Thankful: For No Auditions!

Sing to the Lord a new song...

Psalm 149:1

 

Of all the experiences that are part and parcel of being a musician, the one I hated the most?  Auditions! America has experienced years of auditions through television shows such as American Idol, X-Factor, America's Got Talent, Britain's Got Talent, and The Voice.  For the singer, there is nothing quite like the nerve-racking, heart-pounding sensation of having to "put yourself out there" in front of an audience of judges.  It can be quite difficult to do your best when you are scared to death.

This week I will be involved in the judging of auditions for the in-coming class of freshmen for the high school Performing Arts specialty center where I teach.  Their admittance or non-admittance hinges primarily on that audition.  They have had the music to practice since last November.  One would think they would know it backwards and forwards.  Of the 50-60 candidates we will hear, however, there will only be a handfull who are truly prepared.

As a private voice instructor, I have spent the last few months preparing high school seniors to sing their college auditions for music programs at universities across Virginia.  My heart goes out to these young people.  I received a telephone call today from a young woman who had a major audition this last weekend.  She wanted to fill me in on every little detail of the experience with the hope that I could somehow dissect all of it and come up with an indication of how she did in the judges eyes.  "They did not chitchat when I was finished.  Does that mean they didn't like me?"  "We were broken up into two groups after the audition.  I was in the downstairs group instead of the upstairs group.  What does that mean?" When there is so much riding on the outcome, you grasp at any straw. 

 

After that phone conversation, while waiting for my next audition-bound student to appear, I breathed a silent "Thank you," to no one in particular and every one in general, that I no longer have to sweat through that process.  When I sing now, I sing simply for the joy of it.  I wouldn't have it any other way.