Oh my gosh my first competition!

[Rayjo]

This is my fourth year playing sax. I've come a long ways from when I first started as a last chair and am now playing for my school's jazz band which requires an audition. But over the years, there is this one competition that many members in my class have gone to called "Solo&Ensomble." I haven't even looked twiced at it because I knew that I was just too poor to compete in an ensomble or as a solo. These last two years though my confidence and ability has improved drastically, but I'm not sure how to deal with playing in front of a judge. How do I stay calm? When I play for a test, I never feel I played as well as what I actually am, even though I get good scores!

[Warder60]

When I compete in city/state solo/ensemble (this'll be my 7th year) I've noticed a comparison between about how well I perform to how much I've practiced...
The years that I don't practice very much (for whatever reason, lack of inspiration sounds good right now) I get nervous before my performance ..remembering how much I didn't practice and all the parts that really needed to be practiced more, and then I go in and fumble (but I've been pretty lucky and still squeeze by with a decent score so far)

The years that I do practice a lot, and I know and can tell myself that I have it down as good as I can get it I go in more confidently and do an awesome job, and earn my good* score.

*--at All-state auditions I had the material down and could play it confidently, but only got selected as an alternate (which is 2nd for the baris). I learned that day that it doesn't matter if you don't get 1st all the time. You just got be able to say you did the best you can and had a fun time. Otherwise you'll hate yourself later for not practicing and blowing your chance to challenge yourself, and never knowing what you really deserved.


If your director doesn't do "lessons" during the school day once a week (like some schools do), or that your "lesson" is worthwhile (quotations because it just seems directors never primarily play your instrument, and therefore can't offer as much as a true saxophone teacher could), then find a private teacher if you rarely want to advance fast(er) (I think some people on this forum would argue advance at all...


edit: ok, what I'm saying is. Practice, practice, practice. If you know you can play it perfectly, go in confidently and do just that. And get a private instructor, s/he'll show you everything you didn't realize was wrong.

Also, good luck! and have fun with your solo =)

[disgruntleddave]

just have fun playing a lot for a good few days or more, and enjoy doing your best in front of some judges or something. if you dont end up doing well, then you still come out with the experience and another how many hours of practice. if you come out on the up side, then good for you.

[barisaxplayer]

relaxing before you play is good too, deep breaths with your eyes closed in a dark room for 10 minutes is great for releasing tension.

[Rayjo]

Thanks a lot! :D You've all been a good help.

[Neil Sharpe]

Breathing and relaxation exercises for sax players are provided in a series of articles on SOTW
http://www.saxontheweb.net/Resources/Performing-NSharpe1.html