Audition Day to DCFA Music Certificate

Date for Entry: (Friday 14th August, 2015)

Actual Date of Online Entry: (Monday 5th July, 2021)

Dear Diary,

    Today was the big day to getting into UWI but it was a task in getting in. For me, it was like a competition because I wanted to get really "high marks" on the judge’s paper. After all, it would be like a fight to get in if many other people are going to be playing the pan as well. Well at first, I practised a while with Mr. Sharma and then by myself because I was early before most other persons would come into the campus.

    After some time, I practised until Mr. Sharma took me over to the Audition Room. The first was the duet and then I played the solo piece, which was Blizzy. At first, there was this strange start off for the Duet and then I played on like sir had told me to. In the middle part, I played three bars incorrectly but didn’t stop to correct them. I guess he was glad that I didn’t stop. 

    Next was the sight-reading passage was written with three sharps. I was not sure what was the key to it. So, in the second half, I made one mistake while not stopping so I just finished it in C Major. It cost me some good "marks". It seemed like someone had put it together. The playing of it had felt like a regular unseen exercise as it was instead of a piece. My idea of the sight-reading aspect was to be given a piece and one of the persons would have asked me to play from a certain measure until I was asked to stop. 

    The best part was the questions and answers. Out of the two judges, there was a man and a lady. The lady was my examiner for my Grade 2 examination in solo steelpan. She remembered me very well just as I did but the gentleman had asked one question alone that I was kind of prepared for about three years ago. He asked me, “So why do you think this course can help you based on your background in music?” Then I gave my answer. There were some other words he was saying that I even didn’t hear or remember. I'm not sure if it was suggestions for the playing or something else.

    After this last question, the Audition was over for me and then I met Mr. Sharma outside. He told me something about the mistake I made and the weird sound at the beginning of our duet but I didn’t understand. I gave him the book he lent me and then I went by Mama in Curepe. They were both surprised and happy to see me. They were only then seeing me after hearing the CXC results and then they questioned me on the audition. 

Link(s):

1. DCFA Letter for Audition (Certificate Course).

Daryl Zion M. Ali