May The Best Trombone Win And Other Stories

May the best trombone win

Late June. First day of winter. I had to wake up much earlier than I am used to on Sunday mornings. I got everything I needed for my band rehearsal: folder, snack, sweatshirt, sheets, and my trombone. My friends Elizabeth and Adrian were practicing when I got there. It was a bit after 9A.M., and all 90 members of the band were doing the same.

Nobody knew how the conductors would lead the audition to select the members to go to a contest in the Netherlands – the World Championship of Bands and Fanfares. Two band conductors walked in the room and were talking to each other. The whole band stopped playing and glued their eyes on them. Finally, Roger, the principal conductor, greeted us. Nobody answered.

I said good morning, Roger said a bit louder. This time we answered. Oh! Better, he continued. Okay, before the audition, we are going to practice once or twice all together, then... he paused.

A girl dropped a music stand. The sound of the metal touching the ground made everybody look at her.

Hey! Roger yelled and we looked back at him. I want everybody focused today.

He explained the band would divide into small groups to practice except the trombones. We would go first. Great! He was really starting with the instrument I play, just because I wanted