I decided months ago that I was going to put my best work into practicing for my final orchestral seat assignment. With seats based on the quality of a single audition, I knew that I’d have to put in the hours to get to the front row. I got the music the first week of school and immediately wrote in the notes of the tenor clef: contrasting my native bass clef in its high register, I didn’t want to mess it up. I worked out fingerings and string-crossing and rhythms, but never picked up my cello at home. I only ever worked out the music in class, and I wasn’t the only one. There was a day or two devoted to the orchestra working individually in order to prepare. I’d pick up my cello, tune it up, and get to work. I pulled my bow across the strings,
