Member Blog

It's really been a while, I've been meaning to write sorry (that's if people are reading!) Anyway, so if you read before you would know that the singing competition, NYSSMA, was last Friday. And I was trying out for All-State, very elite group of singers in the state. Now, I knew before I even sang that I wasn't going to make it. You need a complete 100% to make that. And this was my first NYSSMA solo. But what I wanted my music teacher to see was that I tried out for All-State and did pretty decent, i.e. over a 90% so I can get into Concert Choir. Now all of the musical kids had to volunteer since NYSSMA was being held at our school for the first time. So I volunteered for both Friday and Saturday and it was hectic! People were running around getting folders, helping other people around the school and getting the judges what they need. I didn't even eat and I wasn't even a Section Leader! So on Friday the room I that I was supposed to watch wasn't actually for Friday so I went to go find my friend Eric. He was the Section Leader for the piano section (which we had to push form the music wing all the way across the building) and he was running around trying to help everyone. I ended watching this guitar room because no one was there. My solo was at 5:45 and I was waiting for my last years music teacher to come and find me at 5:00 so we could warm up. I was sitting there talking to the guitarist that were waiting and helping people for a few hours. The judge was a sweat heart and I wished that he could have been my vocal judge. =[ Anyway around 5:15 my teacher comes but there's a problem with a student. They have a "jazz" song to perform and that room wasn't jazz but his name was on the list. So my teacher had to bring them to the information desk to help and I had to follow. After standing there for 10 minutes she said Let's go when one of her students came and started to talk to her about her solo. I was starting to get agitated because she could talk to her anytime about that but at that moment I needed to warm up. I had been humming and doing solfege all day but I wanted to go over the song. I digress, after that crap it was too late to warm up so we went straight to the room. When we got to the room one of my friends, Leeanna, came out and was smiling and stuff but I didn't feel like she was completely happy with how she did. And Leeanna has a beautiful voice! But I didn't have enough time to ask. So I go in there and surprisingly I'm not nervous! The judge was a short, big woman with a brace on her wrist. She looked nice enough so I felt relaxed. First was my song which I wasn't worried about. I didn't need my music so I had no stand and I felt exposed but I kept my head. So I look at my teacher and she begins to play and I begin to sing. Now you are even judged by how you stand and present yourself. So I kept my back straight and made use of my hands by slightly moving them with the music, which I actually enjoy doing. But I started to notice that I was closing my eyes too much. I tried to keep them open but I became distracted with the music and closed them again. At the end I sighed heavily and just kept on smiling. She was writing something down for a few minutes then she asked my TEACHER why I tried out for All-State. Now I found this aggravating because it made me thing that she thought I couldn't answer for myself. My teacher said that it was my choice and that I appeared confident. Then the judge says, "Well I think it's valiant you tried out for All-State for your first solo." Which just tells me already that I wasn't anywhere close to getting in. Then she goes on to mentally scar me. First she said that I had no pitch, which I took in because I know I have bad pitch problems. But then she wouldn't stop! It was getting ridiculous! She would point in the air where the pitch was then point some place far off where I was! Then she went on to say how some people are naturally good runners or swimmers or have good pitch, you're just not one of those people! It hurt because it made me think that she just thought I was incapable of understanding. Then my teacher had to leave so I could do the site reading by myself. I was scared now because I am terrible at site reading. I'm more worried about what note comes next then following pitch! And after the mental beating I had just gotten I though I was going to die. So to make this short I did exactly that. I sang the correct notes but didn't keep pitch. 

So after that bullcrap I went to go find Eric and I found Leanna there crying her eyes out. She hugged me right away and said that that women was a major beeotch to her! Leanna couldn't get someone to accompany her on her solo so she got a recording from the internet. She told me that judge said this, "I don't know why you even tried to breath life into that recording, you shouldn't had even tried." Now this is unnecessary harshness on the judges part. And Leanna was freaking out that the judge would take points off for bad recording which isn't allowed. So Leanna went to go get an appeal to do it the next day. To make this long story a little shorter it turns out that Leanna got a A and didn't get any points taken off for the bad recording. So then Saturday came, which was even more Hell because nobody came to help so I had to cover two rooms and so did everybody else! Then I went to a friends house and hung out...pretty sweat. Then on Monday I really wanted to know my grade so I go up to Mr. V and ask for it. He brings me to the office and finds my paper...and I was ecstatic....I got a 92% (A-)!!!!!! As soon as I left the office I was jumping up and down, with the few people staring at me strangely. My friends gave me hugs and I finally got that little bit of hope that I've wanted all year...now I have a chance.

I was going to write about my sickness problem but this blog is already too long so I'll post in a couple days. The chorus is going to Dorny Park on Saturday. We have to be at the school at 4am!!! Ahhh! So I'll post again. Love you!

This is a song by Rasputina, and I really love it!

Transylvanian Concubine - Rasputina

You know what flows there like wine

Stay here with us, it's just fine

Transyvanian Concubine

Sorrow is their master

Cackling with laughter