All-region auditions for students in orchestra are less than a month away.

Students at school have to compete against each other and others in the region to become part of an all-region orchestra. The higher the level of the orchestra, the more mentality, determination and competitiveness you need.

Senior Yashna Gongal has been playing the violin for seven years, though she still feels nervous going in and is optimistic yet pessimistic about making it.

“I practice everyday for it,” Gongal said. “I want to see where I level in the region and I want to try to see if I did that well.”

Other students like junior Aameena Begum, a viola player, have chosen not to go through with the competition this year, as her school and personal life consume a lot of her time. However, she vouches to compete next year.

“I have multiple things going on outside of orchestra, I’m part of different organizations and I’m also one of the head officers for HOSA,” Begum said. “Auditioning for all-region takes a lot of time and dedication and I’ll try out senior year, but my main priority right now is academics.”

There are different characteristics that can drive a student to compete, whether it’d be competitiveness, determination, or just the chance to experience playing in front of the judges. Orchestra competitions, like all-region, give students a chance to showcase their skills and improve upon them.

Students like sophomore Finnegan Powers, bassist player, and junior Caleb Solis, violinist and cellist, both entered the competition for the experience, the chance to prove themselves and because it’s something they enjoy.

“I want to [compete] because it’s a challenge,” Powers said. “It allows me to see how good I am compared to other people and I like a challenge. I don’t know how well I’ll do but I know I’ll make it.”

“It’s a good way to compare yourself with other people in the region and see how you’re doing. If you do make it to region, it’s a really nice feeling,” Solis said. “With the competition, you’ll want to work harder to make it. But in the audition room, you could have your best performance or your worst performance.”