Ok, here`s the deal:

I`m in the Wind Ensemble at my high school, and we just had our 2nd quarter chair placement auditions. Last year as a freshman, I was 4th chair out of 11. This year`s audition went very well, with my director giving me tons of compliments on my improvement since last year (and believe me, a compliment from my band director says a lot!). There were three of us that i expected would be fighting for the 3rd, 4th, and 5th chair spots. The other two are juniors, i`m a sophomore. Last year i was 4th chair, they were 5th and 6th.

So i got to band today to find that the placements were posted. I was 5th chair. That wouldn`t be such a big deal because i was expecting to be between 3rd and 5th. What surprised me (and made me really angry) was that the 4th chair person is someone who I have continually been above in the last year. She was 7th to my 4th chair last year. We both tried out for the pit orchestra for our school`s musical last month, I made it and she didn`t.

I`m very upset and confused to as why she was placed above me. Yes, she is a senior, but my director is not and has never been one to base chair placements on seniority.

Am I wrong to be upset? This director is not one that I can easily tell her that I`m angry with how the placements with.

Please just give me some advice!!

just accept the fact that she is better than you
and she is a senior, let her have the best, as you would want if you were a senior
-don`t fight over 5th chair or 4th or whaterver
aim for first

If you get placed every quarter the it won`t be too long until you have to audition again and then you can go and kick some a** and get first chair while this senior gets 700th or something! I know this isn`t very helpful, but it is only a quarter.....so maybe you should just stick it out until the next auditions....?

Is there any way your band director would move you up before the next auditions? Because if you play really really well then she might realise that she`s made a mistake and put you up a chair or two.

Anyway, just enjoy the music for now and start preparing for the next auditions so you`re really really good and will get placed really high next time. Keep smiling!

I often play first chair because I`m good with sound but I don`t play as perfect as the boy who is second clarinet. He can always play from the sheet directly so when we are in a hurry before a concert i always got to play he first chair and I think that`s fair. Is there something like that?

I remember that happening to me and asked the band director about it. He said he wanted to give her a chance to "better" her playing by putting her between two of his best players and she was working hard all summer with a private lesson teacher.

Some times as a band director we have to consider what is best for the student who needs the most help not those who are like you.