Klarinet Archive - Posting 000990.txt from 1998/04

From: Jonathan Cohler <cohler@-----.net>
Subj: Re: Orchestra auditions
Date: Fri, 17 Apr 1998 19:19:53 -0400

Dan Paprocki wrote:

>Jonathan,
> It would be nice if we clarinetist could do something about the
>audition process but to be honest we can't.

That seems awfully fatalistic, don't you think? I take a more positive
approach to life. I believe anything can be changed with enough time and
effort.

SNIP

>Jonathan have you done any
>orchestra auditions? From your suprise it sounds like you haven't - don't
>take offense.

Actually, I have.

When I was 17, I auditioned for the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra and
was made first runner up, because I was still in high school. When I was
18, I was accepted to TMC (as the youngest member of its wind section). We
all rotated parts. There were five of us in that section: myself, Bruce
Creditor (now works for the BSO staff), Michael Drapkin (of bass clarinet
repertoire book fame, and now a successful computer software engineer), Al
Rice (clarinet historian) and David Howard (bass clarinetist of LA Phil).
That summer was the first time I played bass clarinet and I premiered a
piece by Roger Bourland called Seven Pollack Paintings, which has a killer
bass clarinet part, FYI.

Anyhow, that same fall it turned out the bass clarinet position in the BSO
opened up (when Felix Viscuglia left to goto Utah). Purely for the fun of
it, I decided to audition. I had virtually no bass clarinet experience
(having played it for the first time that summer), but nonetheless I went
and got all the excerpts and learned all of them (it was quite a long list
as I recall). I had no expectation of winning or making the finals, but
was doing it purely for experience.

Despite my complete lack of experience as a bass clarinetist, I was, of
course, allowed to audition (behind a screen on stage at Symphony Hall!).
And although I didn't make the finals, I was told afterwards by committee
members that I had done quite well and "almost" made it.

Following that, I auditioned for and was chosen as principal clarinetist of
(and soloist with) the Colorado Philharmonic Orchestra (now known as the
National Repertory Orchestra).

After that, I decided to pursue a solo career and did not take anymore
orchestral auditions.

Of course, none of this has anything to do with the discussion of fair
audition practice, but I hope it answers your question.

Best regards,
Jonathan Cohler
cohler@-----.net