Amy Meng, Arts & Tech Editor
@amengcourant
On January 12th and 13th, 23 music students participated in the Western Regionals festival. Freshman Nila Thirumalai scored a perfect 270 out of 270, representing the school as the principal flute player in the orchestra. She started playing the flute in fifth grade and is currently part of the band program. I met with Nila to talk about the festival and her experiences as a flute player. The end of the interview also features a duet with fellow flutist and friend freshman Kirsten Borner.
Amy: Why did you decide to audition for Western Regionals?
Nila: It seemed like a great opportunity to further my musical education.
Amy: How did you prepare for the audition?
Nila: I practiced five days a week and my normal practice sessions range from 45 minutes to 2 hours long. I practice scales, arpeggios, dotted rhythms, and my pieces.
Amy: Can you describe how the audition went for you?
Nila: The judges use a specific sheet and grade based out of a certain score for each of the individual categories. You have two pieces as well as a sight reading section that you are scored on.
Amy: How was the festival?
Nila: It was really interesting and a good opportunity to meet my fellow musicians. Our orchestra conductor was Yale conductor, and it was really nice to meet him.
Amy: Will you audition for Western Regionals in the future? Why?
Nila: Yes. First of all, it looks really good for colleges. It was also just a great experience so I hope to do it again.
Enjoy the following performance:
