So after two D.C. auditions, I have really come a long way. The most recent one the President’s Own Marine Band audition went really well. I had no snaps, cracks or pops in the audition and felt I played near my very best. However, I did not get advanced, which hurt a little more than usual. Usually, I walk away knowing I screwed up and would be very surprised if I got advanced, this time I felt I nailed it and still got nowhere. This next time I am going to take a different approach on tempos, and interpretation.
Other than the bummer in D.C., I got to see some sights with my good friends from IU. Before all of that went down I was able to visit all my great friends in Illinois. It really put me in the Christmas spirit, the weather and mood in Arizona is just not the same as it is up north. Going back to Plainfield always reminds me, that when I believe I have very little in this world, that I am completely wrong. I have so many people that love me so much there, and its a shame that we are all growing up and moving away. You friends know who you are!
Also while in Illinois I played for my best friend EJ’s wedding. It was so much fun all around. The quintet was top notch, I played with some professors and very professional players, and I felt I fit in pretty well! The wedding was perfect, and the reception was way too much fun. It was like a small IU reunion for some of us, but better, with an open bar!
In other news I have begun toying around with Monette mouthpieces. I am currently hooked on the C2S3, it is so free blowing and I feel like I could articulate for days without getting fatigued on it. My only issue right now is my upper range, on the mouthpiece it is harder for me to initially get up there, but when I do it sounds so so much better than it did on my Bach 1.5C. I also recorded some excerpts on the Monette and the Bach and listened to them blindly. 3 out of 4 times I chose the Monette over the Bach. So we will see how this progressed, usually after a few days I hate the new mouthpiece and go back to my Bach, but I am not feeling that this time.
Beyond all of that I will be working hard for Christmas, I will be playing 5 services. Three on Christmas Eve, two of which are at my own church Saint Maria Goretti, and one which will be at La Casa De Cristo Lutheran Church. If you would like to see when and where, visit the calendar link!
After all that “work” I will be celebrating Christmas with the family. I haven’t really asked for much, I already got what I wanted... A Job! Then after that the countdown begins for Royal Caribbean on the 18th of January.
I hope you all have a happy holiday, and a happy new year!