Posted by big orchestras... on October 10, 2003 at 17:17:08:
In Reply to: Re: New York Philharmonic prelim posted by Joe Novotny Hotline on October 10, 2003 at 16:47:25:
FLAME FODDER BELOW: (Nothin' makes folks more mad than opinions about auditions.)
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Big ($65K - $100K salary) orchestras may be growing wearing of announcing "no winner" when obviously what they want to do is:
1/ Hire a "known" entity
who
2/ can play.
Boston turned down so many tuba auditionees, they risked running out of interested and qualified applicants. Fortunately, they found a fine one.
The days (like the Chicago tuba auditions, when Arnold Jacobs retired) - of the one or two big "cattle-calls", rejecting all applicants, and then finally personally inviting the guys that they "really" wanted to hear - are possibly in the past, as the NSO has recently demonstrated a very streamlined way to do both (the legally required "cattle-call" and the "real" audition) at one event.
I would think that combining the formalities of an open audition procedure with quietly inviting a dozen or so "ringers" to the semi-finals (like the NSO) will become a common practice among the "big" orchestras. I think in medium-to-small orchestras, it will still be quite possible (maybe more possible than ever) for unknowns to walk in, play well, advance, and possibly win (assuming minimal pedigrees).
Is this fair? I think so. I believe every private entity (individual person, company, symphony orchestra, whatever) has every right to hire whomever they wish for whatever reason, particularly top-echelon organizations. It's one thing to hire "the guy who played the best today" for a $20K/yr. job, but for a $100K/yr. job (if I were in charge of choosing personnel) I would like to see a history of functioning well in a very similar situation for a significant period of time.
Do I agree with Sean that "the person who plays the best wins"? Yes, as perceived by any given committee...but I also think that those who are among those who play the best that have a known history of playing, and a known history of playing well, the best get a more careful (and deserved) review.