Please Wish Me Luck, Oppo [UPDATE 2] I WON THE JOB!!

"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
09/01/2016 at 15:25 • Filed to: None

I am now the new Third Trumpet in the Austin Symphony! Woo Hoo!

And it only took 40 years of practicing to win a proper gig. Now I won’t feel so bad about sitting and writing about airplanes all day long.

I’m auditioning for the Austin Symphony Orchestra this morning.

A few of you know that when I’m not busy writing about airplanes I’m a professional trumpet player. I’ve been playing as a substitute/extra with the Austin Symphony for many years, but now there is an opening for a contracted 3rd trumpet position.

Orchestral auditions are weird things. They give you what are called excerpts, little snippets of important trumpet parts from lots of different pieces, and you have to stand on stage, screened from the audition committee, and play these excerpts completely out of context and by yourself. Each hour a certain number of people perform, and then they advance a few, or none, to the next round. It’s sort of like knockout qualifying. What it really boils down to is taking almost 40 years of trumpet playing experience and condensing it into 9 minutes. And that’s just the first round. Oh, and don’t miss any notes, especially in the first round. One or two chipped notes and you can be out. Imagine having a pole position lap in the works and then overshooting a corner or missing an apex.

They say that luck is when preparation meets opportunity. Well, I’m as prepared as I can be, and this is the opportunity. Let’s see what happens.

Update : I made it out of the first round, and just finished my second and maybe final round. They only advanced 3 players from the first round. I should have word in about 20 minutes. Fingers crossed!

DISCUSSION (65)

PotbellyJoe and 42 others > ttyymmnn
09/01/2016 at 10:02

You know how one trumpeter greets another?

“Hello, I’m better than you.”

Do well. What a great compliment it already is to earn a tryout. Now don’t screw it up.

CalzoneGolem > ttyymmnn
09/01/2016 at 10:06

Get out there and blow!

$kaycog > ttyymmnn
09/01/2016 at 10:08

Kinja'd!!!

Good luck! Let us know.

X37.9XXS > ttyymmnn
09/01/2016 at 10:11

X37.9XXS > ttyymmnn
09/01/2016 at 10:12

Damn Kinja

X37.9XXS > ttyymmnn
09/01/2016 at 10:15

Kinja sucks

Kinja'd!!!

You do not

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > ttyymmnn
09/01/2016 at 10:15

Break a leg!

smobgirl > ttyymmnn
09/01/2016 at 10:18

Good luck! Im excited to hear how it goes.

ttyymmnn > PotbellyJoe and 42 others
09/01/2016 at 10:19

I am definitely not that kind of trumpet player. But I certainly know many who are.

ttyymmnn > CalzoneGolem
09/01/2016 at 10:20

All you can do is strike it hard and wish it well. Thanks.

ttyymmnn > $kaycog
09/01/2016 at 10:24

Trust $kay to find the perfect gif. Thanks.

ttyymmnn > smobgirl
09/01/2016 at 10:24

Thanks. So am I!

ttyymmnn > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
09/01/2016 at 10:26

Or, as the Germans say, Hals und Beinbruch!

TheRealBicycleBuck > ttyymmnn
09/01/2016 at 10:26

I wish there was a band equivalent of “break a leg.” Perhaps fatten a lip?

Ah, well. Good luck!

ttyymmnn > TheRealBicycleBuck
09/01/2016 at 10:27

“Bust a lip” is actually common. Thanks.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > ttyymmnn
09/01/2016 at 10:28

What an awesome opportunity! Wishing you the best of luck!

Leadbull > X37.9XXS
09/01/2016 at 10:41

You know it's possible to edit comments

Leadbull > ttyymmnn
09/01/2016 at 10:43

Be the blowhard you're meant to be!

TheRealBicycleBuck > ttyymmnn
09/01/2016 at 10:43

I never went beyond high school band and was in the woodwinds at that, so I guess I never heard it.

Bust a lip!

Roundbadge > ttyymmnn
09/01/2016 at 10:45

Best of luck!

My bird IS the word > ttyymmnn
09/01/2016 at 10:46

Thats awesome ! kick ass at it.

ttyymmnn > TheRealBicycleBuck
09/01/2016 at 10:48

Thanks. I play in about 15 minutes.

ttyymmnn > Leadbull
09/01/2016 at 10:48

That made me laugh. Thanks.

PushToStart > ttyymmnn
09/01/2016 at 10:56

I can only imagine the stress with those is like what I went through for my various auditions in high school, times 10. Good luck man! Hope it goes/went well for you.

ttyymmnn > PushToStart
09/01/2016 at 10:57

Thanks. That's what Xanax is for.

CaptDale - is secretly British > ttyymmnn
09/01/2016 at 12:08

Wow that sounds intense. Break a note? Instrument player version of break a leg... Anyway good luck.

Makes me wish I still played instruments lol.

MonkeePuzzle > ttyymmnn
09/01/2016 at 12:10

good luck!

keep us updated

unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) > ttyymmnn
09/01/2016 at 12:40

Good luck!

$kaycog > ttyymmnn
09/01/2016 at 13:03

Kinja'd!!!

Oh, yeah!

ESSSIX GmbH - Accountant/Wagon Thumper > ttyymmnn
09/01/2016 at 13:04

Collapse a cheek!

dogisbadob > ttyymmnn
09/01/2016 at 13:04

Good luck

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > ttyymmnn
09/01/2016 at 13:08

Glad to hear you made it to the second round. Congrats but I hope there's even better news soon.

HammerheadFistpunch > ttyymmnn
09/01/2016 at 13:09

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmHeP9…

For Sweden > ttyymmnn
09/01/2016 at 13:09

But you play trumpet, not washboard...is Austin really the best symphony for you?

You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much > ttyymmnn
09/01/2016 at 13:24

Break a leg! And let us know.

Jcarr > ttyymmnn
09/01/2016 at 15:27

Nice work!

Kinja'd!!!

PatBateman > ttyymmnn
09/01/2016 at 15:29

AAAAWWWEEEE YEEEEAAAHHH!!! Congrats!!!

Snuze: Needs another Swede > ttyymmnn
09/01/2016 at 15:32

Congratulations!!! Well done.

BvdV - The Dutch Engineer > ttyymmnn
09/01/2016 at 15:35

So you are now Oppo’s full time Orchestra member and plane expert, great job!

64Mali > ttyymmnn
09/01/2016 at 15:35

wooot !!! Meanwhile my old trumpet just hides not being touched since highschool

Dave the car guy , still here > ttyymmnn
09/01/2016 at 15:36

There you go again, blowing your own horn!

HammerheadFistpunch > ttyymmnn
09/01/2016 at 15:36

congrats man!

Rust and Dust - Oppositelock Forever > ttyymmnn
09/01/2016 at 15:37

Congratulations! This better not cut into your planelopnik time!

Harry James going nuts on a Glenn Miller tune (with Buddy Rich on drums as a bonus!)

CalzoneGolem > ttyymmnn
09/01/2016 at 15:38

Congrats man. I feel so proud we’ve finally made it Oppo!

smobgirl > ttyymmnn
09/01/2016 at 15:40

Yaaaayyyy!!!! I hate auditions. Seriously. I just break down in tears from the stress.

That’s awesome, congrats!!

AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC > ttyymmnn
09/01/2016 at 15:42

Congrats!

osucycler > ttyymmnn
09/01/2016 at 15:45

Nicely done! I always hated auditioning (even when it was a sure thing), maybe that’s why music for me was an escape from class or the real world. Good job with the getting the new gig!

Anthony Miller > ttyymmnn
09/01/2016 at 15:45

Congrats! From one high brass player to another! I know how nerve-wracking those processes can be!

Leadbull > For Sweden
09/01/2016 at 15:48

Every good hipster band has a trumpeter.

luvMeSome142 & some Lincoln! > ttyymmnn
09/01/2016 at 15:51

WooHoo!!!

MonkeePuzzle > ttyymmnn
09/01/2016 at 15:51

awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww yeah!

only 40 years of practice :D

Kinja'd!!!

TheRealBicycleBuck > ttyymmnn
09/01/2016 at 15:54

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Chris Clarke > ttyymmnn
09/01/2016 at 15:56

Nice! I had a talent for trumpet back in the day. Congrats to you.

Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch > ttyymmnn
09/01/2016 at 15:57

Way to go, pro trumpet players are bosses. People don’t know how physically demanding that instrument is, and how badly you can hurt yourself playing it.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > ttyymmnn
09/01/2016 at 15:59

Congrats!

$kaycog > ttyymmnn
09/01/2016 at 16:00

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