Let's Do This

Audtioning for 8th grade

The school day after the spring concert, the Seventh graders were getting their audition for next year, and so were the Eighth graders. I found the sheet of our auditions on my chair during band. I hastily flipped it over and scanned it. I rolled my eyes.

"This is so easy..." I muttered. "It was a lot harder last year."

I looked over to Cheyenne and she was taking deep breaths staring at the two sheets of music in front of her. I looked at her stand where the her high school audition was put.

Yep, if I was her I would be hyperventilating too. One of her études were filled with 16th notes and accidentals, but knowing her, she was capable of learning it. The other étude was easier and slow, but it was in an unfamiliar key signature and time signature. I gave her a reassuring nod and went back to my seat.

Time to get ready for the audition in two weeks.

~

It has been two weeks and Niko and I practiced our scales and other stuff for the auditions about 30 or less minutes before we usually go to school every other day. It reminded me of solo ensemble where we always had to practice, but this time was more laid back.

And today was the day of the not-so-big audition for the seventh graders. Of course I was nervous, but I wasn't really nervous. All I wanted to happen was to not be the first person to audition.

Band just started and we were given 10 minutes to warm up and practice our auditions. I took the time to practice the scales since I had the audition music covered. Before I knew it, I heard the band directors voice telling everyone to stop.

"Okay, first we start with flutes and start Mary Adams." She started. I smiled thinking that she was going to go alphabetical order. Yeah, I was wrong. "Next will be Grace." My mouth dropped to the floor and realized I must have looked like an idiot. I looked to the right and saw Clarinet dude laughing at my expression.

Mary went into the practice room where the Honors band director was sitting, closed the door, and started her audition while I was told to go wait beside the door. I could hardly hear her playing, but I heard that she had to start playing one of the two scales. We weren't supposed to know what scales we were supposed to play until the audition, but I took the time to cheat.

I looked through the window just as she was holding the last note. I quickly looked at her hands and noticed she was holding out an A flat, so that one of the scales is the A flat scale. I grinned thinking that knowing what scales we were playing is going to help my audition.

Once she did the second scale I saw her hold out the C. I fingered through those two scales while I waited for my turn.

About ten minutes later it was my turn.

"Lets do this..." I whispered then walked into the small practice room and sat across the band director and adjusted my music.

"Okay, first we will start with the scales." She started. I grinned inside my head. "A flat."

I nodded and started the scale. I played it rather well and held the last note. I looked out the window and saw the next person looking at my flute. I laughed knowing that she was doing the same thing I was.

After I was told to play the C scale I saw her doing it once again. I actually grinned, but the band director didn't see me. Then I noticed one thing, I actually wasn't nervous.

~

I went through the rest of the audition almost flawlessly. Just a few mistakes on the sight reading, but I actually did good. Then as I stood up to leave I said one thing that was on my mind for weeks.

"Um, can I not get into honors? I mean, even if I did good enough, I want to stay in symphonic." I asked looking at the ground.

"Why?" She asked confused.

"Well, I prefer it here in symphonic..." I trailed off. Once she nodded I said thank you and left. As I walked out the door, I looked to the girl beside me and said, "We're playing the A flat and C scales, but I think you know that already."

Then I turned and went to my seat, talking with the people beside me knowing that I don't need to worry for once.