On Sunday February 26, 2017 at 16:33 I competed at the Central Ohio Singing Competition in the Senior Classical division (ages 14-19).

I arrived 30 minutes before my scheduled time so I could run my song with my accompanist. The song my teacher and I worked on was the Quia Respexit Humilitatem from Johann Sebastian Bach’s Magnificat. It is a difficult song that should be sung by a soprano.

And to continue wih this story, I am a soprano 1 which is the highest female vocal part.

When I arrived in the church that the competition was held in, I was incredibly nervous. I’ve sung in this church before so that was the only thing I was not nervous about. There were only 15 people competeing in my division which was a surprise but when I got a glimpse at some people’s sheet music it was pure shock. The people who were competeing in the times around me (16:00-17:00) were all soprano 1’s as well.

Now, the Quia Respexit Humilitatem is not a really high song. The highest note is an F# if you’re in the key of D Major (which I was), and that is a note that you should be able to sing to be a soprano. But these people were singing true soprano 1 music.

My mind would not calm down. “How am I supposed to impress the judges if my song doesn’t show my full potential? What should I do to make my performance different?” I had been practicing my song expecting it to be varied voice parts but it wasn’t.

When I walked into the room to go sing my song, I couldn’t see because I was told to take off my glasses. I couldn’t see the judges and that made me much less nervous.

I sang my song, it was probably one of my best runs and I left the room.

I did not win the competition or even get an honorable mention which was a huge shock. And what bothers me is that the people who won my division in the competition had 1) already won last year and even the year before and 2) were the singers who were in the time slots before me. What a coincidence.

I’m not talking bad about them, don’t get me wrongh. They were amazing singers. It just bugged me and made me think “maybe I just wasn’t meant to win this year” and “maybe I’ll have a chance next year.”

Anyways, the competition was incredibly tough but it was my first vocal competition. I look forward to going again next year.