All-State: practicing under pressure
By Caleb Parker
Picture of the Band Hall taken by Caleb Parker
Now that the fall semester has begun, many students have been scrambling to maintain a rhythmic schedule for their lives in order to keep up with the demands of their teachers, extracurriculars and electives. This is especially true of students in the Fine Arts. With All-State auditions looming nearer in the next few months, there are many Owasso High School students in choir and band who are stacking musical practice time on top of their workload.
On top of this, the fall season is one of the busiest times of the year for band and choir, due to the added hours of marching band and concert preparation near the end of the year. It can seem as if All-State would be the last possible convenience to an overwhelming schedule, yet trying out in these auditions have lasting benefits that carry past high school and into students’ college years. All-State is not just an audition; it’s a path for future success.
This success however isn’t achieved overnight. It takes a hefty amount of dedication and commitment to even be considered being placed into a Fine Arts All-State group.
Kaden Marshall, a senior choir student who’s continually made All-State during high school, shared his thoughts about both the burden and opportunity that it has given him.
Marshall stated, “Last year I was in Jazz All-State, and there were about seven pieces that I had to learn on top of some new All-State music, and so when you make it … it can feel a little more burdening. So it can be a burden, but it’s nice to be pushed, and I think it’s fun learning new things.”
Although Marshall enjoys the pressure that comes with auditioning, he still admitted that he tends to become nervous despite thoroughly knowing his music. Because of this, he has learned to employ a strong method to auditioning amidst the amount of stress placed on his shoulders.
When asked about maintaining his stress, Marshall explained, “I get nervous for the auditions … [and] my mindset going into it is like, if I make it, cool, if I don’t, [it’s] also cool. It is what it is, and I think that’s a very important mindset about it, because if you don’t [have this mindset] then you might get hurt.”
Having Marshall’s perspective is crucial to succeeding beyond All-State auditions. With determination and a humble attitude, All-State can build the character of the performer alongside their growing skill. Still, these auditions can seem frightening; trying out in front of a group of judges can be terrifying.
Both choir and band All-State have blind auditions, meaning that the auditioners can’t see or know the identity of the judges. This puts a significant amount of added stress on the individuals, as now the students have no way of knowing their score compared to the scores of other students until the audition results are released.
Commenting on the pressure of the audition room, OHS Choir Director Tricia Wynn remarked, “I think that terrifies them … [and] if you’ve never auditioned before you don’t quite know what to expect.” Continuing, Wynn added, “I think it’s just the unknown that makes them nervous.”
The audition room can seem incredibly intimidating, even if you feel readily prepared. However, engaging in healthy stress before the audition could improve a student’s performance, giving them a leg up amongst the hundreds of other auditionees.
An ardent flutist and notable Owasso Alumni, Band Director Margeret Matheny expressed her take on balancing time and managing stress between studying, practicing and auditioning.
“Learning how to plan ahead for what you’re gonna do is something that’s really beneficial for both practicing and doing your homework,” insisted Matheny. She continued, saying, “I think in the preparation process … as many people as you can play for is the best thing you can do.” Matheny continues her advice for All-State auditionees, saying, “I think … learning how to structure your practice time also helps you with learning how to do homework in a timely manner. I was a student who was always in AP classes, or TCC classes, and any time I practiced, I always went in with a plan so that I went in with effective practicing.”
Though the pressure of these auditions can be daunting, the added stress provides a strong foundation for pursuing future endeavors and instills the combination of passion and persistence in students’ lives. Regardless of the outcome, All-State auditions are an amazing opportunity to build a healthy process for balancing stress—providing critical character development that extends outside of the doors of Owasso High School.