Unforgettable Melody - S01 E41

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Unforgettable Melody - S01 E41

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 41

Maestro Robert Spano was next, extending his hand in welcome. The balding man in his mid-fifties was typically quite introverted, but always got very excited when it came to auditions. He relished the opportunity to evaluate talent, and was constantly imagining which pieces in the orchestral repertoire would sound perfect with a certain player’s sound. He shook Mike’s hand firmly, and turned to introduce him to the third panelist.

Philip Smith greeted Mike with his trademark warm personality. His soft-spoken demeanor belied the immense talent and musicianship that lay beneath; Mike knew he was in the presence of a living legend.

Focus, Braxton. He’s just a man, after all.

Though he was now in his mid-sixties, Philip never passed up an opportunity to further his skills and better himself. A year previous, he surprisingly resigned his job as principal trumpet of the New York Philharmonic, easily the best orchestra in the nation, to become a college professor at the University of Georgia. His reasons were simple: To spend more time with his family, assist the next generation of musicians on a more personal level, and to reconnect with God. In a move that reporters had hailed as cowardly and meaningless, Mike had gained more respect for the man than in any musical performance he could ever give.

“Mike, welcome,” Philip said. “For this audition, we will begin with the concerto you have prepared before moving into the orchestral excerpts. Following that, we will do a short interview with you to close out. Are we ready?”

“Completely,” Mike said, adding just the right amount of confidence to his voice.

Picking up his E-flat trumpet, Mike began his solo concerto, Johann Hummel’s Trumpet Concerto in E-flat, Movement III. The quick, lively finale had always been a favorite of Mike’s, the notes dancing over a comfortable range on the horn. Reaching the final strain, which featured a long, extended trill, Mike shaped the note beautifully, causing Robert to lean over and whisper to Jessica in approval, to which she smiled widely.

Raising his eyebrows as Mike finished, Philip simply said, “You sound like you could be shaken out of a sound sleep and still play that thing beautifully.”

“You’re not far wrong,” Mike replied casually.

“I’m the same way. Anyway, let’s move on to the excerpts. Of the five you have prepared, we will allow you to pick the first and last ones you play; the order of the other three will be chosen by us. What shall we start with?” Philip asked.

Wanting to play his piccolo trumpet before it got cold, Mike began with Handel’s The Trumpet Shall Sound. He couldn’t help but marvel in irony and nostalgia, as this was the piece that had begun his journey with Melody a week ago. Pushing those thoughts from his mind, he focused completely on his style and expression as he began to play. Though the notes were not difficult, they required great precision and the right tone quality to blend properly when played with a full orchestra, which is exactly why the panel wanted to hear this piece.

After he had finished, Mike switched over to his standard C trumpet, and Jessica called out the next excerpt: the Petrushka Ballerina solo. Regaining the ironclad focus he discovered from his preparation yesterday, he danced through the music as gracefully as the ballerina it depicted. All the while, he made sure to keep his tempo rock solid, as this was the most common mistake trumpet players made in this piece: speeding up or slowing down without realizing it.

Robert chose Mike’s next challenge: Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition. The opening solo to the piece began with nothing but the trumpet, testing not only the nerves of the player, but also their consistency, as his tempo set the pace for the entire orchestra two measures later. Playing with a pompous elegance, Mike’s performance was effortless, jumping from low to high notes as if they were nothing.

After a moment of silence for his sound to finish reverberating through the hall, Philip named the penultimate excerpt: the opening to Mahler’s Symphony No. 5. Considered by professionals to be the most important solo in all of trumpet music, this piece combined elements from every excerpt Mike had played thus far: the necessary style and blending of Handel, the varying volume and ranges of Stravinsky, and the nerves of a complete solo trumpet from Mussorgsky. Beginning the funeral dirge at barely a whisper, he masterfully built the music up to the startling climax, fully engulfed in the orchestra playing in his mind as he did so. Finally closing the solo with a return to the trumpet’s lower range, his sound elegantly faded into nothingness.

At last, they had arrived at the final excerpt, and Mike’s ace in the hole: the second movement solo from Respighi’s Pines of Rome. Mike stepped away from the music stand before beginning; he had no need for it. Closing his eyes, he lost himself completely in the soothing, lyrical solo, clearly picturing Melody in his mind as he played. Her deep red hair, emerald eyes, and intoxicating laugh were all the inspiration he needed to paint a true masterpiece for the panel. As he finished the haunting melody, the panel sat in wonderment for several seconds, fully appreciating everything they had just heard. They said nothing, but it was clear from Philip’s eyes and Jessica’s smile that he had delivered a rare performance for them that day.

Moving into the interview portion, Jessica started by presenting Mike with a scenario in which egos in the section were creating drama and disagreement, asking how he would handle his colleagues in this situation. He replied that he would sit down with the section in a roundtable discussion, emphasizing that they are professionals, each hired to play specific roles in the orchestra. Being sure to never cut anyone down publicly, he would remind everyone that, without the role that each trumpet part plays, the orchestra’s quality deteriorates, perhaps resulting in lower pay or less work for everyone.

Robert then asked Mike to tell him the name of the janitor that came in to clean the equipment storage room every Tuesday. Smiling to himself, as he had chatted with the portly man on several occasions about sports and family life, Mike identified him correctly as Jamal Anderson. Clearly impressed, Robert commended Mike for being familiar with all the staff members that help the symphony run effectively, regardless of their position or background.

Thinking for a few moments, Philip then said that he did not have any interview questions for Mike. Rather, he asked if there were any specific techniques he used that helped him prepare for this audition. Mike gave a quick overview of his typical daily routine. Sensing that Philip wanted more, he then began to describe the fire drill that his friends had set up for him two days previous, leaving out the part about them mooning and flashing him of course. His smile a mile wide, Philip told Mike that he had some incredibly dedicated and loyal friends, and that he must never take that for granted, no matter how successful he becomes.

The trio again rose to shake Mike’s hand, and Robert dismissed him so that they could converse and come to a decision on which of the candidates best fit the needs of the orchestra. Thanking them graciously as he left, Mike returned to the green room to pack up his equipment. Reappearing with quiet footsteps, so as not to startle him, Melody applauded his performance.

“You are something else,” she marveled.

Drawing her close with a big smile, he kissed her, stating, “The die is cast. It’s in their hands now.”

“Wanna know what they’re thinking?”

“Nah… they’ll tell me when they’re ready,” he replied. “Ok, so I’m gonna head outside and chat with Darcy for a bit. We’ll have you walk up during the conversation as if you’re here to pick me up. That’ll be a good way to make the introductions.”

“Sounds good to me.” Another quick kiss, and Melody had vanished once again.

As he walked out of symphony hall, Mike couldn’t help but have the same thoughts he had felt one week ago.