Klarinet Archive - Posting 001227.txt from 1998/04

From: Klar Boy <KlarBoy@-----.com>
Subj: Re: Orchestra auditions
Date: Wed, 22 Apr 1998 09:14:43 -0400

Greetings clarinet colleagues,
I just recently signed onto this mailing list and was overwhelmed by the
amount of correspondence going on, wow, I should have signed on sooner. I
guess I might as well add my two-cents to the audition/resume subject. No one
seems to have commented on the educational criteria that paper resumes fill.
Do orchestras look at where and with whom a candidate studied?

Some schools are considerably stronger at preparing orchestral players. I
hope that my education at the Cleveland Institue has helped to open some doors
for me, that was my hope when I went there, and serves as the light at the end
of the student- loan tunnel. It has been good and bad, for example I was
invited to the Cleveland Orchestra auditions three years ago, while other more
experienced candidates were denied. I was also playing with an ICSOM
orchestra at the time, so I did have experience, but I was still a bit green.
On the other hand, my resume didn't get me invited to Baltimore last year,
without me being a little aggressive. While everyone I know who studied at
Northwestern got into the Baltimore audition, why, because that's where Steve
Barta studied, and he was looking for a kindred spirit. Likewise, most of my
friends who studied at Curtis never have problems getting into anything, and
that is a credit to the reputation of that fine institution.

I did manage to get into the NSO audition, but was put in the 9:00am room,
where the low-seeded players are put (feels like having to play Pete Sampras
at Wimbledon). I'm not even on a first-name basis with my clarinet at that
hour. My orchestra has evenenig rehearsals, and I don't feel like I will be
able to truly represent myself at that hour. Should I complain to the
personnel manager? I was going to, but now I'm just glad to have the
invitation.

There are fundamental differences in our training as clarinetists, and we
should recognize and celebrate those differences. We should also recognize
that orchestra's have the right to make judgements about a person's training
or lack therof.

Wishing you all a good-reed day!
Mario Estrada,
Florida West Coast Synphony