Posted by MG on September 05, 2000 at 21:13:39:
In Reply to: When was the last time.... posted by Leland on September 04, 2000 at 23:34:38:
I'm now starting college, but when I was in ninth grade, I was selected to
the Minneapolis Public Schools All-City band (I played euph at the time; I'm now a tubist). The band was made up almost entirely from the two upper-class (rich snob) schools
in the city, but I was representing one from the inner city. After some disappointing rehearsals, the director decided to fall back on a piece that one of these other schools
was already playing (Holst's Second Suite for Military Band, the one with the big euph solo in the first movement). I aced it in the concert (and showed everyone where the real musical talent was at in Minneapolis!). I was so pumped, I was yelling out obscenity-filled expressions of joy as I walked home (I've always been a little over competitive in music, and this "victory" over the rich kids was really gratifying).
Also, as a composer, when I won a contest sponsored by a local contemporary music ensemble, I considered their performance of my piece to be on a level with a so-called
"performance of a lifetime". Even though I wasn't actually playing, I felt the same way as you described.