Klarinet Archive - Posting 001332.txt from 1998/04

From: "Ginsuransom" <ginsuransom@-----.net>
Subj: re: audition tapes
Date: Thu, 23 Apr 1998 19:28:53 -0400

Dear Jonathan:

Now I am even more confused. Until you posted this I thought you were
vehemently arguing that everyone and anyone should be permitted to audition
live. Now it seems you are including a taped audition as acceptable? By
the way, did you happen to ask the personnel manager of the BSO what
percentage of tapes received are actually invited to the audition? My guess
would be 10%, at the most. I know of several recent clarinet auditions for
major orchestras where the rate was much lower, around 3% of the tapes being
invited. Hate to tell you, but your student (or anyone) would have a MUCH
BETTER chance of being invited to an audition on the basis or his/her resume
than they would on the basis of a tape. And I state that without knowing
what their resume says, or how their tape sounds.

I think audition tapes are simply a cop-out, a way for the orchestras to
justify not having to hear everyone who wants to audition. I think an
interesting survey to undertake (and one that I believe would really help
bolster your argument in favor of giving everyone an opportunity) would be
to see how many players in major orchestras won their auditions after having
their tapes rejected (or, for that matter, having their resumes rejected)- I
think everyone would be surprised at how high that number is.

Gary Ginstling
Los Angeles, CA
ginsuransom@-----.net

On 23 Apr you wrote:

Date: Thu, 23 Apr 1998 10:58:37 -0400
From: Jonathan Cohler <cohler@-----.net>
Subject: Boston Symphony Audition procedure

I just spoke with the personnel manager of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
As I had said before, nobody is rejected based on resume alone.

Everyone who sends in a resume by the deadline date, is either invited to
play a live audition, or to submit a tape for consideration.

Yes, I know that a tape is not an ideal audition vehicle, but it is most
certainly much better than a resume. You can for example, discern whether
or not a person is playing in rhythm and in tune (even on a poor quality
tape). Furthermore, the BSO gives careful instructions on how to make the
tape so that it is high quality and provide a good representation of the
sound.