Senior flute player Brianna Guerra

Q: What does being a state qualifier mean to you?

A: “It determines how hard I work. I’ve been practicing almost every day which is a way to get better at my skills and I wasn’t necessarily focused on getting a higher chair [and] making myself better as a chair.”

Q: How long did you prepare for state?
A: “I [practiced] six months with the same pieces. It’s been a goal [of mine] since freshman year. I practice in the morning, I practice during block lunch [and] I practice after school.”

Q: Do you remember the exact moment you found out you made it? How did you feel?
A: “We had area auditions this Christmas break every week and we had to wait an hour to see our results. I made it last year and I didn’t feel confident [but] I [wanted] to prove something to everybody who made fun of me not making it again.”

Q: Do you have a particular routine you follow in preparation for auditions like this?
A: “I work with my teacher a lot. I work with my band teacher a lot and ask questions or I just play in front of a lot of people.”

Q: Besides band, what else are you involved in? How did you balance your schedule to ensure you had enough practice time?
A: “I’m involved with NHS and I do a lot of volunteer work. I try to volunteer at the animal shelter, and when I’m not volunteering, I do something band-related and practice.”

Q: What advice do you have in terms of dealing with nerves during auditions?
A: “I realize how hard I’ve worked. Finding my motivation and finding why I want to audition and even if you don’t, you still have all the work you put into it. Surround yourself with good people, it will help you out with it.”

Q: How do you stay patient while preparing for auditions?
A: “I calm myself down and I listen to the music over and over again. I tell myself ‘There’s still a lot of things to improve on’ rather than tell myself ‘I already know this, why am I playing it again?’”

Q: What do you hope to gain from this experience?
A: “I hope to gain more skill through music and learn about music in general. I hope to gain more experience and spread knowledge about it.”

Q: Do you feel that this experience is life changing in any way? Why or why not?
A: “[Yes] because I didn’t think as a freshman I would make it and I had to be talented. I opened my eye more toward music and I just developed my love toward [it].”

Q: What advice do you have for people hoping to make state in the future?
A: “Don’t focus on the end result, focus on how you’re doing and how you’re doing it. Get as much help as you can even if you don’t think you need it.”