| I think it's important to remember not only what Wilmer said, but also how auditions are run and what committees are looking for. Sometimes, particularly on final rounds, conductors will have input on what's asked. I know of a couple of auditions in the last little while where conductors have requested some pretty bizarre things. So sometimes that may figure in it. Also, for a smaller orchestra that only has two trumpets, it may well be that the second trumpet is sometimes expected to step up and play first, if only when then principal is away or when there are both trumpet and cornet parts. There are even some larger orchestras where the second trumpet is the guy who steps in for the principal. And then there could be situations where a second player has either been relied on to play certain things in the past, or was completely incapable of doing those things, so a committee is anxious to make sure that whomever they hire is capable of doing those things.
A second trumpet may not often be expected to play principal on Bach, but he may be expected to assist; and he will certainly be required to play some not-inconsequential second parts, so evaluating piccolo chops isn't unreasonable. A second trumpet probably won't have to play Schmuyle, but he may be asked to take over in the middle. And so on. Finally, one aspect that can be difficult to evaluate in an audition is endurance, and some committees might feel that piling on the piccolo excerpts is a good way to evaluate that.
I want to emphasize that I have NO inside knowledge about the Richmond audition or any other recent auditions. I'm just offering up some pure speculation. Yes, there are certainly some skills that are unique to second trumpet players. I wouldn't hire a second trumpet without thoroughly evaluating his or her low register. However, musicianship, pitch, and time are absolute requirements for every chair and it's probably more convenient for the committee AND the candidates to evaluate that through first parts. |