Nervousness is a fact of life. There is no panacea. Accept and get on with things. You got it right. Ain't nothin' but a thing.
Chuck
Another performance anxiety post
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Chuck Jackson
- 5 valves
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- Joined: Fri Mar 19, 2004 8:33 pm
- Location: Las Vegas, NV
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Haugan
- bugler
- Posts: 203
- Joined: Sat Oct 30, 2004 2:15 am
- Location: Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay, Rockford, Il., Chicago, (depending on day & duty)
nervous?
The experience described in thread happen to EVERYBODY in auditions or performance in varying degrees. I almost NEVER get nervous in performance, save for "Bydlo", which I usually enjoy performing enough to cancel out the jitters. Auditions? - another story. Beta blockers? - the one time I played using them it made me too apathetic to play well.
Search Al Baer's posts & thoughts on this thread, he is an absolute audition ANIMAL. Prepares so thoroughly that he covers any possible situation or direction an audition could go. Like a great Chess player.
He practices, too. - Like a maniac - more and more intensly untill the day of the audition. The librarian of the Milwaukee Symphony told me that she was seriosly considering SHOOTING him if she heard "J" from "Meistersinger" again, at one point.
I met Al YEARS ago in Naples, Fla. at their tuba Audition. I had "scoped out" the competion, and as far as I could tell, he was my ONLY competition.
When I got bumped, I congratulated Al for getting the job., I figured he was their next Tuba player. I was later surprised to hear Al HADN'T won . I don't know what happened, or what he learned there, but the best guy doesn't always win. We ALL know that....
Al honed his skills to the point where he became (?)invincable in auditions and EARNED the right to play in the Big Apple of tuba gigs.
The NYP "represents" the US in the World's orchestras. "Our" champion got there the way everybody should - By practicing his *** off. The tuba jobs belong to the guys that deserve them, usually. My personal loss of discipline as I grew older was my downfall. That, and seeing everyone ELSE yearn so deeply for a shot at what I'de already HAD. Empathy for your competition at an audition is no way to win the gig.
Years ago, people were often "appointed/auditioned" in a hotel room or office, but we still had great orchestras.
Find your answers from Mr. Baer. He could "write the book" on taking auditions. AL??
Search Al Baer's posts & thoughts on this thread, he is an absolute audition ANIMAL. Prepares so thoroughly that he covers any possible situation or direction an audition could go. Like a great Chess player.
He practices, too. - Like a maniac - more and more intensly untill the day of the audition. The librarian of the Milwaukee Symphony told me that she was seriosly considering SHOOTING him if she heard "J" from "Meistersinger" again, at one point.
I met Al YEARS ago in Naples, Fla. at their tuba Audition. I had "scoped out" the competion, and as far as I could tell, he was my ONLY competition.
When I got bumped, I congratulated Al for getting the job., I figured he was their next Tuba player. I was later surprised to hear Al HADN'T won . I don't know what happened, or what he learned there, but the best guy doesn't always win. We ALL know that....
Al honed his skills to the point where he became (?)invincable in auditions and EARNED the right to play in the Big Apple of tuba gigs.
The NYP "represents" the US in the World's orchestras. "Our" champion got there the way everybody should - By practicing his *** off. The tuba jobs belong to the guys that deserve them, usually. My personal loss of discipline as I grew older was my downfall. That, and seeing everyone ELSE yearn so deeply for a shot at what I'de already HAD. Empathy for your competition at an audition is no way to win the gig.
Years ago, people were often "appointed/auditioned" in a hotel room or office, but we still had great orchestras.
Find your answers from Mr. Baer. He could "write the book" on taking auditions. AL??
There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so. --Shakespeare
It is my belief, that nearly any invented quotation, played with confidence, stands a good chance to decieve - Mark Twain
It is my belief, that nearly any invented quotation, played with confidence, stands a good chance to decieve - Mark Twain
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tubatooter1940
- 6 valves
- Posts: 2530
- Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2004 11:09 pm
- Location: alabama gulf coast
Pre-performance nerves are usually a good thing because the anxiety keeps you on your toes and anxious to excell. People who are never nervous may have a problem "getting up" for performances. Those who get the shakes so bad they are handicapped may need a beta blocker or a beer or two to settle down enough to relax and play with good feelings.
Beer puts my brain into "party mode" and one or two loosens my elderly self up enough to play some happy stuff for the bar patrons. Three or four (unless diluted by a grease burger or something) diminishes my performance exponentialy.
Beer puts my brain into "party mode" and one or two loosens my elderly self up enough to play some happy stuff for the bar patrons. Three or four (unless diluted by a grease burger or something) diminishes my performance exponentialy.