Klarinet Archive - Posting 000959.txt from 1998/08

From: gerhardt@-----. Gerhardt)
Subj: Re: [kl] Bad Audition (on bass clarinet)
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1998 17:08:03 -0400

On Aug 29, 3:15pm, Roger Garrett wrote:

> Ok....great....now, how many times have you auditioned people and been
> "honest" about their playing without being asked for an opinion? (You
> never answered the question).

I think your question is, When was the last time that I *discussed* an
auditioner's playing with them, without their asking? Answer: Never. I
wouldn't do it, and for the same reasons that you wouldn't.

So what's my beef? That pesky "dishonest" smile again. I consider whatever
reaction that I have *during* the performance to be "honest" reaction. If I
hear the beginning of Sutermeister's _Caprice_ in a particular way, I may
actually smile and my eyes may may actually light up. And I won't hold back.
This is not the same as speaking directly to the performer and, of course, it
doesn't make it an "honest" reaction simply because it can be seen, but
reacting naturally to a performance as it progresses--or even digresses--is
part of what I consider being an honest listener, regardless of the ultimate
purpose for sitting there. If what you do at ALL performances, including
"real" ones, is sit there and stare blankly at the performer(s), emotionless
and wooden, regardless of what they do, then fine, I guess that would be your
honest reaction. It isn't necessarily what I would do at a "real" performance
and I don't consider an "audition" performance to be an exception. I believe
that it is possible to be a completely effective adjudicator AND an "honest"
and reacting audience member at the same time. I see no advantage whatsoever
to a policy of stoicism in an audition situation. For me, having another HATE
a performance isn't nearly as bad as evoking from them absolutely nothing at
all.

> > Probably, and I agree that one must be non-committal towards the
> > PERFORMER, but it is not possible to be so towards the performer's
> > playing style.
>
> Sure it is....you just don't react.

That's not being noncommittal, it's just being quiet about it.

> You are capable of that if you try hard enough. It is important because
> some people don't want to know what you think.......they just want to know
> if they made it or not.

And then some, like I, DO want to know more. If fact, if I am playing a school
audition, the comments are frequently MORE important to me than the placement.

Let the ones who don't care what the reasons are go home and practice in the
same way that they always have. When possible, however, give the ones who ARE
interested an opportunity to find out what happened in there.

> > An adjudicator has biases towards certain playing practices that he (or
> > she) must naturally employ during the audition. He may consider a
> > "bright" tone to be an undeveloped tone, or he may completely disagree
> > with a style of staccato at a particular spot.
>
> So does everyone in the band/orchestra/choir. But we don't tell each
> other that the person doesn't sound good.

... just as we would never tell an auditioner that they don't sound good.
[Provided the auditioner asks,] We simply discuss specific areas and try to let
the auditioner know that, in our humble opinion, there are some areas that
we think didn't work. It is up to the auditioner to decide the value of a
particular judge's opinions--just as it is up to the auditioner to ask for a
judge's opinions if s/he knows that they are being made available.

> I sit principal in a professional orchestra, and if the second clarinetist
> doesn't sound very good, I simply ask him to play with me a little during
> the break. I never have to say anything about his playing.

And the same form of respect can be applied to an auditioner [provided they
ask]. Again, and as in your professional situation, we don't approach
from a view of disliking their playing, but from one of understanding why they
play that way, and of working WITH them [again, provided they ask though, as
principal, you may be obliged to approach THEM].

> Yes.....and so far, it appears that most people seem to feel that waiting
> until later and after the audition is a more appropriate time to discuss
> how the audition went. No one said anything about not having an opinion
> at all.....just that the audition is not the time to discuss the audition.

On this, we agree.

BTW, I acknowledge that professional audition situations may necessarily have
restrictions imposed for logistical reasons. I still believe that no one
should intentionally hide a (respectful and non-disruptive) emotional response
during an audition, but my argument for making comments available to
auditioners is aimed directly at schools.

Respectfully,

--
Scott M. Gerhardt <gerhardt@-----.com>
5F 55 E8 3E AA 08 68 9A 58 CA 7C B1 B4 BE 24 B6

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