Music Auditions: Trip #1

So for those of you that don't know, I'm right now in the college audtion process to study next year as a Music Education Major with a focus on euphonium (my instrument). Of course, as a prospective music major, I have to do a lot more than just submit the paper application and sit around and twiddle my thumbs until the envelopes and emails roll in.

No, I have to audition.

So here's a quick recap of my second and third auditions which I spent at Northwestern University and University of Wisconsin-Madison respectively.

I flew up to the region on Thursday after United cancelled my original flight that morning. I then went through the ultimate hassle of getting my 11k custom hand-made instrument through security, and on to the plane in the passenger compartment (it's quite large and the case has an unwieldy shape). After a lot of convincing and a bit of tears (the secret weapon), the instrument (named Vera, yes, a Firefly reference) was sucessfully placed in the 1st class coat closet for transit.

My audition at Northwestern went AMAZINGLY. The prof. stopped me after playing less than 30 seconds and told me I passed his audition and I was playing wonderfully, so the rest of the time transitioned into a lesson. And that was my most competitive school! ;)

Next, drove up to Madison and had a full day ahead of me. Piano placement, music theory test, info sessions, audition, lesson, and dinner with the prof! All which went extremely well.

It's funny, being a good musician makes my college applications like being a football star. I'm being utterly serious. If you've ever seen Blind Side, it's like that, but I don't have the risk of traumatic brain injury. It's great. Dined and courted by schools and professors, what a wonderful way to choose which university to attend!

Two auditions to go!