that'll blog
Every year, after PWYE finishes its second concert, I have to audition to get back in. The idea is that so the directer can gauge how players levels of ability have changed in the last year, and change seats around. I've been hoping to go uo a chair or two, and I'm still shooting for 1st part by junior year. I may just get there.
So a few weeks ago my teacher gave me a piece. He said that while he was playing it he thought of me. He photocopied the 2nd movement and saud goodbye, he was going to North Carolina (or somewhere) for a few months and lessons would stop until then. We had agreed I would play Etude #9 by C. Rose for my PYWE audition, but the piece he gave me was really fun, and in a way a little easier. I practiced that for a few weeks and decided to go with it. Unfortunately since it was the 2nd movement it didn't show the composer or name of the piece. I e-mailed him yesterday to ask for his help, and I got a response today. He couldn't remember what piece it was he'd given me.
I practiced for about two hours today. At the end I packed up my horn, but had a hard time getting the barrel off of the rest of my horn. The humidity fucks with wooden instruments like you wouldn't believe, and after really wrenching it off I worried that I had hurt one or two of the keys, but I packed it up and left for Gorham. I was freaking out this afternoon. I was getting anxious for the audition and worried that I wasn't prepared, and that I'd either not make it back into PYWE or get demoted to 3rd chair or somesuch. I feel like that every time, but I can never shake those feelings.
I got there just about on time, and went up to the third floor where I filled out a registration sheet and went into a practice room to warm up. I quickly filled out the sheet so I would have longer to warm up, and assembled my horn. The receptionist came in and asked if I was ready. I told him I hadn't even warmed up yet, and he left. I put on the reed I've been working on all week and tried to play a chromatic scale like I always do. My low E came out as a B, as if I'd pressed the octve key.
Then the panic started.
My chalumeau register was leaping the octave unwarranted, and I couldn't fix it. I worried that I had hurt the octave key. The killer is that I was expecting lots of warm up time, but I was too busy squeaking and going "SHIT! SHIT FUCK!" The man came in again and looked warily at me. "Are you ready to go in?" I sighed, saying, "Wouldn't you know it I'm having the worst technical difficulty of my entire life. No, I'm not ready." He left again, and I swore some more.
When I left the room Mothra was sitting there waiting, and knitting. I told her that my horn was leaping the octave, and she said "Well, you'll just have to warn them of that." I said, "No, I mean I can't play." The receptionist suggested that I borrow someone else's horn, but like hell I'd make them feel obligated, especially somebody I didn't even know. I made a decision.
I entered the room and told them my horn was broken, or something. The director gestured to a man I'd never met before next to him. "Mr. Street," he said. I handed him my horn and he looked it over. He took it apart carefully and took one piece in particular. He stuck his finger in one end, and blew in the other. There was a leak somewhere, and he said "Woah! Something's blowing wide open." He then took his fingernail, twisted on solitary screw and handed it back to me. I was dumbstruck and thanked him. It worked fine, and I sounded really good. I feel excellent about my audition actually. So, all that fuss for nothing.
The great Eduardo got back today. Good to see him again. He's doing well. I have a mad ton of homework to do, including a french poster. There was a Belgian exchange student who came to class on wednesday, and she had a really cool presentation. I'm definitely considering going abroad, I think it would be really cool, and the best way to learn French's practical applications. I really want to get good at it, but it's hard here. I might also take Russian at school next year. That could be cool.
Question for the ladies. Is french sexy? Very curious.