Welcome to Gaia! ::

Ouch. I've been there, when I auditioned for a magnet school and got in, but was behind most people because they had been playing for almost a decade longer than me.

All you can do is practice three times as hard as the other people. Practice harder, longer, and have more fun with it. And play loudly. Try to blend, but don't play soft hoping to cover your mistakes; that just makes you scared, and more likely to make a mistake. And it's not as fun.

I don't know how good the advice is, but it's all I can think of. And be proud of yourself for making it to the fifth chair! In my situation I was too busy feeling inferior to those above me to remember that there were people under me.

Remember to practice wisely. When practicing, it's more important to have good quality practicing rather than a large quantity. In other words, practice the hard parts (don't just play through your mistakes), and do it with a plan. If there are 16th note runs that are really hard, take them slowly, a measure at a time, and practice them with different rhythms. If there's a really difficult rhythmic section, slow it down, and use the metronome!

Basically, simplify what you have to do by isolating difficult passages until you can play them with confidence. 3nodding

Also, don't be afraid to change fingerings if the one you're using doesn't seem to be working for you.

Good luck. wink

Practice. Ask your teacher if you can come in after school so she/he help you with it.