"Wake up!" I shudder and abruptly wake in a chorus of snorts. I look around and my fellow orchestra members are seated in the rows to my left, tuning their instruments and chatting away. I arrived late to the hall, so ended up sat a couple of seats away from everybody else, sandwiched between 2 bitchy orchestra aficionado's, one of whom woke me. They seem to know one another and I assume from their banter and exchange that they're a couple. A couple who probably shouldn't be sitting in on this particular session, but snuck in for their love of an orchestra. Oddly enough, despite ripping into the orchestra who had just played their piece (who I thought were great) they have great things to say about my orchestra and oddly enough, me!
I'm still in a bit of a daze having been abruptly woken up, but one of guys turns to me. "I hope you've been practising young man!" I look puzzled and then one of the guys holds the score in his hand and smacks it. "Practice boy, practice!!" I nod in agreement and scramble through the score. I'm not sure what the name of the piece is, but I begin playing. Turns out I play the flute. And for some reason my flute looks like 2 wooden spoons bolted together (don't ask!) I begin playing, and I'm a little off. My breathing is bad which is affecting my ability to hold my notes, but I recognize the song: it's the battle theme from Final Fantasy XIII. At the realization, I'm immediately awake. I need to get my act together. I can't humiliate the orchestra. As I flick through the score I realize I don't know the piece by notation, but I know it by ear; so I begin playing the first part. I've got some time to get it spot on before the concert mistress and conductor arrives, but within seconds of this thought running through my mind...they arrive. It's time to go down to the stage and for our orchestra to play our piece to a bunch of judges who will determine if we represent our school in a recital.
I'm nervous, but the 2 guys assure me I'll be fine. They pat me on the back, and as I walk down to the stage, I look back and they smile and give me thumbs up, which gives me a sense of re-assurance that I'll be okay. I take my seat and try to quickly flick through the score. I look up once again to the 2 guys and they nod to me. Moments after, it begins. The string section starts playing the intro and then it's time for me. I begin to play and I sound perfect! Every note is on time, my breathing is spot, but everything begins to go hazy. My sounds are fine, but I'm hearing a melody in my head which I feel at any moment is going to throw me off. It's getting louder and louder. My phone's ringing. I wake up.
I'm still in a bit of a daze having been abruptly woken up, but one of guys turns to me. "I hope you've been practising young man!" I look puzzled and then one of the guys holds the score in his hand and smacks it. "Practice boy, practice!!" I nod in agreement and scramble through the score. I'm not sure what the name of the piece is, but I begin playing. Turns out I play the flute. And for some reason my flute looks like 2 wooden spoons bolted together (don't ask!) I begin playing, and I'm a little off. My breathing is bad which is affecting my ability to hold my notes, but I recognize the song: it's the battle theme from Final Fantasy XIII. At the realization, I'm immediately awake. I need to get my act together. I can't humiliate the orchestra. As I flick through the score I realize I don't know the piece by notation, but I know it by ear; so I begin playing the first part. I've got some time to get it spot on before the concert mistress and conductor arrives, but within seconds of this thought running through my mind...they arrive. It's time to go down to the stage and for our orchestra to play our piece to a bunch of judges who will determine if we represent our school in a recital.
I'm nervous, but the 2 guys assure me I'll be fine. They pat me on the back, and as I walk down to the stage, I look back and they smile and give me thumbs up, which gives me a sense of re-assurance that I'll be okay. I take my seat and try to quickly flick through the score. I look up once again to the 2 guys and they nod to me. Moments after, it begins. The string section starts playing the intro and then it's time for me. I begin to play and I sound perfect! Every note is on time, my breathing is spot, but everything begins to go hazy. My sounds are fine, but I'm hearing a melody in my head which I feel at any moment is going to throw me off. It's getting louder and louder. My phone's ringing. I wake up.