Challenge Mania

You know that scene in Drumline where the big Bass drum challenges the other and they go at it in front of the whole band and ther is only one winner and after they are done everyone holds their breathes to see who will win? Well that is what the challenges at Kennedy are like only I would say about ten times worse. (Exaggeration :P) Anyway yes it is that time of year again concert band auditions. Now let me tell you the auditions are scary alone, you have to go in play all twelves scales, play a prepared etude and a sightreading piece. The thing is once you see your name on the list and where you rank you cant be relieved just yet because you have to worry about the person behind you. Are they going to challenge me or not? What will happen, pretty much the whole week after auditions you are just waiting in anticipation to see if the person sitting behind you will challenge you. You are smiling at them twice as much, making sure to be extra nice to them. Its especially stressful for me because I am the last chair in the top band (there are three bands concert band, symphonic band, and wind symphony, Im in Wind this year) so that means that the first chair symphonic girl could challenge me and I would be knocked down a whole band. This week is also a challenge frenzy week. The directors printed off a whole pack of challenge forms and they were gone after first hour the first day. People arent happy with their chairs so they just go crazy there are people who try to challenge up through a line of people just one after the other after the other. While I find this whole process very stressful it still annoys me the attitudes some poeple have about challenging. I am jsut sick and tired of hearing people bash on other people that challenge them. Its the name of the game people. You know that. Its not that they hate you and have been secretly plotting against you for your entire life and this is their one chance to ruin you! Its because they want to get better and improve their skills as well, they want to try and be the best they can be. You cant blame them for that right? Its funny to see challenges ruin friendships, some people say they would feel betrayed if their friend challenged them but in all honesty if my friend were ahead of me I wouldnt be declined from challenging them. Does that make them any less of a friend? No of course not its just the name of the game. What I have to tell all you whiners, and naysayers, and challenger bashers out there is suck it up and get on with it. Stop complaining and just do your best. Dont hate the player, hate the game :P

~Mildred