wiseone2

Auditions have been a hot topic at several of the trumpet message boards.
Playing for a committee of musicians for a position in an orchestra is, in America, a relatively recent innovation. In the past the conductor, and only the conductor, had the power to hire and fire players. Orchestra committees were unheard of, the conductor was all powerful. Year-round employment was unheard of in American symphonies, this didn't happen until the mid-sixties.
Most of the famous players of the past played an audition for one person, the conductor.
Today, there are committees that make decisions on who gets the position or not.

My first audition was for a trumpet job with a touring opera company. I did not get the job because, as the conductor said,"The South was not ready for you."
This was in 1961.
I played another audition for a major mid-western orchestra's Principal Trumpet position in the sixties. The conductor was in NYC hearing players. The MTA was on strike! I had to walk to the audition from Penn Station........thank goodness I didn't fly in, the airport is miles from the hotel. And the conductor didn't have one note of music. I played the audition from memory.

Ah.........the good old days!
Wilmer

Schwab

I was hanging out at Frank Kaderabek's house the other day, he had lots of stories to tell about auditions. He has taken 14 auditions in his life and won 12, thats a pretty good record.

He said back in the old days he would get a call that said, the conductor from X orchestra wants to hear you play, be here at 1:00, or the next day, there was almost no prior notice given. Fun stuff!

He is a wealth of first hand knowledge about the heyday of orchestral playing in the States.

JustinSmith

Good Luck on the Marine Band Audition Dylan.

Schwab

Thanks, Justin. I played okay today, but didn't advance this time...so it goes.

May I rant for a moment? I hope I don't come off as a jerk, but it may happen. I registered at 9:30 this morning and was number 88. There were 93 people at the audition, and I think just from hearing people play at random, that fewer than half could have actually held a position it that band.

I'm all for getting audition experience, but I (and many other people) had to sit around for almost 9!!! hours waiting to play, while people who had absolutely no shot at winning the gig came and went.

Did this factor in my playing? Yes. I know it didn't affect others, but by the time it came for me to play, I was so tired of being there, I just wanted to go home.

I know people hate tape rounds and having resumes screened, but it seems like it would be a much more efficient process. Thoughts?

kadleck

Wow...sounds like a big drag. Sorry Dylan. People should not have to wait 9 hours for ANYTHING! (Unless they're at the DMV, of course.)

How can they possibly even HEAR 93 people in one day? Lame.

JustinSmith

This one goes back around to the link Ed posted in his forum "A conductor's perspective"
That's brutal Dylan. They should have split the many people over 2-3 days.

wiseone2

The waiting is the worst part of auditioning.
I once played an audition that was at the same time and location as the orchestra's Eb clarinet audition. Imagine a room full of guys murdering Till Eulenspiegel, and on the other side of the room Zarathustra being blasted
It really could drive you to drink!
Wilmer

wiseone2

Sound, pitch, style and knowledge of the repertoire head my list of must requirements for a candidate.
It is a profession. Be prepared
Wilmer

robertwhite

Dylan,

That does suck, but I think it's more an issue of organization than anything else. I don't think they should change their policy of letting less experienced players have a shot - they're one of the few places that still does!

Siegtrmpt

It was just a cop out. Jackie Robinson broke the baseball color barrier in '47. This guy could have hired you if he was willing to take whatever flack came his way. At least he was partially honest with you.