Posted by anyone know... on April 23, 2003 at 18:14:06:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Fort Worth posted by Mark on April 23, 2003 at 13:15:43:
...the last time someone was hired for a good job by winning a local audition? I think orchestras make that statement not to serve their "mission statement", but to appease the local union. Most orchestras who have a local audition would not pick someone, because they want to know "who's out there" by having a national audition. I'd love to see orchestras start to hire musicians for permanent positions from their QUALIFIED local talent pool. A smaller major or regional orchestra might have to resort to a national audition to fill a spot, but you can bet that there were imminently qualified LOCAL players auditioning for the BSO recently. Too bad national custom is to hold open (often cattle-call) auditions for these jobs. I say "custom" because there aren't enforceable RULES that require national auditions. Let's say that the NY Phil is delighted with Kyle Turner's work in the last year and a half as interim tubist. Why can't they just give him the job? But if we're going to stick with the present system, don't get me started on Canada...our "brothers" in the union, who have many citizens holding jobs in major US orchestras, but who more often than not will not allow US citizens to audition for their orchestras, unless they have absolutely exahausted the audition process on their national level. Discuss....