A 26-year-old financial analyst hopes his speech about lessons learned while lugging around a tuba will be good enough to earn him "world champion" honours when the title goes up for grabs in Las Vegas this weekend.
Andrew Clumpus will represent the Toronto area at the World Championship of Public Speaking, the culmination of the annual Toastmasters International Convention.
Clumpus is the youngest Torontonian to ever compete in the championship, according to Toastmasters International.
"I think the most important thing is that you know your audience," he told CTV's Canada AM on Monday.
"Make that connection. The connection is what's really crucial for any good speech."
Clumpus will compete against top speakers from 95 areas around the world, including Germany, Australia, India and China.
His seven-minute speech will focus on the lessons he learned playing tuba in an orchestra.
Semifinals take place Wednesday and Thursday, and the winner will be announced on Saturday.
