Posted by Matt G on October 28, 2003 at 15:15:17:
In Reply to: Re: Interesting article from Matt Guilford.. posted by Kenneth Sloan on October 28, 2003 at 12:59:57:
As far as the open "cattle call" goes, I am pretty sure this has to do with the AFM and application of "EEO" laws.
With that being said, I don't believe that the open call auditions for orchestras are a farce. Most of the guys that shouldn't waste their time are weeded out through the resume portion and then again through the tape portion. You may be still listening to 20-50 people, but I think that this is done in music to include the x-factor. There are very good plaers who simply haven't had the time to amass the proper resume to compete against other, more seasoned players. For those who don't make it, at least it is an educational experience in some form or another. I think this is why the NYPO audition seems to be a free-for-all. They really want to make sure no stone is overturned.
As far as the article is concerned, I think that it is very discouraging. A bit of Golem theory. In essence, this gentleman seems to go into each audition expecting these people to make mistakes and not make music. This definitely tempers his perception of the audition.
Is the audition process a waste of time? Only if you think it is. Something educational can be learned and passed on from every applicant. That is why I think highly of Mr. Yeo's work to publish a set of perceptions, without bias, on the auditiona game and Mr. Zerkel's retelling of his BSO audition experience.
I think we over-analyze the entire situation. I am guilty of it just as much as anyone else. These commitees are looking for the best player available. Either they take what they get or roll the dice again. Whatever they choose to do is what they feel is in the best interest of the ensemble. However, they shouldn't feel burdened by this process. If they do, then I think it is time to really re-think why they first took interest in serving on the audition commitee to begin with.
Matt G