing off because I played Db Major 3 octaves. Who knows?

Everyone gets hit with a score or a rating they don't agree with on occassion. Let it go, and build up from it. You may have just had a tough judge, BUT that doesn't mean that some of her comments were not true. You should sit down and really read what she said. Play the piece out again with a metronome, and test your own tempo and rhythm. Think about the things she said as constructive critism, and use those tips to move forward with your playing. It seems like you have always done well in the past, so there is no point in getting hung up on one tough judge.

wow, i realize how i'm upset and how it's so hard for me to get over with. I've been having a bad day today, but i need to let things go. That's very true, all the ppl that posted. I agree with all you guys. I guess judges could give you scores that could suprise you..i'll read the comments over again.

I've told all my friends this, and they take it...as if it was no big deal. I should do that because i can't be upset about that one judges' score..I haven't told my band director ..what's the point? i don't care if he thinks. it's okay ^_^

About the tuning thing, it was the SAME room that i played 3 minutes ago(duet). Oh, but you're right. i didn't tune WITH the piano. I guess... i take things too seriously.

My solo was called Hamburger Sonata..by some bach person. It was the orginal bach's son. (his famous son)

Ooh..I like that piece! I was just playing that yesterday. Did you play the Allegretto andRondo movement, or just one? The Rondo is my favorite part. Then again...I love anything fast!

It is by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach.
What a long name!

Judges are just so judgemental sometimes. You never know how things come out.

Though good judges will offer constructive criticism that you can use to improve your playing. Bad judges should be forgotten. There are many more competitions to come!

I thought it was a requirement for judges to be unfair (example: Simon on American Idol). To be fair, though, maybe the judge's hearing aid battery was dead.
Serously now (damn, I hate being serious), I think the best thing to do is record yourself so you can judge for yourself how you really sound to other people. You are not hearing the same thing that your audience hears. You know, like when you hear your voice on tape and say it doesn't sound like you, but all your friends say "Yes it does".
I've got to go and rest now. Being serious has taken its toll again, (gasp!).

I am glad someone mentioned Simon from American idol, American Idol is entertainment, pure and simple, auditions are not like that. More often than not, they sit there stony faced and you don't know what they are thinking, or there is a screen.
Also, you may have to fail at many auditions before you land the position you want.