Klarinet Archive - Posting 000273.txt from 1998/05

From: Jonathan Cohler <cohler@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] re:Phila. Orch Prin. Clarinet
Date: Wed, 6 May 1998 22:42:28 -0400

Neil Leupold wrote:

>On Wed, 6 May 1998, David C. Blumberg wrote:
>
>> It came down to him, and a SOPHOMORE at Curtis. The English player was a no
>> show. Curtis is all undergrads, but he could be close to 25 (I don't know
>> him).
>
>Thanks. It was my understanding too that Curtis is strictly an undergrad
>institution. I've heard people speak suspiciously of graduate activities
>there, and it slowly wore away my belief that a graduate degree is not
>offered there. And to think a sophomore clarinet player-- what, 21 years
>old? -- made it to the final round of a major orchesttra audition. Just
>incredible. Another Ricardo in our midst? I hear about these things
>much more often in the flute world. It's still seldom enough to shock
>me when it happens in our own ranks.
>
>Neil

Neil,

Working with many young college players (undergrad/grad; early/mid-20s) of
all instruments at NEC, Hartt and Longy, this does not shock me in the
least. It happens literally ALL the time, i.e. every year several young
players from these schools make it to the finals of (or win) important
orchestra jobs.

What does surprise me is the elitist attitude that would exclude these
potential winners from a first-round audition based upon resume alone.

As John Bruce Yeh said, I guess that's one of the reasons why many 2nd rate
orchestras remain 2nd rate.

--------------------------
Jonathan Cohler
cohler@-----.net

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