BassDad

In response to jazzzmomm, my daughter must have been through twenty to thirty all-area, subregional, all-state and regional honors ensemble auditions in total. Double bass players can be in both orchestra and band, and the auditions are often separate for the two, plus ninth graders can audition both at the junior high and senior high level in our state, so it seemed like we were members of the audition-of-the-month club throughout her high school years. In retrospect, it was good preparation for college auditions to go through that process so frequently.

I agree that the judging can sometimes seem less than fair. That may mean that some students who deserve to get in are disappointed but, for those who do manage to get in, the opportunity to work with professional musicians and to play at top venues can still be valuable. A firsthand look at the political nature of some auditions can be frustrating, particularly for parents who expect better of the school system, but that is the reality of life in the music world from there right on up to the top. As the lottery people say, "you have to be in it to win it."