A new job and a new outlook

May was an exciting month for me, beginning with a successful audition for my new job as hornist for the Bay Street Brassworks.  I had less than one week to prepare for the audition, and it was a great experience to prove to myself how I could quickly prepare for high-level performance without the extended preparation time we were used to having as students.  I think one thing that solidified my successful audition was the fact that I stayed cool and welcomed anything that came my way! The group leader kept putting sight-reading in front of me, waiting for me to 'crack,' and though much of it was jazz (something I don't spend much time playing), I went for great music, style and and approached every moment with a positive attitude.  Throughout, my mind stayed calm, relaxed and focused on great music-making.  I think this mental clarity made it possible for me to perform at my best when it mattered. 
    Shortly after my audition, I headed back to Mexico for three concerts, including Mahler's 8th symphony.  It was a a wonderful two weeks surrounded by great musicians and people. In the second week, though I was only supposed to play one piece, I was asked to play the entire concert, receiving the repertoire at the first rehearsal. Again, this was an opportunity to exercise a clear mind and great focus to make wonderful music. Staying in the moment and focused on the right things allowed me to play with much more ease and accuracy than I could do before.  For me, it really clarified that we don't need to just work on timing and intonation, it is equally important to analyze how we react to potentially high pressure situations.  While this approach has been important to me  for quite some time, it was great to feel that hard work paying off. 

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