For A Purpose

VCASS Audition in 3 Days!!!

I have 3 more days to go. I think I’ve never written about this before. Now in excitement and anticipation, I must tell you about this audition!

In June, my mum went to check out the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School (VCASS) in Melbourne city. It is a scholarship school that specializes in the arts – music and dance. The school has only around 250 students and anyone who enters has to first make it through the audition, which is really competitive because the school only allows for 50 new students each year. Therefore they pick only those who show the most commitment and potential in music or dance.

When my mum first suggested the prospect of going to such a school, it seemed rather far-fetched. I wasn’t exactly keen. But then I began to realize that my current school is not as focused in music as I wished it to be. Blackburn High is a public school, and just about anyone can enter it. Only 50% of the students are music students. And out of that 50%, less than 20% are serious about excelling in music. So I decided I must give this VCASS thing a go.

My mum signed me up for the audition, which is now scheduled on the 11th of September. I will present some technical work and two contrasting pieces – Chopin’s Impromptu No. 1 and Beethoven’s Appassionata 3rd movement. They will then interview me and test me on my aural skills. I also had to take a musicianship test last week.

For the past few months, I’ve been putting enormous effort in practicing and understanding the two pieces I’ve chosen for the audition. I am praying that God will open the door of opportunity for me to attend this school and go even further with music. It will benefit me and my parents greatly cause’ we wouldn’t have to pay for my studies under music professionals who also lecture tertiary-level students at the Victorian College of the Arts Faculty (which is in partnership with the University of Melbourne).

My schoolmates ask me, “Why do you wanna’ go to VCASS? You’ll have to work so hard. Isn’t the music program in Blackburn good enough?” Well, my reply is simply this: Blackburn High is good, but I think that I’m still wasting a lot of time doing unnecessary things at school when I can be practicing and focusing more on music – which is really what I want to do in the end.

I’m praying and hoping really hard that I will show enough potential at the audition to qualify. I honestly can’t imagine continuing another 2 years in Blackburn High. I’m reaching the highest that I can reach at this point in my life. There are many other factors concerned if I do go to VCASS. I will have to be much more independent cause’ I’ll be travelling to the city everyday on my own! But I try not to worry – I’m trusting God knows best. He sees the big picture and He’ll open the right doors for me. I just need to do what I can with what He’s blessed me with and strive for the best.

I hope to write about some fantastic news soon – God willing, IF I get the letter saying “It’s a YES, you made it into VCASS!”