Andrew McCandless, Trumpet

My closest friend is Gordon Wolfe. Gord is also the guy I sit next to every day at work. He’s the Principal Trombone of the Toronto Symphony. It would be enough for me if Gord were just a great guy and great friend, but he is far more than that. If it’s true that we learn from the people around us then I am an incredibly lucky guy to have Gord as a friend and colleague. Every day at work I hear him play the trombone in the orchestra, warm up before rehearsals and concerts and talk to him about brass playing on the way home on the subway. It’s often like having a really great lesson, but for free! In fact if he knew how often I listen to him warm up to hear what he’s doing and how he’s doing it he might take out a restraining order on me. (In case you read this Gord, don’t do it, I’m mostly harmless.)

Gord has had tremendous success auditioning for some of the biggest trombone jobs in North America and it’s always interesting to hear how he prepares for them and what he thinks about when he’s performing an audition. One of the most interesting ideas I’ve ever heard from him is the idea of, this is my favourite excerpt. He told me once that no matter what they put in front of him at an audition, the first thing he says to himself is, “oh great, this is my favourite excerpt!” Now that may not seem like it would work, but I think he’s onto something here. How many of us have ever been at an audition, concert, or any kind of performing situation and thought, “oh crap, not this one!” Hands up please! Mine is up for sure! Gord has told me that the worst feeling he can have going into an audition is the fear that they might ask a particular excerpt. Who has had that experience? Hands up again please? Preparing yourself to believe that you love each excerpt and that you are ready, willing and able to play the crap out of it is a big key to successful performing. The power of positive thinking can be an incredible tool. However I don’t think it always comes naturally, or easily. Like anything else we have to practice it and put the work in on our instrument to make positive thinking possible.

I was accused once by a conductor at Eastman of looking incredibly arrogant in the orchestra. He told me that every time he looked back at me he thought I was thinking, “Prepare to be amazed by my incredible playing!” I can assure you that’s not what I was thinking, but now looking back I wonder why not. If you’ve done the work and you are prepared, why shouldn’t you play great?

So this is my new thing. The power of positive thinking! I think I’ll start now. This is my favourite blog ever. Go on, you give it a try too.

Best,
Andrew