Michael Fording

October 16, 2013

D-LA
Practice Makes Perfect


What time is it mom? I asked. I tried to sound calm, but I needed to be at my GBYO
audition as soon as possible for practice time.
Ten after seven, my mom replied as we approached the audition site. She sounded
bored, but I knew she wanted me to do well.
I leapt out of the car as soon as the door opened. I rushed, viola case and music in my
hands, to the glass door of the Roger Ludlowe Middle School in Fairfield, Connecticut. I was
trying out for the Greater Bridgeport Youth Orchestras for the second time. This was the site of
my audition for the 2013-2014 season. I had been practicing for this audition for almost six
months, and I was determined to move up from last year. The previous year, I had participated
in Concert Orchestra, which was one level below Symphony Orchestra. Symphony was the
orchestra I was aiming for this year. Honestly, I felt prepared, but anything could go wrong.
I nervously opened the heavy door and turned right, down the familiar music hallway
and on to the registration desk. Behind the long desk was the Executive Director, and I was
immediately ushered into the practice room while my mom headed to the waiting room. Scale,
solo, sight reading, kept running through my mind. Those are the three parts of the audition. I
hastily opened my case and pulled out my viola and bow. I grabbed my solo, the second
movement of the Telemann viola concerto, and threw it on the squeaky music stand. As other
students exited the practice room for the real audition, I began to draw my bow across the
strings. My fingers placed themselves in first position, then third position, and finally sixth
position, and then all the way back down the scale. After the scale, it was time to practice my
solo. As soon as I finished practicing the solo, I heard an announcement.
Audition forty-five, was called, and I immediately left the room and entered the real
audition. Three people sat behind a long table, similar to the registration desk.
You can start, a tired voice said plainly. I could tell they had been here for a long time
and just wanted to leave, but they were trying to maintain their enthusiasm.
I started to sweat with anxiety and nervousness. I began my scale, and I could hear the
pencils scratching as soon as I started. After the scale, I brought out the Telemann concerto and
started it. About halfway through, I could literally feel my heart pounding and my legs shaking,
almost like an earthquake was happening. I could still hear the pencils as notes were taken
throughout the entire solo. After what felt like a few hours, the solo was finished and I could
begin sight reading. I was given Tchaikovsky's Marche Slave to read. After a short excerpt, I
was at last finished with the audition. I thanked the adjudicators and left the room in a hurry.
A few days later, the audition results were posted on the GBYO website. I scrolled
quickly through the list of two hundred sixty-eight audition numbers and found mine: number
forty-five. I stared with anticipation at the orchestra placement next to the number. I blinked
with surprise as I read the word Symphony next to my number. Later that week, I received a
large envelope containing information about concerts and rehearsals. I knew that without the
practice, I would not have succeeded. I knew this was going to be a great year.