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Auditions

August 27, 2007 at 3:26 AM

How many men and women in their mid-fifties do you know that still take auditions? For sure not professionals.

It's fall and the town-gown orchestra that I play in from time to time is starting up. New students have enrolled so the annual ritual starts tomorrow. You would think that our conductors (graduate students who overlap from year to year) know some of us and don't have to hear us. But they're kids too and this is the way it is done.

They asked for polished performances and not works-in-progress. That seems kind of funny. When have you heard an amateur play something that was a finished performance? Years ago I thought I could play Meditation from Thais. It was finished so I thought. Now I am more likely to play Paganini's Caprice 24 than touch Meditation. i.e. horribly unlikely.

Kiddies make sure you get good enough or you'll be playing auditions when you're old.

It does seem rather foolish from many points of view. Go ahead and stun your young conductor by playing whatever piece you choose beautifully.
I'm sorry that you have to audition, but I must admit I totally approve of your conductor doing this. It's just fair, and I believe community orchestras in general would dramatically improve their level of playing if all conductors organized regular seating auditions for everybody.
I think that our professional orchestras would be much better if they all had to stand for an audition every year: in or out and seating.
Hello Corwin,
So you are going to take the audition. Bravo! and Congratulations! You are now in the arena. You are among the folks who are actively striving, growing, and advancing both their playing ability and their resumes. You will grow as a violinist from preparing this audition. You will be heard by some new people, and your reputation will grow too -- people will know you as somebody who is actively auditioning.
Most professionals in the performing arts take auditions throughout their whole life. Of course, the lucky few who have full time tenured lifetime employment don't have to. But lots of those folks still continue to take auditions. Things come up. A new job opportunity. A new performance opportunity. You may be interested to know that I am 64 years old. I have been a member of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra since 1980. Last spring I took an audition. Probably it will not be my last one.
WELCOME TO THE CLUB !!!
Of course I'll take the audition and I have indeed grown from the opportunity to prepare but age doesn't improve the pre-audition jitters any.

Roy, I actually think you're exceptional. I have lived in Houston for 27 years and I wonder if anyone over 45 (except maybe perhaps a section principal) has ever joined the Houston Symphony in that time. I wonder if they even take applications from people over 45.

I know with certainty that tenured members of the orchestra never have to audition again. I don't believe in tenure and I don't believe in jitters but they're both real.

Roy, You're missing the difference between professional and community symphony orchestras. I know of some community orchestras around here which require an audition and some which don't. When you play professionally, that is your job, and you are reviewed by professional musicians. You need to have a lot of people know you're good because you want to advance and/or grow in your profession. Community orchestras are different. They for fun. That does *not* mean that its members do not care about the quality of their playing, but the atmosphere is completely different from the competitive environment of professionals. If you have been playing for years in a community symphony orchestra, your quality of playing has been established. You're not competing or advancing. I've played in numerous community orchestras, and the quality of the conductors varies enormously. I've left orchestras with young, inexperienced conductors who really don't know how to conduct or manage an orchestra. Frankly, I think the person who will be challenged and grow the most from Corwin's audition is the young, inexperienced conductor who will judge him.
I did play the audition tonight. The conductors are young and very talented with fabulous resumes as students, performers, and recently as conductors. Previous conductors of this orchestra include musicians who are currently having rather remarkable careers.

I am not against auditions. I just get the jitters anticipating them. I played reasoably well tonight but it wasn't my fantasy performance with the judges giving me a standing ovation (admit it we've all had that fantasy).

I had scheduled the audition for later in the evening but the bulk of the auditionees signed up for Wednesday evening so they called me at home and asked me to rush over. That was probably better for my nerves but worse for the last minute preparation.

I did grow for having had the experience.

You have my full respect and awe and admiration. At 45 years old, I'm so far behind you, I can't even feel jealous. Well, maybe just a little. It's kind of a drag to be at such a humble level, but it makes me appreciate stories like yours!