"I am making all the saxes audition for the Tenor 1 part"
Seems like you have to do it. It's not your fault.

 

If it's an improv then how is it written into her music ? LIke is it a written solo or is it chord changes written on the chart which the Tenor 1 gets to solo over ?
I agree with John...not your fault . If you feel it may cause friction between you and your friend, as you ARE an Alto player in the band, you could just tell the director "Tenor isn't really my horn, so I appreciate the opportunity but I will decline auditioining for the first Tenor part"

Nothing wrong with doing that.

Quite honestly...and I know there are others that will disagree with me here, but to me...the current Tenor 1 was given the chair for a reason. If the solo pops up on the Tenor 1 chart...give the solo to the current player (unless they have expressed trepidation at doing the solo, or unless she is pretty bad - in which case why would she have gotten the chair ?).

A bit cold to open up the Tenor 1 part to the whole sax section, methinks...

 

It Just says "Go crazy!!"

 

Two things:
It's not your decision.
If you get the solo, it's how you act after that.

 

UPDATE: I told her I was not going to audition and instead of dropping it, she took personal attacks at me and is claiming that I said others would beat her, and that I am selfish for something I didn't do (I have proof, I'm not sure if this is something I need to get my director involved with yet)

 

OK this is just whack....and it starts devolving your thread.

You told your friend that you would not be auditioning for the solo which is supposed to go to HER chair...

...and she got mad at you ?

This is nonsensical, entirely. If that was her response it's 110% nonsequitir....

If you decided that you wouldn't audition for the solo which is supposed to be scored for HER chair, then you've done all you should do and I commend you for your choice. That's it.

None of us here have been in HS for decades so we can't rally relate to this drama of her somehow replying to that negatively....

All I'd suggest beyond what has been suggested is...coming from a 63 year old guy, here's some life advice: never create drama where none is needed.

 

Friends come and go. If you’re trying to pursue music may as well audition. If this is just for fun high school band than who really cares. People that create this drama aren’t people you want as friends anyway. You’ll learn this later in life.

 

OK, this isn't real clear.

The chart has the solo in the Tenor 1 part?

Is it so long that the director is intended to chop it up - so instead of - for example - 12 choruses of tenor solo, you may end up with 3 choruses of tenor solo, 3 of lead alto solo, 3 of 2nd alto solo, 3 of baritone solo? That's not an unreasonable thing to do - few high school kids can come up with enough to play to fill any kind of extended solo section.

Or is it what we used to call an "all skate" where there's a big open section in all the sax parts and anyone who wants/is tapped can play a solo there?

Or what?

In the adult world of big bands, parts get moved around all the time - one band I played lead alto in, the 2nd alto was a really fine clarinetist, and my clarinet playing sucks, so when we had a chart with a lot of exposed clarinet in the lead part, I gave that one to him, I played the 2nd alto part, doing it properly (not trying to lead from the 2nd alto part).

And of course in the adult world, most sax players are expected at least to play alto and tenor, plus the most common doubles, so if the lead alto gets sick the 2nd tenor player may well sit on the lead chair for a gig and someone else come in to play the 2nd tenor part.

So all of you need to get used to parts being switched around and being flexible with it. I've showed up on a gig with my baritone and the bandleader handed me an alto and said "Jim's not here today - you'll play lead".

 

Its a big open solo section, no music is written.

 

Don't ask strangers for moral advice.

 

Just say "thanks, I don't want to play that solo" and be done with it.

 

So much drama in high school.
Play what's put in front of you until your director tells you otherwise.
Tell tenor 1 that nobody is trying to steal her solo.

 

You didn’t take anything, your director said they were auditioning everyone for it, your friend needs to rise to the occasion or just die mad at the director about it

 

Unfortunately, music is a competitive endeavor. The best players get the top spots and the solos. Your friend will have to accept this sooner or later. It's nothing personal. And it's not you stealing anything or being the bad guy. But I would hope that in an educational environment, a good director will give everyone a chance to play and learn, and explain the audition process to everyone.

 

"Unfortunately, music is a competitive endeavor. "
Heard this all my life and there's certainly competition in the business. (This, to remind, is an educational environment, not a professional one.) But there's also cooperation. I don't know how many times I've seen a lead player pass some music to someone lower on the totem pole to help them develop. Competitive, yes. But with a lot of mentorship.

 

Correct. I'm currently playing 2nd tenor in a community jazz band and 1st tenor has asked me multiple times if I'd like to split solos with him.

 

Democracy=Bad Band

 

This may be a manifestation of a conflict between the MD and the first tenor. Switch the orchestra and find a better MD.

 

Ummmm...

You do realize this is a high school kid posting about her band director? "Find a better MD" is not an option.

 

So how are things going in the band today? Have you had any conversations with your band mate?