End of Semester Solo

During my first semester in college, I majored in Bassoon Performance, a passion that began in sixth grade with my middle school concert band. For my Bassoon Studio course, I was required to prepare a solo piece and perform it before a panel of judges to determine my grade. The challenge of becoming comfortable with my teacher, selecting a piece, and mastering it, along with all necessary scales, within just 16 weeks was daunting. I chose Mozart’s Bassoon Concerto and dedicated myself to rigorous preparation.

The intense stress motivated me to practice tirelessly, to the point of memorizing the entire piece. I meticulously worked on challenging sections to ensure technical proficiency, aiming for any deductions to come from stylistic rather than technical errors. By the end of the semester, I faced my performance with confidence rather than nervousness. This experience taught me the value of motivation and discipline, culminating in an A for the course with only minor stylistic critiques.