Spokane Symphony Audition

Yesterday afternoon I auditioned for the substitute list for the Spokane Symphony.  I took a lesson last week with Mateusz Wolski, the concertmaster.  The lesson went well and helped me get more prepared for the audition than I would have been otherwise.  Overall I felt pretty good about the audition.  There were a few rough patches, particularly in the concerto that I played.  My finger slipped off the fingerboard at one point, which shook me up a bit.  The excerpt that I was having the most trouble with went the best of the three things I played.  The other excerpt wasn’t as smooth as I know I can play it.  Auditions are always interesting.  I felt I played better at my audition for the Mid-Columbia Symphony than I did yesterday.  I didn’t get nervous for this audition until I was on the stage.  Most auditions for professional orchestras are blind (there is a curtain between the auditionee and the people hearing the audition).  Since yesterday’s audition was for the sub list, it was not a blind audition.  I’ve decided that I prefer blind auditions.  I seem to be able to control my nerves better when people aren’t staring at me.  But, it’s all a journey and a learning experience.  I still haven’t heard anything from them, which I’m inclined to think is not a good thing, but they are in the middle of preparing for a concert, so all is not lost.