I'm Back...

Overall it was a pretty crazy week. I started in Baltimore, then went to Ann Arbor and finished in Chicago.

The 2nd day of my two-day Peabody Conservatory audition consisted of a Graduate Assistantship Choral Conducting Audition. There were about 6 of us auditioning for the job (and there were 7 the day before). The choir, which consists of all instrumentalists, are preparing a piece by Franz Joseph Haydn, who is a 'Classical' style composer. Luckily for me, I've sung numerous songs by both Mozart and Haydn, which only made it better for me at this audition. I left my practice CD at home but luckily found a website that allowed me to buy the mp3s. I woke up around 1030 to practice conducting and mark up my score (red for cues, blue for dynamics, green for articulations) and when I went to the audition I also noticed that I had the most prepared score. The woman there told us that they needed someone to not only warm-ups and sectionals, but also to lead the full rehearsals in case the conductor could not make it. So they needed both leadership as a conductor and also a person who is relaxed and easygoing in front of the chorus. I decided, after a meeting with my choir director, that my strength would be not as a conductor, but as a musician and my personality. So that's where I decided to focus.

As walked in I smiled and said, "What's up guys, I'm from San Francisco and I'm happy to be here today. Where are my sopranos? Altos? Basses? And you've got to be the tenors. Of course, it's always the smallest section!" After I said that, the chorus laughed and I noticed them giving each other looks as if to say, "Wow, he's laid back."

I then conducted the three required sections, and then after that was done, the person who was judging me asked me to go back and work a specific section of the song as if I were the conductor, and most specifically, he asked me to rehearse the 'Gloria' section of the song. This was, pun intended, "music to my ears" because in the waiting room, as another of the candidates was going through with his audition, I singled out in my mind that I would love the chance to work the 'Gloria' section. Anyway, I worked that section, and when my time was up, the choir had sung almost 100% better.

As I was walking out, he walked me to the door, and asked me about my audition - did I do it already? How did it go? And most importantly, he slapped me on the back and said, with a big smile, "I'm really glad you came in today."

Now I didn't notice him doing that to other candidates, so I know that I nailed this one good. My going to Peabody is actually dependent on this assistantship - not only does it pay full tuition for me but I think I get a stipend as well.

Next time, my adventures in....

ANN ARBOR....

Makin' Mine Music

~No Tations~