Welcome to Gaia! ::

I need some advice guys.

So like last year, i plan on auditioning for drum majro this year.

Auditions are on May 23(the last week of school) with interviews the next day for everyone who gets past the conducting and playing portion.

However, unlike the past two years, where the audition process started with workshops nearly a month before, workshops will only be held for a week, and its the week before. Meaning; we won't have to time to really practice anythign we learn at them.

So I'm wonderign what to practice conducting wise. Our audition consists of several different portions; outdoor(marching, teachign, commands), playing, conducting, and an interview the next day. Playing, I'm good with. We have to play one of this years regional etudes, and my only issues with that is deciding which to play and what clarient to use. The commands, I'm good. I've been practicing those and was section leader this year, so I had hands-on practice with those. Teaching, as long as I'm not asked backwards march, I'll be fine. Marching, I might want to do some home refreshing, but otherwise I'm fine. Interview, well, thats a bit different but I think I can manage. I've been talking to other drum majors and already know some responses to certain questions and how to answer them.

Now, conducting. First off, when I auditioned last year, I was cut after this portion. My conducting definately has somethign to be desired. However, I've been working at it all year. While I walk home, I put on last years audition piece and cunduct while i walk(get some funny looks with that one). In my opinion, my conducting has gotten 100 times better.
A large problem I'm having though, is a lack of knowledge of style. Last year, we did a new, relaxed style that was lower and hands parallel to the ground. While its more comfortable, I noticed it isn't as proud or noticeable as other styles. Also, during the season, I noticed our dms stopped using it. Well, one didn't, but the other eventually slid into the old style, which was the more common arms high and palms out.
Its not only the mid-season change that is confusing me. We are getting a new director. We have yet to meet him/her, because I think they are still waiting for a reply of 'yes, I'll take the job.' (the bd interviews were last wednesday) So I don't know what style the new director will want. For all I know, they will use a different style completely.
I'm not worried about cues. According to my director laast year(before the witch) the cues are basically the same for many styles. Besides that, i can do them easily with both styles my school ahs used. Its just cues on beat 3 that I have trouble with. I also end up looking like I'm shooting ymself in the head haha. But I've been working on that via last eyars audition song. It has a cue on 3. Cue on 4 is kind of hard too, but its getting there. And my crescendos have some to be desired(I always try to prep by my head, not my waist-__-), but my old bd complimented on my decrescendos.

I'm getting nervous about it. I'm only going to have a week to prepare and I don't know f that will be enough time for me to get ready. I don't think m director will even know what style we will be using until we get the new director. I don't think even she knows who it is going to be(she kinda got fired from the bd position herself due to lack of student support. meanign we all hated her and complained too much to the principle)
What should I practice? Patterns, styles? How can I better my cues?

Hey everyone! I'm the junior field commander for our high school marching band! I know how to conduct 2/4,3/4 and 4/4 and...that's about it. I'm a little concerned that I'm behind others at my level because our drum majors don't really help us out and tell us we'll learn the rest at FJM. .-.


I play tenor and bari sax in jazz band, and I used to march bari sax, but now I'm field commander. I'm really nervous.