Mistakes, onstage and/or during competition Options

[*suddenly she*]

What inspires me to make this topic is that I had an Orchestra Solo & Ensemble competition this past Saturday. Students who wish to participate pick a solo and/or an ensemble and work on it for a couple months and then perform in front of judges for critiquing. Solos need to be memorized; ensemble music doesn't.

I was involved in one cello solo, one quartet, one cello choir ensemble, and I accompanied a viola quartet on piano... and I destroyed my solo because my mind went blank after four pages and I stumbled like a crazy woman and took the music back for the cadenza. I got the worst rating.

It was pretty irritating because I skipped lunch at school five days a week to practice since I received the piece and I did better when I first sightread it than I did performing.

Anyway... performers! What are some of the worst mistakes you've made onstage or during competition?

[*I Shot JFK*]

Several personal faves:

Corpsed utterly during Tony's death parade in West Side story, fortunately only during a dress rehersal

Tripped on the corner of the rug on stage and spralled across the enire stage during the middle of a scene, again fortunately during a rehersal

Failed to drink enough water before having to yell and scream on stage, so my voice cracked completely.

accidentally smashed the shatterable glass i was supposed to break on cue WAY ahead of time an been left looking foolish and holding a handful of broken 'glass' and trying not to giggle.