April Showers Bring...

Auditions! I HATE them.

So this month we have Color Guard auditions, Drum Major Auditions, and Drumline Auditions. This is always a stressful time for me. I have a hard time disappointing kids who work so hard for something and fall short. I know I shouldn't try to please everyone, but I'm a "people-pleasin'" kind of gal, and making kids upset is upsetting to me. I really, genuinely care for my students and their happiness, and letting them down easy is hard.

I've had many, many auditions myself, and one thing I learned--especially at BYU, is that there's ALWAYS someone better than you. When I was in high school, I was the "king fish" in a small-ish pond. (Well, our school was pretty big, but the band was a smaller microcosm of it.) It wasn't until I auditioned for a scholarship and for groups at BYU that I realized I wasn't all I thought I was. It was humbling, but a learning experience. That's what I hope my students get out of it. Every experience is for their good. That's a bitter pill to swallow when you're a kid.

So--here we go. Color Guard auditions were today, Drum Major auditions on April 30 and Drumline auditions somewhere in between. It will be a drama-filled few weeks as the speculations and musings about next year's band begins. The real drama begins once results are posted, as there's always a surprise or two. I just hope the kids will trust my judgement (they usually do) and know that I only--only--want what's best for the entire band.

Time will tell! :)