Last PMEA

Well, it's always nice to go out on a good one.

Wednesday was auditions, and I knew I was no guarantee.  I went in, and I wasn't exploding with nerves.  I was towards the end, so I got to hear a lot of people, and everyone seemed to know their music, which I feel was one of my advantages last year.  I was a little sick, and had a stuffy nose.  Throughout my auditions, I felt my tone was good, and I was on the notes, but I did feel like my breathing was off, that I was taking too many breaths.

Finding out that I didn't make states was a disappointment, even if it didn't come as a surprise.  I haven't been training my voice especially since last year, the placement of the festival was at a better time for more other people to have learned their music, and there's the cold on top of that.  I will say I was hoping for a little better than 13th chair, but it doesn't really matter anyway.  We can all hope that JD will do well.

But once that was over, the festival was a lot of fun!  Great conductor, and some good music, though I feel we spent way too much time on "I am the Rose of Sharon".  We put on a great concert, and got a very good reception.

The non-competetive nature of PMEA became more evident to me than ever over these past few days.  For the people who got in, it wasn't just about excitement of them getting in, they also seemed genuinely disappointed when they found out that someone else wasn't going to states.  The purpose of the arts is to create something special, not to compete and determine who is the best.  The only purpose of auditions at these festivals is to keep the number of people involved manageable.  And that's all PMEA really is.  A place to perform concerts, and we audition because we all want to do it again.

I need to spend the rest of the year trying to convince more QV people to do PMEA, otherwise no one will, and it will slowly die out.  Hopefully I can succeed.

-NM