TeenHelp - So close, but so far (my goal)

I play the clarinet - and for all of you people who know of Richard Stoltzman might know of goal. Those of you who don't, look him up and you'll understand completely. He's amazing and I'd kill to be like that.

I've gotten far with my clarinet, and lately stress has caused me to not perform at my highest. When I moved schools in the summer before 8th grade, my new band director put me last chair in the lowest band because he didn't know how I played and I didn't get to properly audition. While challening up (that's how you move up a chair in our band) person by person, he came up to me and my mom one day while I was about 5th chair (out of 10 clarinets in concert band) and said "I want her in symphonic band. Girl, you better keep challenging, you hear me? You can play! I mean you really really can play!" and it was flattering and drove me to end up from last chair concert band to 5th chair symphonic band (moved up a total of 15 chairs all on my own).

Well, I've done things like try out for our band clinic auditions out of the whole gulf coast (multiple schools, limited chairs) and I always made top band every year I did it. I did a clarinet duet with my friend for solo and ensemble and got a superior 1 rating. Our band always makes superior ratings and nothing but that in all contests. Last year, my section leader told me I had one of the best clarinet sounds he's ever heard. And far by best the best sound out of the whole section. I was flattered by that :) Very very flattered. While tuning, my band director would praise and compliment my sound about how full and deep it was and how I was almost never out of tune.

At the end of the year when I auditioned, I got 3rd chair symphonic band which is pretty good (2nd chair is a junior who is pretty good, and the other is our new section leader who is also my friend I did the duet with who is crazy good).

Lately, I've been down on my game. I've been out of tune, my sound isn't as good, and I even made 2nd band gulf coast clinic and made a rating of II on my solo this year. -_-;;

But I'm trying a lot better and I am determined to get first chair for next year and be section leader when I'm a senior. My band director is even setting me up to teach private lessons to our middle schoolers.

I hope to be like Richard Stoltzman one day. I'll do anything it takes.
Any other instrument lovers out there?