Auditions and Competitions....Success and the Path

It's nearly time for a new school year to begin which means it's time for the inevitable placement auditions. Just a thought for students and teachers alike: 1. Success is a fraction of failure. Musicians tend to put a lot of  pressure on single audition (which will almost invariably cause more stress)which   can have a negative effect on the final outcome. If a baseball player has a 300 batting average, this means he is failing 7 out of 10 times...and a 300 average is GOOD in baseball...very good in fact.  We need to remember that each "less than optimal" outcome is leading us thru the road to success.  Nobody remembers all the auditions they took and lost...it only takes winning ONE great audition to secure the professional job (or goal of first chair, etc). Stay process oriented...(enjoy the journey) rather than becoming outcome oriented (a total fixation on the desired goal). If you enjoy the journey, you are sure to arrive at the destination in style.