To admit that, means we have to admit we have to bite the bullet and accept two things:
1) We are better than some players 2) Some players are much better than we are I find that there is a lot of camping on orchestra positions simply because it's a hard thing to get (with or without an audition) - including first call sub. Let's face it, just because you have been a particular chair in a particular orchestra for 20 years does not make you the best player in the area. There could be people who move into the area who play better than you do. There could be people who have lived in the area and who play better than you but don't stick their name out on any list. An audition for a chair doesn't mean that they select the best person for the job either. It's just the person they thought played the best that particular day. Past reputation doesn't go into it. They don't hear your last recital. They don't pop in your CD if you have one. They just select someone who they liked that day who was qualified for the position. There also could have been many who were qualified as well, but they could only select one. That chair also may have a standard, but let's face it, 95% of what Horn players play is not that difficult. If you don't believe me, think of how many actually challenging pieces you have to do within a given season. They are few and far between and peppered between staples and things most Horn players have done dozens if not a hundred times. With all but the top orchestras, the bar is reachable by more people than you think. If not, then how many mediocre subs keep getting calls to sub again? If not, then how come there are many mediocre players who have sat in the same chair for decades? I'll tell you why. It's seniority - coupled with the unwillingness to let go of a job that's incredibly difficult to get. How many of us would let go of a winning lottery ticket? How many of us would willingly allow a re-audition of their own chair? Granted, in real jobs you don't have to re-apply for your own position - but you do have to face re-evaluations every now and then. Plus, there are more job opportunities outside of music than there are within. -William -----Original Message----- From: Larry Jellison <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Fri, May 21, 2010 6:49 pm Subject: Re: [Hornlist] Alternative to auditions in an amatuer setting Valerie touches on an important issue regarding the seating in amateur orchestras. There is a natural tension between the re-seating of musicians based on performance as against maintaining the "old guard" in their tenured positions. Those of you in the "old guard" of an ensemble (Hans! are you there?) of course enjoy your vested and favored position. Do you think about how those sitting in lower seats, who may play better, how they feel, or how better the ensemble would sound with a better principal? Sometimes I have worked my way up to a principal position, but I maintained the attitude that I will only hold that seat as long as I am the best horn player, and when a new horn player shows up that can play better and has established loyalty and demonstrates reliability, then I will volunteer my seat to him. I know this isn't the way amateur groups generally run, but they would perform better if more amateur musicians had my attitude. Yes, maybe it was awkward for Valerie from a tenure-vulnerable position to ask to share in the prinicipal role. But if she is the better player, the ensemble will benefit from her request. I was in an ensemble recently where I told the director in strong terms that he needed to replace the principal horn; the director took my advice and did so, (and no, I didn't ask to be principal since we had another horn capable of doing the job). Now the horn section sounds much better. Regards, Larry _______________________________________________ post: [email protected] unsubscribe or set options at https://pegasus.memphis.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/options/horn/valkhorn%40aol.com _______________________________________________ post: [email protected] unsubscribe or set options at https://pegasus.memphis.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/options/horn/archive%40jab.org
