brianj

Hi Ed

You're so right about the tradition of brass playing in the UK but I hope and believe that any orchestra that is concerned with the quality of it's music will hire the best person for the job, regardless of nationality. The people who pay to hear the orchestra deserve nothing less.

Whether the foreign players would like the salary levels here compared to the cost of living is another matter!

I've had the opportunity to meet and speak with Mark O'Keefe on a number of occasions and he is a thoroughly nice man as well as a top drawer player.

all the best

Brian Jones

ecarroll

Brian,

No doubt that they do.

The Rotterdam Philharmonic had to audition candidates first from Holland and then from the EU before they hired me as principal trumpet in 1986. Interestingly, the other person being considered was also an American, playing then in Antwerpen.

The Montreal Symphony is auditioning international candidates later this month after failing to fill their fourth trumpet position during a national audition in 1997.

The beat goes on...

Best,
EC

GordonH

I think that this will vary between orchestras.
I can only speak about the UK situation, but I would bet that the BBC Scottish Symphony would be more likely to consider an American than the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, because the BBC orchestra has moved towards a brighter sound played on generally smaller trumpets which is what north american players tend to be better at.

I am also willing to bet that neither would consider an Austrian who plays on rotary trumpets.

There is quite a huge difference between the sound of a UK trumpet section a German trumpet section or a US trumpet section.
Its a different stye and tradition.

Also:
Where I live we have very high standards of brass playing.
Kids start learning as soon as their second teeth come in.
They can't learn strings or woodwind till they are twelve, anyone with musical ability gets put into brass classes.
Our local youth brass band have been European champions several times and make commercial recordings.
There are a dozen (or more) cornet players in my small town who can play all the solos out of the back of the arban in concert or competition.
We have open solo contests every year here.
All of this means there is a steady stream of cornet players switching to trumpet and going to university which results in a large pool of very good players for any employer to choose from.
Arts funding is also quite poor so we have far fewer orchestras for the size of population.
Therefore the chances of someone from outside the UK getting a job here is very slim.

Having said that I think the BBC SSO has an all Irish trumpet section, but thats only just abroad by thirty miles over the sea.

__________________
"O trumpeter, methinks I am myself the instrument thou playest,
Thou melt'st my heart, my brain--thou movest, drawest, changest
them at will;" (Walt Whitman)

rowuk

Gordon, are you sure that drinking wasn't a part of the audition..........

__________________
Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.

GordonH

It would not surprise me.
I could tell you some hair raising stories about brass band contests and drinking.

__________________
"O trumpeter, methinks I am myself the instrument thou playest,
Thou melt'st my heart, my brain--thou movest, drawest, changest
them at will;" (Walt Whitman)

brian moon

"Kid, it's a bull**** business"
-John Coffey-

__________________
Revelation 3:20

alittlebirdy

I think that 1 US player you site is actually a Bnritish citizen, or has dual citizenship.

brianj

hi

Cool. It never even occurred to me that there would be many Brits playing trumpet in US orchestras. Who is it?

I've only heard rumour as to who is in for the trials with the LSO.

all the best

Brian Jones

rowuk

I may get flamed for this, but who ever proved that an internationally based orchestra membership is "better"?

Why should countries that finance music with taxes not consider the citizens that pay those taxes first? Why do many players think that they are OWED a chance to audition?

I understand that there are many VERY qualified players out there, but somewhere along the line, they lost track of the fact that MUSIC is not definable in politically correct terms. We can question the validity of a=440 as a tuning note, rotary or piston valved trumpets, the conductors expressive license, payment, contract length............. Everything about music is gut level and not necessarily rational. The unions are there to protect the local members.

An orchestra CHOOSES to open itself internationally. A process that seems fair may raise the orchestras standing in the eyes of the players looking for jobs, but as there are more players than jobs, that is not the problem of the orchestra.

I think this is an issue of addition, not subtraction. You do not lose points for not inviting foreigners, but you may gain points for doing so. There is a difference between malicious hate of foreigners (punishable by law) and placing citizens first.

Would the LSO still sound the same if the Americans with their C-trumpets or the Germans with their rotaries invaded? Isn't a unique orchestral sound something to be proud of? Isn't promoting the countries own playing traditions something worth respecting?

I am very happy that we have differing international styles! That is what keeps music alive.

__________________
Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.

brianj

Hi Robin

Lots of interesting points that I'm sure folk will discuss but I looked at the one about the different sounds of orchestras in different countries because it's something I've wondered about for a while.

The perception of the "British" sound and UK players is the use of a Bb trumpet for most things in the way US players use a C.

This stereotype is, for the large part true, that's how it becomes a stereotype I suppose!

But for many years some UK players have used different kit and I don't know that the sounds of the particular brass sections they play/played in is different to other UK brass sections.

In the 80's Iaan Wilson used a Ganter rotary C as his main horn at the Royal Opera House. In recent times Ian Bamain (principal Royal Opera House) and Bill Houghton (principal BBCSO) use a lot of C trumpet.

Also Mark O'Keefe (principal BBCSSO) uses a 4v Schilke almost exclusively and John Wallace did much of his work when principal at the Philharmonia on a 4v Schilke.

Just a thought as to whether it is the type of horn used or the teaching/tradition etc the player grew up in has the biggest influence.

all the best

Brian Jones