 The Doublers BBoard
|
Author: oboesax
Date: 2011-12-03 03:57
Because you're very talented, you have an interesting dilemma. Before I read your post, I had no idea that there were people capable of auditioning for orchestras on more than one instrument and placing as high as runner up!. I listened to your oboe playing and you certainly sound like an oboe player.
Regarding your comment about orchestras hiring older oboe players, it may be a trend or it may be what you've observed with your own auditions. My daughter's teacher (the principal oboe player) is your age. The orchestra just hired an assistant principal oboe who just got out of school and is even younger than the principal.
Perhaps every generation thinks that auditions are getting harder, that more musicians are staying in the orchestra and that there are fewer jobs. i know that my brother 30 years ago used to say that. There was a trend then to start hiring more women, so it seemed to him that every time he got runner-up it was a woman who beat him. Yet, male oboe players were also being hired. But I think you are correct that it is harder today due to the economy and other factors you mentioned.
Will more practicing get you the job instead of runner up? Maybe. I tend to think that the few that end up in the final 3 or so have all passed the qualification tests, and that other factors are considered. My brother got runner up so many times in the top US orchestra auditions that we figured the orchestras either didn't like his personality, or thought he was too much of a soloist. Would he have gotten one of those jobs had he practiced more? I don't think so. He was obviously good enough to get them, or he wouldn't have been runner up so many times. In your case though, you would have more time to practice oboe if you dropped your other instruments.
I think it's interesting that you don't tell teachers giving you a lesson that you play other instruments. We learned this "lesson" as well. About 6 months ago we were looking for a new oboe teacher, and went to the principal oboe in the local opera orchestra. My daughter didn't tell him about the saxophone until the 2nd or 3rd lesson. he was stunned and finally said he couldn't tell at all. But he kept talking about it at the lessons, which was annoying, so my daughter didn't continue studying with him. And several of the instructors in her youth orchestra gave her a really hard time last year when she auditioned on both oboe and bassoon.
Maybe you can get a job in a European orchestra?
|
|
|
Joseph Tomasso |
2011-11-30 05:19 |
|
oboesax |
2011-12-01 14:01 |
|
Joseph Tomasso |
2011-12-02 18:38 |
   |
Re: Switching main instruments new |
|
oboesax |
2011-12-03 03:57 |
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
