Klarinet Archive - Posting 000046.txt from 1995/03

From: Timothy Tikker <tjt@-----.ORG>
Subj: Re: Auditioning on a lark
Date: Thu, 2 Mar 1995 12:14:35 -0500

On Wed, 1 Mar 1995, Neil Leupold wrote:

> [David Breeden] got into the SF > Symphony on a total > lark, auditiong
straight out of North Texas State with no expectation > whatsoever of
getting the job. He didn't even think he was qualified. He just >
figured he would take a few auditions to see what it was like. Not a bad
gig > to get on your first try!

I heard a similar story about bassoonist Chuck Ullery getting into the
same orchestra. At the time he was serving in the US Army at the
Presidio base in SF, playing bassoon in the army band. He spent his
spare time playing duets with another bassoonist, and somehow developed a
lot of skill in the process. When he heard that a bassoonist chair
opened in the SFO, he auditioned, just on a lark - and got the job! He
then had to find a way to coordinate his military and symphony schedules
for the duration of his term of army service!

I understand that Ullery is now with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra.

Is there a lesson in all this? Do we play better when we don't take it
so seriously, or something?

   
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