Audition Season :/

 Hey y'all! I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving break! Allow me to rant about this upcoming week...I have 2 auditions due, one on Wednesday and another on Friday. For the first one, I have to play an entire concerto (concerti generally have 3 movements, and Strauss 1, the concerto I'm playing, is 15 minutes long) and another piece. For the audition on Friday, I have to play 2 pieces, one of which is the second piece from the first audition. (So, at least I don't have to prepare four different pieces.) I'm writing this because I just tried to record Strauss 1 and I could not hit any of the high notes! (Strauss 1 has a ton of high B flats in all 3 movements...) I'm not sure why I was having such trouble - maybe it's because I've been practicing all week and my face is tired, or maybe it's because I've been biting my lips something awful (really bad habit for French horn players :( ), but anyway, it's a bit frustrating and stressful. Anyway, sorry for ranting for an entire post, but if you stayed with me to the end, here are the names of the pieces I'm playing - I think y'all will really LOVE the last one if y'all listen to it. Also, Stefan Dohr (the principal horn of the Berlin Phil who I DM'ed to say happy birthday since it was my half-birthday, which I then wrote about in my college essay) - yep, I'm on the brink of insanity - plays an AMAZING Strauss 1, so I'd recommend you listen to him as well. :)

Here's my repertoire:

Strauss 1 (all 3 movements)

Laudatio by Bernhard Krol

Hunter's Moon by Gilbert Vinter 

Hope y'all get the chance to listen to these! And if you haven't already, follow my practice account @life_without_horn_would_B_flat! 

P.S. No French horn ~jokes~ please! (You know who you are.)