I have a NYSSMA competition tomorrow...?

Question:Hey! For all of you those who have gone to a competition of some sort, you know that first impressions are everything. I have a NYSSMA competition tomorrow, and I don't know what I'm going to wear. I have to wear all black, and I just CAN'T wear a dress cause I will rip it somehow. LOL! Anyways, please help me!

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Hey! For all of you those who have gone to a competition of some sort, you know that first impressions are everything. I have a NYSSMA competition tomorrow, and I don't know what I'm going to wear. I have to wear all black, and I just CAN'T wear a dress cause I will rip it somehow. LOL! Anyways, please help me!

OK - I am a NYSSMA judge. To the poster who says they are not great and do not know what they are doing - HAH! I am a certified teacher with 3 degrees and 37 years of teaching AND professional performing experience. I had to take additional courses to *become* a NYSSMA judge, and must take refreshers to *stay* a NYSSMA judge. Sound like sour grapes from that poster - must not have had a good experience at NYSSMA ( and whose fault was THAT??)

As far as YOU - wear something comfortable! You must feel unencumbered to play well - forget rules and fashion. It must be your own teacher who insists on black - yikes! Pants are fine. Any nice school clothes are fine- you do NOT have to dress fancy, but do not dress like you do not care, either. The main thing is that you focus on doing a good job on your solo, sightreading, and SCALES. The scales should be perfect - they are the freebies - you KNOW that they are graded either RIGHT or NOT, with only a few possibilities for *almost*. Relax, have fun, play well - I am not assigned to judge tomorrow (I am in Zone 9, and do zones along the Hudson) so I will not be your judge - but I will be thinking of you. I have about 25 of my OWN students also playing in May - they are working hard right now, just like you did - and for many, it is THEIR first time, too.

ok i have been doing NYSSMA every year since 3rd grade, im in 8th now. and it REALLY dosn't matter what you wear. Or what you play. The judges arn't great and my impression is that most of the time, they don't know what they are doing. LOL
youll do fine