Excellent. I am forwarding this to one of my clarinet students who is auditioning for the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain.

@jackhowell8708

4 ай бұрын

Good luck to him/her!

Great talk, although your story about the motorcycle test took me back to having to do the figure eight, which I think most states have done away with. Practice the solution for many things.

@jackhowell8708

4 ай бұрын

Sorry if that was triggering. The test was a loong time ago so I don’t remember much of it, but how that cornering speed test boiled it down really stuck with me. A number of students didn’t get their endorsements because of that test, and if they had just gone a little slower they would have.

🍻 👏

Any insight into the principal bassoon audition? I know there was auditions in Pittsburgh with no hire, that must be an interesting perspective. Or generally bassoon audition insights?

@jackhowell8708

4 ай бұрын

Was not on the principal bassoon committee. Even if I were, I would be prohibited from discussing anything but my own opinions. I’ve been on three or four bassoon committees, none with the PSO, and think bassoon auditions are like any other instrument in that the best players overcome the challenges of the instrument. It may be worth saying something about no hire auditions. It’s one of many hot topics regarding auditions right now, and some would like to see no hire auditions eliminated. I can remember taking auditions myself where there was no hire and finding it frustrating. Having seen it from the other side of the fence, it’s not like I thought it must be. Here’s how it works, and while every orchestra’s contract is different, all the orchestras I’ve been involved with have been broadly similar. For every round, the numerical bar to pass is higher. For the prelim it may take four votes from a 9-person committee to pass. For the semi, let’s say five. To qualify for the position, it will be even higher, say, 2/3 majority. The music director will be involved, and has different power in different orchestras. Keep in mind that principal wind positions in major orchestras are high stakes for everyone. There is tremendous exposure, it’s a musical voice that will be heard on every recording for years, there is the question of meshing with the other principals. Nine (or ten) sets of ears, that many sets of expectations, everyone feeling tremendous responsibility. When you combine the demands of the position with the standards of the ensemble and require near unanimity from the committee, it can come down to the end and nobody has enough support. The committee never feels good about that, but the harm to the ensemble of hiring a musician who can’t make the necessary contribution is perceived as greater than the harm of waiting. Which is why high profile positions in bigger orchestras sometimes are open for years, while section positions are usually filled pronto.

We all hate this with a passion. I am a good audition guy; but, that doesn't win the game. You got to make it after the audition and that is hard too. Lot of ways to screw up. I missed a performance. I don't like how you make it such hard stuff. I am an artist and you guys can't judge me. You guys make it too hard and that is very mean. Us sax players don't play in the stair well to play in tune. Probably should have. Hotel piano messes up your pocket.

@jackhowell8708

4 ай бұрын

Not sure at this point if you’re a clarinetist or saxophonist, but orchestral auditions are indeed hard, not because I and my colleagues are mean, but because very many people want very few positions. Which means competition, which means somebody has to judge, but the only people getting judged are those who chose to enter the ring. Some musicians don’t dig it, either the competition or the structure. If they have careers it is as soloists or chamber musicians, and that’s cool. Look at Leo P, he started out as a clarinet student of one of my colleagues. He’s certainly not worried about what orchestral players think.