Over the weekend we drove back down to the campus of James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia, for the second time this month. The first time was because my son has applied for admission there for next year and had to audition to get into the music department. He auditioned on piano, and he thinks he did fine.
This weekend he had a different kind of audition there, this one on violin. He was auditioning for All-Virginia Orchestra, along with student musicians from all over the state. He was one of five violinists and one bassist from his high school orchestra who were auditioning. It took most of the day (for the violinists, that is; bass players, on the other hand, get in and out pretty quickly because there are so few of them). The kids did not seem to mind. They hung out together, practiced, ate lunch in the college cafeteria, and seemed to be in good spirits the whole time.
We received word this evening that he was not selected for the state orchestra. That’s too bad, but he says he is glad he auditioned. But two of our TC Williams High School orchestra students did make it! They are Leah (in the Duke University shirt in the violinist group shot below) and Noah, the bassist. I am so proud of them!
The Petrini Page 