Klarinet Archive - Posting 000987.txt from 1998/04

From: Roger Garrett <rgarrett@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: Orchestra auditions
Date: Fri, 17 Apr 1998 19:19:50 -0400

On Fri, 17 Apr 1998, David McClune wrote:
> I have a second hand story of last year's principal Bassoon auditions for
> the Cleveland Orchestra. They, according to my source, only take one player
> from a major orchestra to come in, normally the first player. The associate
> (may of been assistant) principal of the Montreal Symphony was NOT invited
> because of this policy. John called a close friend in the Memphis Symphony
> (where he played before winning Montreal) who had played oboe in a summer
> festival with Frank Cohen and asked her to call Frank and see if the
> committee would reconsider. They did invite him and John Clouser is now the
> Principal bassoon at Cleveland. By the way, John's degrees are in
> Philosophy, and started bassoon in college!!! Having played beside John in
> Memphis, I can say he earned that chair; he is a tremendous musician and
> bassoonist.

I am always pleasantly surprised by bassoonists who start so late! One of
my friends and a colleague in our symphony orhcestra who also is a great
teacher of bassoon at Illinois State University, Michael Dicker, started
bassoon in college after entering as an oboe major. Go figure!

Roger Garrett
IWU