When preparing for the important auditions, Christopher M. Circelli, a Pottsville Area High School senior, said it's important to remember to do one thing, especially if you're a tuba player.
"Breathe."
As a tubist for eight years, it's something he's had to master. And his ability to play the large brass instrument has recently earned him something serious musicians crave.
A bit of prestige.
The Connecticut Music Educators Association has selected Circelli, 18, of Pottsville, to perform at the 2013 National Association for Music Education Biennial Eastern Division Conference. Another student from Schuylkill County who was selected was Shane Mulligan, a senior percussionist from Tamaqua Area, according to Craig Shoener, band director at Pottsville Area, and Mark Beltz, band director at Tamaqua Area.
The list of all students accepted is available online at pmea.net/alleastrankings.pdf.
The Eastern Division Conference is held every two years. The 2013 conference will take place from April 4 to 7 at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford, Conn., according to nafme-eastern.org.
Circelli will perform in the orchestra and Mulligan will perform in the band, according to Shoener.
"The event covers 13 states, so it's very, very prestigious. It doesn't come along that often that we have a student selected to perform in it. Over the years, I believe maybe only five students from Pottsville Area have been selected to perform at that event," Shoener said.
They are Larry Koch, the owner of the Braun School of Music, 1957; John Tucci, 1957; Ron Stabinsky, 1991; Laura Seward Liddle, 1997; and Circelli, according to Shoener.
Tamaqua Area only had two students accepted into the event. In 2007, Paul Orsulak, a senior percussionist, was chosen, Beltz said.
Student musicians must be selected to perform in a few annual concerts before having the opportunity to audition for the Eastern Division, Shoener said.
There are three Pennsylvania Music Educators Association events student musicians must participate in first: District Band, which includes students from seven counties; Region State Band, which involves students from 14 counties; and All-State Band, which involves students from all counties across the state, Shoener said.
Then, the National Association for Music Education chooses student musicians from 13 states to take part in Eastern Division band, Shoener said.
Richard Fries, the Pottsville Area band director who retired at the end of the 2011-12 school year, recommended Circelli for the Eastern conference. And Circelli auditioned for it while participating in State Band this past April.
"It means a lot to me. For me personally, it confirms that for the past eight years I've been doing the right thing and I've been on the right track and this is what I want to do with my life," Circelli said.
"He's very hard working and dedicated to what he's doing. He's a perfectionist. If he finds something he needs to improve on, he corrects it and makes sure that it is what it needs to be to be performance-ready," Shoener said.
He's planning to go to college to study music, hoping to play tuba professionally as a career. However, he admits, the road to mastering an instrument is difficult.
"I've been playing eight years. As a tuba player, you have to breathe a lot more than other people. That's probably the main thing. As simple as it sounds, it's one of the absolute hardest things to master when it comes to the tuba. And I haven't even come close to any form of mastery," Circelli said.
Circelli is the son of Christopher and Elizabeth Circelli, Pottsville, and he has a sister, Julie, 14.
One of his upcoming local performances will be with the Pottsville Area High School Band at the band's Christmas Concert, scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Dec. 20 at the high school auditorium. Admission is $2, Shoener said.