I am a sophmore and I play trumpet. I am a decent player in symphonic band first chair for 2 yr and a half so i am deciding to audition for honors band. It is only next week to audition for it. I’ve been working hard to be in honors but there is a problem. I have braces and my braces will come off the month after the auditions and the month before honors band. I don’t know if I should audition with braces though it will come off or wait until next year. I just don’t know how I will sound without my braces playing my trumpet. What should I do?
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2 Answers
What you do is not worry too much about hypothetical future problems. You're currently a 'decent player'. Good. Play the audition, with the braces, get the place in honors band. Don't even mention the braces in the audition. What are you trying to do, give them reasons NOT to choose you? IF removing the braces messes up your playing, deal with it then.
But it won't. I play trombone. I had a brace. It came off, I continued playing and barely noticed the difference. So will you.
Trumpet players need confidence!
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Thank you so much for your help Laurence! I’m going to let my my band director know I want to audition. Nov 12, 2017 at 1:04
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It's the second year of a four year 'high school' in the US. Or the first year of a three year "senior high" (these used to be more common). You might see Middle School (6-8th grades) and High Schools (9-12th grades) in most school districts today. The term is also used in four year college programs. The total progression being Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Senior. Feb 11, 2018 at 17:37
A few things to consider. Everyone handles braces (and removal of braces) differently. There also a lot of different types of braces being used now which can effect how much they interfere with your playing with them on, and in some cases after they are removed as well.
It's been many years since I had my braces removed, but I still remember the difficulties of playing trumpet with them and afterward. The type I had back then had much more pronounced wires and thickness than designs used today, but in general I think the problem is quite similar. That said, I think the strangest feeling of all was immediately after getting them off. Something changes suddenly like that, you will feel strange the first week or so when you try and put the mouthpiece on the embouchure and find it's not where you thought it was anymore.
You seem conscientious and devoted to it though, so my advice would be to not worry (or even entertain) the idea of failing. Audition for the group (assuming you haven't already) then practice (carefully at first, while you are readjusting to not having them on) and I'm sure you will do fine.
