TubeNet

I have mine on Saturday for PA District 12. Any tips, or something that'll get me through it. Also, any tips on playing the Tcherepnine Andante solo. Just trying to calm my nerves a bit.

Posted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 2:37 am?!?!?!?!?!??!?!

How about getting a good night's sleep?

Just kidding. Best advice ever: don't forget to breathe.

1. Breathe
a. Always take your first breath in tempo
b. Always take the biggest breath you can, every time you breathe.
2. Think happy thoughts
3. Get into the music - Have fun!
4. Play the right rhythms and count like crazy
5. Make the best sound you can

Wow, I didn't realize it was 2:30 am when I wrote that...so much for my screwed up biological clock that keeps me up from 2-8 everyday.

The thing I've always used to calm nerves is to take a little walk around the area, (school, or wherever auditions are being held,) right before your audition. It calms you down, but it also raises your heart rate by just a little bit, helping to even out the little pulse spike you'll get from nerves. Also, remember to breathe, (before, during and after the audition.)
Aaron Hynds

tubafatness wrote:The thing I've always used to calm nerves is to take a little walk around the area, (school, or wherever auditions are being held,) right before your audition. It calms you down, but it also raises your heart rate by just a little bit, helping to even out the little pulse spike you'll get from nerves. Also, remember to breathe, (before, during and after the audition.)
Aaron Hynds

What about breathing during? I find that helps even more

Best advice I can give you:

Tell them I was your teacher.

When they say 'who?', punch them in the face.

No.....strike all of that.....just practice.

And listen to Jay....I don't know anything....

Haha, thanks Allen. The first way might work...when they're passed out, just change their score sheets. Something to ponder

Good ol' PMEA District 12! That was my District many moons ago (I went to Marple-Newtown).

My advice is simply to go out and try to have as much fun as you can when it is your turn to play. You have spent a lot of time in the practice room. When it comes time to audition, just perform. Assume that everything you have worked so hard to fine tune will be there and think only about imitating the music as you hear it in your head!

That said, I have a few other suggestions for the audition day:

Do your usual warmup then stop. There's no need to decide you are going to do an extra 45 minutes of warmup. Why wear yourself out? If you have a long wait, periodically pick up your horn and play a nice, slow, easy scale or simply melody to keep your lips feeling fresh.

Try hard not to play through your audition material. You have already done all the prep. Practicing the day of the audition is not going be productive anyway, but can be a detriment to your self-confidence if you should bungle a passage in practice that day. If you feel you need to get connected to the piece you are playing, trying singing through it.

Bring an iPod or Walkman so you don't have to sit there listening to everyone else showing off. There are always those that feel they need to play blazing fast passages or screaming high squeak tones over and over again to show everyone there who's boss. Those are usually the players that will be tired by the time their audition time comes around. Be smarter than them.

Play the piece the way you hear it in your head. In other words, don't be swayed by someone's (your band director's, other students', even your private teacher's) last minute idea to change your interpretation, tempo, articulation. Go out confidently and lay it down the way you hear it. Convincing playing goes a long way.

When it is time to play, whether solo or scales, pick your tempo and take a few ticks off the tempo. Your adrenaline will likely be spiked and this is a good way to ensure that you don't suddenly find yourself "traveling too fast"!

Take your time even if you feel like you need to hurry up and play! The audition time is YOUR time to shine. Take the time you need to be mentally & physically ready to play. Then show them just how beautiful this instrument can sound!

Good luck and knock 'em dead!

Gary