The audition was set at 7pm at the recital hall and I came at around 6.45pm. I went down to the music practice room to have a quick warm up and went up to the recital hall 5 minutes before 7pm. I couldn't contact this friend of mine, and he hadn't appear yet. I started to get nervous as the hall was filling up with musicians with their instruments like horn, cello, viola and violin. I started to feel awkward being the only non music student to be in the hall. Suddenly I noticed people bringing their music stand to the hall too and I didn't bring because my friend told me it was not necessary. My mind started to blame this guy for asking me not to bring and never bother to even pick up my phone to assist me as I was so lost.
I felt like wanting to give up and I was walking alone in the corridor and suddenly the lift door opened and this guy came out.
"Thank God!" I told myself.
He was late and quickly he went into the hall asking me to follow. When I stepped back into the hall, I felt that awkward sensation again. The students were going in front of the hall sitting near the conductor as she was about to take their attendance. I felt soooo awkward and I wished I was invisible. While the conductor was taking the attendance, I quietly walked out the hall to answer a phone call from another music friend of mine. She asked me to stay calm and just go back into the hall and take a seat. I nodded to her with my mind so hair-wired and I went back into the hall.
Guess what, when I entered the hall for the third time, my friend shouted my name front the front.
"Joe!!" And then he pointed to a seat next to him.
I noticed all the eyes were watching at me and I was so embarrassed. I had no choice but to walk down the "red carpet" to the front of the hall and sat beside him. My awkwardness + embarrass-ness had reached to the max. I didn't dare to move once my butt touched the chair. The hall was so quiet and only the conductor was speaking. She was just standing right beside me!
After she had announced the pieces that they were going to play for this semester, the orchestra players went down to have their sectional practice while around 8 of us remained in the hall for audition.
She asked us to wait outside the hall and each of us took turn to go in for audition. While waiting for my turn, I got to know these new soon-to-be orchestra players. They were all foundation first semester students and I was the only senior and also a non-music student there.
After an hour plus, it was my turn. I didn't feel nervous as I had waited so long outside and was so hungry until the butterflies died inside my stomach because it was about 9pm. She asked a bit about my background and asked me to play some scales and a piece that I had chosen, which is one of my Grade 6 exam pieces. It wasn't that awful except for the sight-reading part. It was horrible.
It was a short audition and she asked me to leave my e-mail address so that she could give me an answer on whether I could be part of the orchestra member.
I came home about 10pm and I had maggi mee for my dinner. Friends were asking about my audition but I gave them a negative respond as I thought chances of getting in for a non-music student should be low as the conductor should give priority to the music students. However, I was still keen to know the result. Suddenly I got a mail in my inbox after I refreshed my page (damn stress!)
"O.M.G!" I told myself.
I got into the orchestra! I hadn't experience such happiness for quite some time, not even getting an A+ for my exam nor getting my first pay had I been so happy. To me, this might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me to join the orchestra. I'm really grateful I got this opportunity to meet this friend. He has changed my life, making my dream to be a reality. I owe him so much and I didn't know how should I repay him.
Thank you Brace for encouraging me not to give up my violin and given me this opportunity to join this orchestra. And thank you Rachel for encouraging me not to give up at the last minute. Finally, thank you to all my friends who had given me support all these while :D
