| I think I'd be asking my "Board of Directors" what goes on? Considering that different groups have different bylaws, mission statements, & etc. maybe there is room for them to "allow" someone on trial enough leeway to do what he wants. OTOH, I'd be guessing that this is just the "tip of the iceberg" and the new guy will be performing this little "hired gun" act from here on down the road. (Why IS the new guy available? Was his contract not renewed at wherever he was last? Is he just looking to add another "part time" job to his resume? Does your Board pay that much better?)
With audience support being what it is for many orchestras these days, the Board have to ask themselves if the fellow is good enough that a) they can afford to allow him this kind of fiscal and artistic leeway, and b) is it going to be repaid at the box office.
I'd agree that it sucks to be "booted out of your chair" for a "showstopper".. but it all depends on what is deemed to be best for the whole organisation in the long run.
Edit: I guess I should clarify that last sentence. I should have said that it all depends on what THOSE IN POWER deem to be best for the organisation. That is NOT to say that the (use of "hired guns") actually IS in the best interests of the organisation. As far as I can see, any orchestra that claims to be "COMMUNITY BASED" should be using COMMUNITY MUSICIANS rather than outsiders UNLESS those outsiders are being brought in as special guests (ie, Alan Vizzutti, Jens Lindeman, etc.).
Our local Symphony sometimes has to bring in a player from outside to fill an empty chair (whether because the music requires an instrument that isn't available locally or a regular musician is away for some reason). That is acceptable. They recently went through a conductor search, bringing in an outsider for each of three special concerts (within the last year). The trial conductors had to use "the musicians available" since that is what they were going to have to work with once they were hired and that would be most representative of their (the conductor's) ability to maintain the quality of performance and excite the LOCAL audience (necessary for the survival of the symphony). |