Klarinet Archive - Posting 000272.txt from 2008/11

From: Tony Pay <tony.p@-----.org>
Subj: Re: [kl] After Drucker
Date: Wed, 19 Nov 2008 15:36:36 -0500

On 19 Nov, "James Sclater" <Sclater@-----.edu> wrote:

> After reading Tony's most recent posts, I have a few questions/comments:
>
> 1. Are we to assume that orchestral auditions in the UK are not an
> "equal opportunity for everyone" situation? If not, how are they usually
> handled? If so, how are they different from how things are handled in
> the US? (I didn't know there was a "standard.")

The way (I think) it's usually done in the UK is to use the audition as a way
of finding players that the orchestra may want to trial. Then, the trial
period, involving the chosen players, goes on for a long time -- even as much
as years.

Therefore, everyone has an equal opportunity to be HEARD to start with; and
then the PROPER questions have time to be asked.

Your questions 2, 3 and 4 have, I think, been answered in my posts.

> 5. Why the anti-American slant in these posts?

You really have to ask this?

Actually, I don't think there's THAT much of an anti-American slant in them.
But it's true that I HATE the self-promoting stance, which arises very
naturally in much American culture, as I explained. ("How to SELL slow
movements" from Howard Klug, for example.)

Of course, it's not confined to the US. Recently, under the wonderful
Vladimir Jurowski, my orchestra (the OAE) played a programme that included
Alexander Rudin playing the Tchaikowsky Rococo Variations for 'cello and
orchestra. Intitially wanting to say "But, he's not REALLY a Russian!" the
players finally decided on, "He's a REAL Russian!"

I think you need to hear that, for us, Americans are in pretty much the same
boat; and it amuses me to make that clear to those of you who don't know. (I
find that those of you who do know, just smile and shrug.)

As for the wider issues: do you not know how much any THINKING human being on
the planet has HATED the last 8 years?

Tony
--

_________ Tony Pay
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