Imagine you're standing in a room. The only other people in the room are a piano player you barely know and a person whose job is specifically to judge you.

You've spent hours preparing for this very moment. In your mind, you know that you are ready. Still, your heart feels differently as it pounds, desperately trying to escape the confines of your chest. As you stand there, the walls seem to close in on you. Even though there are only three people in the room, it no longer feels big enough.

Closing your eyes, you take a deep breath, reminding yourself that you have prepared for this very moment. Opening your eyes you give a slight nod to your accompanist and the judge, indicating you are ready to start. Another deep breath and you jump into the music you've worked so hard on.

As you play the first few notes, your heart rate begins to slow, comforted by the now familiar melodies. After what somehow feels like an eternity and an instant at the same time, you're finished. Shaking as the adrenaline courses through your veins, you look to the judge for any feedback or permission to depart.

Exiting the room, you realize that the most difficult part is still before you... the waiting.

Pacing, you go to check the scores, looking up and down the page for your name. You must have checked it 10 times and still, the space beside your name is blank...

Then you see someone change the paper with your name on it. Nervously you approach. Something is written next to your name...... All your work has come down to this very moment... There it is. Your score is posted. The result of your hard work sits there, on that simple piece of paper, for all to see.

Solo and Ensemble

For the students taking part in tomorrow's Solo and Ensemble, this will be repeated in classrooms throughout the campus of Auburndale High School.

Give a cheer to these amazing students as they set out to show their skills.

If you are one of those students, good luck to you. Take a deep breath. You've got this.