8/30/08

Arkansas Audition

Hello from Little Rock, AR! I drove up here yesterday from Houston...up that terrible stretch on 59...the speed limit changes at every little town you enter...and there are stop lights along the whole thing...ugh...at least I had conservative talk shows to keep me angry and paying attention.

The audition was this morning, and I realized I was reading the schedule wrong and there were a total of six cellists there...a lot less than I was expecting. First round was behind a screen...Beethoven 5, Mozart 41, and Don Juan...we each had our own rooms, and there was no 'community room' so I just sat in my room by myself waiting to hear back...and then to my surprise I was advanced to the next round!! That was the first time that had ever happened.

Then I only had about 15 minutes before I went in again...this time the screen was down...there were supposed to be two more rounds, but due to the low turnout, the final two got compressed into one...I played Tchaikovsky Romeo and Juliet Overture (random, right?) and Verdi Offertorio...then went back and read with the quartet, Beethoven 59 No.1 and Prokofiev 2nd String Quartet...and then I had to give a mini outreach presentation, as if the panel was a bunch of third graders.

I never really thought I would get that far, so I didn't really plan anything out...I just jotted a few notes down and figured that if I had to, I would just wing that part when it came to it...and then it came to it, and I winged it. I guess it was all that great training with Music for All at Eastman...

And then I found out that I won the audition. Totally crazy...so now I have to decide if I'm gonna take it or not...decided to stick around for another night so I could check out the town...and juts have a chance to look over all the stuff they gave me in the quiet of the hotel...what do you guys think??

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ok, totally random to get a comment from me but I've been doing a lot of thinking this week about how "everything happens for a reason." and then this all happened to you. This was a CRAZY audition for you, you were running all over the country, had no apartment...no cello. SERIOULSY? Thats crazy?! And then to win it ????wow....(of course, you are a stellar cellist). I just think that the whole quartet side of it is cool and it could be a good stepping stone for the future, or you could find yourself in a quartet and orchestra you love...I'd take it! You could pay your loans! :-)

That being said, I think that only you can really decide what you should do-usually that little voice in our heads knows exactly what the right answer is.

Congrats and good luck with your decision.
ella b.

Mary said...

Good for you! Call me when you have time. I've got thoughts..

Unknown said...

If you can afford to live on the salary and be happy doing the job, you should definitely consider it. Also, if they'll give you benefits. A salary is a lovely thing. You have guaranteed money even if you're not gigging that week, ya know?

However, you shouldn't take it if you're not going to be happier than doing what you're doing in Houston.

Congrats, David! And yay for winning a job!!!!

Cellogal said...

Lovely News! I love reading your blog gives me insight into what being a proper musician must be like!
What ya gonna do?