 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: vin
Date: 2004-11-29 04:11
does anyone know who won/advanced in the minnesota audition? I think it was this past week.
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Author: Shiz
Date: 2004-11-29 15:36
What I heard was that, they hired someone for this job... I don't know who they hired, though.
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Author: DAVE
Date: 2004-11-29 17:55
I was one of five to advance to the semi-final, actually it was four-one person did not play the first round. I think they only took two to the final round. I think one of the people was Jenny? Jonquil. I have never met her, so I am not sure. The other person was a guy I had never seen before.
This was by far the toughest audition I have ever done. On the first round I had to play:
Shostakovich 9-both excerpts
Peter and the Wolf
Brahms 3- A clar and Andante solos
Mendelssohn Scherzo
Beethoven 8
Rite of Spring- solo on page one and the duet with alto flute
Shostakovich 6
Bolero
Ravel piano concerto- three of the solos including the 3rd movement
The hall was shockingly and disturbingly live. At times the echo of a note that I had played previously would overlap a note that I was currently playing, at least from where I was seated.
The semi-final round had a simmilar list that I will post if anyone wants it. I thought I played well in the second round, but I was pretty sure I wouldn't go to the final. I knew there were just a few too many gaffs to get this job. In a way I am relieved. The thought of having that job scares the heck out of me! I don't really like playing E flat that much.
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Author: Fontalvo
Date: 2004-11-29 18:41
Could you post what they asked for the final round.....to get an idea of what they ask for in these things??????? Thanks
R
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Author: R13
Date: 2004-11-29 20:56
Actually, they advanced 10 to semi-final round. And from there they advanced three to the second semi-final round the next day.
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Author: DAVE
Date: 2004-11-29 23:23
It could have been 10. The number that I heard was 5. I was the last to go in the semi. I only saw five people. While I was in my warm-up room they were still hearing first round audtions. If there were more than 5, I don't see how they had the time to audition.
For the second round:
Mozart Concerto, about half of the exposition
Schubert 8
Firebird Variation
Cappriccio A and B flat solos, no cadenza
Mendelssohn scherzo
Beethoven 6 end of the First Movement and the big solo in the slow
movement
For e flat
Shostakovich 5
Ravel Piano concerto
Rite of Spring
Till starting after number 34
2 solos from Mahler 9, 1st movement
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Author: Jerry McD.
Date: 2004-11-30 01:23
Unfortunately they did not end up hiring anyone for the position. They will schedule more auditions for early next year.
Good luck next time!
Anyone going to do St. Louis?
Jerry McD.
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Author: mystery science dieter
Date: 2004-11-30 03:52
If it is true that no one was hired, some blame should go to that ridiculous audition list. More than a few players saw that list and decided not to even go. Minnesota is one of the worlds very finest orchestras (even finer than their outstanding reputation suggests) and they should, in fact, expect a candidate to be able to play all that stuff. However, they could easily find that player without asking for all of it.
That first round list looks brutal. How nice of them to start with Shostakovich 9 and Peter for people who have never played in the hall before. I bet more than a few excellent players got lost there as well.
Isn't the idea to encourage great players to play well and not just to see who can play the most difficult stuff without being warmed up in a hall they have never been in before?
A few dozen people had the pleasure of spending Thanksgiving away from their families, spending a lot of money and practicing a 30 work audition list for nothing. I bet more than a few of them are pissed. I know I would be.
Congratulations, Minnesota Orchestra. You've show us all how not to do it.
Post Edited (2004-11-30 03:54)
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Author: Jerry McD.
Date: 2004-11-30 12:55
Actually the list was not the problem. The problem was that it is an incredibly difficult chair to fill. Evidently there were a few players who could be excellent principle players but their Eb playing wasn't quite good enough, and there were some excellent Eb players who weren't quite good enough to play principle clarinet.
I'm not sure I could imagine myself being good enough at both instruments to win that audition!
Jerry McD.
p.s. I study with one of the committee members and that's how I have my info. I didn't get any insight into individual players (wasn't offered, didn't ask) but I got an overview of what happened.
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Author: Ben
Date: 2004-11-30 15:01
Is it just me, or is not hiring someone for an opening, and reholding auditions getting more and more common these days? Was this just as common 20+ years ago or is this a new thing? I have heard similar things happening with other instruments in many other orchestras (in the US). Is this just something about some orchestras in the US, or is this just as common in other countries?
Does anyone know if there was sight reading asked at Minnesota, and what it was? Isn't it often a tutti passage or a 'non solo' section from one of the required excerpts.
Did people have to play Eb/Bb excepts back and forth, or was there different sections where it was some Bb, then some Eb? I know one must switch back and forth between A and Bb, but I didn't know if they felt the same way about Eb.
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Author: DAVE
Date: 2004-11-30 15:06
I certainly agree that there were many fine players there who were good on one but not necessarily both. In the warm-up room I heard some fantastic regular playing and some awful e flat playing. I think I might have been one of the people who played better on e flat than B flat/A. The e flat stuff did not bother me too much, however the regular clarinet stuff seemed more problematic for me. It does not bother me in the least that they did not choose anyone; it just means I might get another chance!
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Author: William
Date: 2004-11-30 15:21
What sane clarinetist would ever want to play amid and upon the frozen tundra of Minneapolis, anyhow?
But then, we are not known for being .........................
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Author: msloss
Date: 2004-11-30 21:24
Might be slightly Machiavellian thinking, but has anyone considered that one or more of the candidates was eminently qualified, but the orchestra deliberately raised the bar high enough that nobody would clear the hurdle? If it is true that there are certain financial issues in the orchestra, delaying the hiring of a permanent associate principal position would certainly keep a few shekels in the bank. It wouldn't be the first time an orchestra did this.
It just doesn't seem all that plausible that THE ONE would not have turned out for this round, but would magically show up for the next. In fact the only way that would seem to be plausible would be if they had somebody specific in mind (a technical no-no) who didn't show because they were already otherwise engaged.
That's my conspiracy theory du jour. Now I have to sort out that whole Ukrainian problem...
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2004-11-30 22:03
Even Ricardo Morales initially went to Philadelphia on a one-year trial. I've read that, before he went to Chicago, Larry Combs had a substantial (and unsuccessful) trial in Cleveland.
The days of Harold Wright jumping from Washington to Boston, or Marcellus going to Cleveland on Bonade's recommendation, are long gone.
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Author: clarinetwife
Date: 2004-12-01 00:31
Well, they were just waiting for my kids to grow up enough that I could make the trip to audition for them ![[right]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie8.gif)
I'm just a kid from Idaho, but is it unusual that they would not have offered someone a one year job for next year even if they didn't get "the one?" I can understand holding off on a permanent hire, but shorter initial appointments seem to be pretty common as K Shaw pointed out.
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Author: frank
Date: 2004-12-01 03:30
I know Burt Hara is extremely picky about players. He is a great guy, and a terrific musician. He actually cares more about making music than the technical side of playing (but he still has all the tools). Most likely the candidates didn't cut it musically to Burt's and the committees satisfaction. Playing all the right notes, rhythmns, rests, great sound and articulation, etc. are REQUIRED to get through the rounds. To win that gig or any big gig for that matter, the player had to be special musically as well. The Minnesota Orchestra is awesome. They are so good it's scary. I've been blown away numerous times by their live performances. It's top five orchestra for sure. They produce such a wonderful sound. Not too heavy or dark, not to light or bright. They play in the pocket in regards to sound! The wind section is amazing. So, It would be a task to win that gig. Right day, right time, all the stars lined up... and voila! You get great Minnesota winters, a good pay and get to hang out at Prince's old joint! I like that city but wow.. it's cold!
Secondly, Ricardo had the Philly job wrapped up and the audition was a formality. It was essentially a no brainer, even though Russinek is awesome and Scott Andrews could easily win that gig otherwise. Ricardo is just such a monster player and amazing presence. He amazes and delights nearly everyone, including our top players in the world. The funny part is that 10 years earlier, he didn't even make it past the first round in Philly! lol And strangely enough... Montanaro didn't accept him at Curtis when he auditioned. Why? Because Montanaro did not like his sound! Pretty cool huh. Montanaro is probably dying a quiet death each day on stage with Morales! Ouch.
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Author: Fontalvo
Date: 2004-12-01 18:52
For my information.....who is scott andrews and who is rusinek....
Thanks a lot
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Author: vin
Date: 2004-12-01 19:30
scott andrews, second in boston
michael rusinek, principal pittsburgh
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Author: Bradley
Date: 2004-12-01 21:36
I feel proud to have played more than one of those pieces on the list. (I'm still pretty young). Anyway, my gosh I can't imagine playing all those excerpts so well in front of an intimidating panel like the one there in a new place. And then with the chance of playing with a new section of people to be judged, I hope I can handle it all in time to have somewhat of a playing career. Right now it seems really, really far away.
Bradley
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