 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2011-01-27 00:24
Nobody was offered the job! This is after the recent trial playing period.
So there won't be a Principal Clarinetist until at least 2012.
WOW! That's messed up.
Yeh, Smith, and the 3 who guest played are all wonderfully gifted players who would probably do a great job with it.
Seems like Muti must have a standard that is unachievable.
Has this already been announced? (I must have missed it if it was)
http://www.SkypeClarinetLessons.com
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Author: kdk
Date: 2011-01-27 00:54
It must give Larry Combs a wonderful feeling to know he's so utterly irreplaceable.
Karl
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Author: bmcgar ★2017
Date: 2011-01-27 01:18
:"Seems like Muti must have a standard that is unachievable. "
Or he doesn't know what he wants, and is either waiting for someone to tell him or hoping for a sign from a deity.
(Been there, seen that...lots.)
B.
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Author: Lelia Loban ★2017
Date: 2011-01-27 11:05
With so many excellent wind players in need of work, it seems bizarre that Chicago couldn't have found somebody. Here's a wild guess (speculation *not* based on any inside information; I haven't got any): Maybe Muti has someone specific in mind who isn't available just yet. Maybe Muti's holding the job open until that person can audition for it.
Btw, the blind audition is a good thing, imho, but a conductor who wanted to make sure of making the right choice could easily pre-arrange a "secret handshake" -- the musician behind the curtain plays a certain sequence of a few notes as a warm-up, for instance, or even moves the chair or shuffles the feet in a certain audible pattern, etc.. Anything audible can signal, "I'm here."
Lelia
http://www.scoreexchange.com/profiles/Lelia_Loban
To hear the audio, click on the "Scorch Plug-In" box above the score.
Post Edited (2011-01-27 11:09)
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2011-01-27 12:58
Since all the great players have been passed over, maybe Muti is looking for a really crappy player? This may be my big chance........... ![[grin]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie5.gif)
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Author: William
Date: 2011-01-27 14:55
John Bruce-Yeh for CSO PrincipaL Clarinet. There just isn't anyone who can play significantly *better*--and, he is already there. For me, an absolute no brainer.
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Author: Ryan25
Date: 2011-01-27 15:57
No way of knowing what is going on. Doubt it is Muti because he was not the conductor when this process started.
I think it is safe to say that they have heard just about every player there is to hear in the last three years and they need to just pick someone. John Yeh is wonderful as is Greg Smith-either would do a great job and then you can look for a section player which might be an easier position to fill at this point.
I really don't think there is anyone left who has not auditioned-at least of those that are serious about wanting the job. When I auditioned, I was shocked to see the super stars that were in the room warming up all around me or who had just finished. Friends of mine that also auditioned had the same experience on the days that they played. Big name, accomplished players in every group.
Just pick someone already![[right]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie8.gif)
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Author: donald
Date: 2011-01-27 19:39
I mean, at this rate maybe i WILL audition, when Mutti told me he wanted me for the job i didn't think he was THIS SERIOUS....
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Author: kdk
Date: 2011-01-27 20:50
Out of curiosity, who HAS been playing principal since Combs's retirement?
Karl
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2011-01-28 01:58
It may not be Mutti it could be the audition committee, the same thing may be true in NY. If it's anything like here in Baltimore the conductor has to have several committee members agree with his/her decision. Here in Baltimore they needs at least two others to agree with the conductors decision, it may be more or less in those orchestras. There are many reasons that committee members may not want someone. Blending, intonation, personality, tone, the list goes on. It would be interesting to know if it is Mutti or members of the committee. Greg Smith in on this board but he may not be at liberty to say, or doesn't want to. I could understand that if that's the case. Don't always blame the conductor, though they are usually at fault. ESP
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Author: Steve Hartman
Date: 2011-01-28 04:53
John Bruce Yeh has been Acting Principal for quite a while now. I would conservatively guess three seasons. I think that he should be named "Acting Principal for Life"
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Author: kdk
Date: 2011-01-28 11:28
Yes, that's what it says on their website (just Acting, not Acting for Life, LOL). But it would be very untypical of a major symphony that he's playing all of the 1st parts.
The website only lists three players - John Bruce Yeh, Greg Smith and J. Lawrie Bloom. Is Greg Smith playing "Acting Associate" with a sub playing second? Is Greg Smith's official (contractual) position 2nd clarinet? Is Lawrie Bloom playing second more than he otherwise would? I'm curious about how they've covered parts for the last three years with only 3 players under contract.
Karl
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2011-01-28 16:53
They may also be doing what NY has been doing for several years, bringing in "guests" from time to time to play principal for a week or two while having the ass. play acting principal and the second play ass. principal. Maybe someone in Chicago that attends the concerts can tell us. It's really hard to believe that no one else other than Ricardo Morales, as great a player he is, is not good enough to be chosen for these positions. It's a shame. ESP
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Author: grenadilla428
Date: 2011-01-28 18:36
The question that comes to my mind is this:
If Mr. Yeh, Mr. Smith, and Mr. Bloom are all on the roster, it is unlikely that the orchestra frequently has to hire in a sub. So, is it possible that they are taking their sweet time in order to save money? That brings up another question: how much does a process like this cost?
I agree with Ed's last comment, that it's hard to believe no one else is good enough to be chosen for this position. Is there another reason or is this conductor (who has only seen one of the three of these auditions) really just waiting for someone specific?
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Author: stickles
Date: 2011-01-28 18:36
I have been to these CSO concerts here in Chicago. Leppaniemi had two trials with the CSO, one toward the end of the last season, and one at the beginning of this season. But he didn't play for Muti due to Muti's sudden cancellation. Other notable guest principals during this period were Morales, Messina and Nuccio. At the time when Muti was taken ill, I had thought that he might delay his decision for a while simply becuase he was unable to hear both Carbonare and Leppaniemi with CSO. On the other hand, I think Yeh has something different his season, and played with superior sound. As it is now, I will be happy if Yehs get the job.
Post Edited (2011-01-28 18:42)
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Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2011-01-29 05:29
Perhaps some of these symphonies don't want to pay the high salaries, health insurance, retirement, and vacations and the yearly bonus and pay raises.
It would cost much less to have someone great fill in the spot. Lets face it there are a lot of people that can handle a first chair position. Paying them $200 an hour could be much less then paying them $200,000 a year.
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Author: Lelia Loban ★2017
Date: 2011-01-29 14:38
>>Perhaps some of these symphonies don't want to pay the high salaries, health insurance, retirement, and vacations and the yearly bonus and pay raises.
>>
Makes sense, except -- wouldn't the union have gone non-linear by now?
Lelia
http://www.scoreexchange.com/profiles/Lelia_Loban
To hear the audio, click on the "Scorch Plug-In" box above the score.
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Author: luca1
Date: 2011-01-29 14:41
I think you've hit it on the head Bob! I've seen this mindset in many places recently - not least at my own college where I believe I'm the last full-time regular English instructor hired. All further hiring has been contract work only, and it is the medical/pension aspect that the employers really find difficult to swallow....though they always seem to find the extra ducats for another admin person.....
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Author: William
Date: 2011-01-29 16:17
"wouldn't the union have gone non-linear by now?"
FWIW, I think it is only a matter of time before the AFM becomes obsolete. I'm a life member of our local and have seldom been asked for my AFM union card for employment. More often, I've been required to prove my US citizenship for tax purposes--not AFM affliation. The union does negotiate contracts for the local symphony orchestras and has a "scale" of fees for other musical services--gigs, recordings, etc--but they are largely ignored during real contractual negotiations--wedding, parties, etc. Basically, the musicians union is still effective in the larger musical venues, but for most of small-town USA, is non-essential and eventually will disapperar altogether.
BTW, I'm playing a good paying gig tonight that has nothing to do with my AFM union affiliation. I don't even know where my life membership card is....
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Author: kdk
Date: 2011-01-29 16:40
William wrote:
> Basically, the musicians
> union is still effective in the larger musical venues,
But, of course, this *is* a larger musical venue. And in the big, full-time American orchestras the AFM is still a very strong force. I have to agree with your assessment of the union's effectiveness in smaller venues and separate "casual" gigs, but I think if this kind of procrastination for purely economic reasons (whether that's at work in Chicago or not) became in any way widespread, the union would react very strongly.
Karl
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2011-01-29 17:14
The union, in most cities. is as strong as the symphony in that city. Here in Baltimore, if it weren't for us there would probably be no union, we pretty much support it with our dues and our work tax even though there are many other union members. The work tax is the principal supply of income for the union and we are the only ones that work on a regular basis paying the union tax. It used to be that if you didn't belong to the union you couldn't get any work but now there is actually very little union work other than organized contracts which aside from the symphony, are few and far between in cities like Baltimore. It's mostly for classical musicians today and some broadway type shows but it used to be important for clubs, dance halls, etc. that were all union jobs. Very few places have live music today and most of them no longer have to belong to the union to work, It's a sad state bought about by the lack of live music. Rock bands don't join a union, rappers don't join the union and some freelance musicians don't join because there are so few union jobs anymore. What our union does for us is they protect our contract and give us some type of job security, that is we can't be fired on a whim of a conductor like in the "good" old days.
I don't agree that Chicago is not hiring a principal clarinet because it saves them money. That might be true of a section player but not a principal. They wouldn't be having auditions if they didn't want to hire someone. The offered the job to Morales, he turned them down for whatever his reasons where. ESP
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Author: gsurosey
Date: 2011-02-02 18:37
I'd think I died and went to heaven if I ever made it to an audition and landed a job. As long as I had enough money to live on and medical (I really need medical), anything else is bonus points. I'm in 2 community groups now as a regular and I love it!
Rachel
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