According to the Milwaukee website, Zach Cohen was the winner of the Principal Bass position last month. Congratulations Zach!:hyper: [URL="http://www.milwaukeesymphony.org/meetperformers/musicians/view.asp?id=40062366"]

I don't know about the website but Kristen Bruya has a trial for principal in the next few weeks. So maybe this is a little premature?

Hey but what about Andy raciti, the other guy who "won"???

If he didn't win, then why is his biography on their website?

Andy "won" the audition, Kristen was named "runner-up" so why would Zach suddenly be principal?? and the "winner"?? this is weird...... but what's new!!!??

KDC, I dont think Andy "won" the audition.

I know Zach was automatically in the finals, but all I know is what the website says in his bio which is "In February of 2006, Zachary won the position of Principal Bass. " That sounds pretty final to me.

I know a guy who knows a guy in the section that said that Andy Raciti won the audition but was a jerk about it and it somehow got back to someone in the section that he thought the whole orchestra, especially the bass section, was terrible. So after that they decided to just give Zach the principal spot. It's alright though, Andy already has a job.

Well, that sounds credible.

If it weren't for gossip, I don't think this forum would be worth two spits in a bucket.

I know a guy who knows a guy in the section that said that Andy Raciti won the audition but was a jerk about it and it somehow got back to someone in the section that he thought the whole orchestra, especially the bass section, was terrible. So after that they decided to just give Zach the principal spot. It's alright though, Andy already has a job.

These are very strong things to say....I have e friend in Sydney SO where Andy works so he will be seeing this. I hope your sources are ready....

know a guy who knows a guy in the section that said that Andy Raciti won the audition but was a jerk about it and it somehow got back to someone in the section that he thought the whole orchestra, especially the bass section, was terrible. So after that they decided to just give Zach the principal spot.

These are very strong things to say....I have e friend in Sydney SO where Andy works so he will be seeing this. I hope your sources are ready....


Agreed.

I know a guy who knows a guy who thinks that anonymous "screen name" posters who post things like the first quote are basically trolls looking to stir the pot. Please prove "him" wrong.

I didn't mean to add to the ridiculousness of it all. I have been trying to attempt to contact my friend steve Larson who is in the section in Sydney to see if he can shed some light on this. I believe Mr raciti is still in the USA.
My point trying to be that the gossip spreading in this thread has been way too much to be taken seriously.

I still think the things said about Raciti were way out of line regardless of the truth. It should be kept quiet. Lord know I love gossip but this is not the place for it. At least in this manner.
I see way too many people here who seem to think that because someone neglected to say " do you swear on your mothers grave , stick a needle in your eye... don't tell anyone"
that it gives cate blanche to spread this online without their approval.
It really shows non professional habits at an early stage.

Come on ! Prove me wrong

Hey everyone,

this is what their website says now:
**********************************************
Basses
Zachary Cohen, Principal Bass, (Donald B. Abert Bass Chair)
Rip Prétat, Acting Assistant Principal Bass
Laura Snyder
Maurice Wininsky
Catherine McGinn
Scott Kreger
Roger Ruggeri
**********************************************

Why not wait for their announcement before further dissecting and mutilating a bunch of conjecture?

Hey everyone,

this is what their website says now:
**********************************************
Basses
Zachary Cohen, Principal Bass, (Donald B. Abert Bass Chair)
Rip Prétat, Acting Assistant Principal Bass
Laura Snyder
Maurice Wininsky
Catherine McGinn
Scott Kreger
Roger Ruggeri
**********************************************

Why not wait for their announcement before further dissecting and mutilating a bunch of conjecture?

+1
All this speculation really doesn't serve any purpose. I really have to question why highschool kids even concern themselves with this gossip and as for the anonymous donors to this thread and a few others, why don't you grow a pair.

G-force; kpo; and bierbass are all totally right - everyone needs to realize that EVERYONE reads this site and when you post things that are speculative and gossipy that can damage another players reputation that is incredibly irresponsible!!!
In Milwaukee Kristin Bruya is on trial for the assistant spot and maybe they will trial andy for that spot too (so spreading such defamatory rumors is very dangerous as he may still be being considered!!! - luckily I'm sure the bass section in Milwuakee is probably way to sensible to take anything written here as gopsel, but still!!).
and as kpo said we just need to wait - we'll all know when we know!!

I still don't understand why one guy's biography would be on the official website if he didn't actually win the audition.

This is the first and only time I will post on this website. I see my name has featured prominently here in the last few days. My comments are intended for all, but in particular to "MasterBass", who at age 17 may not understand the impact that spreading false rumors can cause.
One of the great characteristics of many bassists, and one that as a group seperates us from many other instrumentalists, is is the trait of being supportive of others who have chosen the same vocation. There is no need to anonymously trash the names of people you have never met. By writing these things about me, you are altering others' perceptions of me with very little information at your disposal. Suffice it to say that if you met me you would realize that I am actually a nice guy. The notion that I would "act like a jerk" and trash an orchestra and it's bassists is simply laughable. Even without knowing me as a person, this concept fails the simple test of logic.
In my opinion, I think it would be kind to remember that these are real people that you are blogging about, not just names in the grapevine.
Andrew Raciti

Thanks for saying that.

I've been pretty unimpressed with this forum's lack of restraint when passing around unnecessary gossip. This isn't the first time where something untrue was said about a professional on here and it got back to them. Far more people read this forum than contribute. There ought to be some guidelines on how gossip is dealt with on here.

I think it is very interesting that all I am doing it telling people what I heard and they take it as gospel. Everyone else gets on here and says what they have heard about auditions, so I just do the same. Whether it's true or not, who knows, but I just wanted to let everyone else know what I had heard. So, I wasn't make a personal attack on Mr. Raciti, simply saying what I had heard.

No. Everyone else on here is curious about who's winning auditions and what the facts are. You, on the other hand, are spreading anonymous rumors about people that are hurtful and untrue.

I am so dissappointed that "masterbass" did not see fit to apologise to Andy. I know you claim to just be posting what you heard but what you heard was incorrect and was a slur on Andy's character and he is still on trial for that orchestra! This is not school yard gossip but peoples' lives!!!
The point we are trying to let you know is that you were irresponsible in posting what you did and that it could have an effect on someone who is trying to get a new job - that's there life, salary, professional career. The mature thing would be to only post things which are not going to incurr negative effects on any other person - whether they be things you "heard" or even know for fact!!
You will find out once you are out of college and on the audition scene that this whole process is hard enough without having additional rumors to contend with. Its a far better thing to supportive of your fellow bass players.
This is why everyone is so upset at you - you are 17 so we realise you are young but please please learn from this and apoligise to Andy.

This is the first and only time I will post on this website. I see my name has featured prominently here in the last few days.I appreciate your response to the personal slander that has been posted here. If it's not to late I'd like to extend a message of welcome.

Since you have taken the time to register I'd like to invite you to take part in our discussions. I appreciate the input and experiences of professional orchestral players. There are few who can perform at that level and feed their family doing it. Your opinions about your work, your studies, your habits and your tools are very helpful to your peers and those aspiring to do what you do. If you look around many of the topics discussed here you can sense a growing body of knowledge that can be of great use to all who study and perform on this instrument regardless of musical style or venue.

As you alluded to bassists are an unusual group. We do have tremendous propensity for mutually beneficial networking that is sometimes missing from other musicians. If you have the time and inclination and can look past the childish inappropriateness of others there is great mutual benefit in the conversations we have here. I invite and encourage your future participation.

Well, sorry andy, didn't mean to be mean to you or anything. I just thought people would use common sense and see that I was just posting what I heard through the grapevine.

Maybe next time you could use some common sense to see what you were saying was extremely negative and slanderous. Once someone is branded with that kind of reputation, it's very hard to rid oneself of it.
Unless you know something as fact, as opposed to repeating something that you haven't even stopped to think if it could be damaging or not, you really shouldn't repeat it. Or at least tone it down a little. You were smart enough to keep yourself anonymous.

Masterbass, I think it would also be appropriate to apologize to both Volkan Orhan and Ben Jensen for your posts. That also was absurd and completely uncalled for. Furthermore, that rumor was a complete hoax. You were asked multiple times where you got this rumor and wouldn't fess up because likely there is no validity behind it. I would strongly urge you to keep out of this gossip in the future. It does nothing but irritate people who are involved in auditions as well as possibly tarnish the reputations of both possible candidates and in the case of Detroit, strongly damage the image of the Detroit Symphony. For that matter, you should also apologize on here for your comments about the DSO's actions.

Ok people.
I'm closing this thread now.
Masterbass will left us for a few days.
I hope he takes the opportunity to grow older a bit.
My apologies to Andrew Raciti.

Best regards,
François
TB mod

Ok people.
I'm closing this thread now.
Masterbass will left us for a few days.
I hope he takes the opportunity to grow older a bit.
My apologies to Andrew Raciti.

Best regards,
François
TB mod

Agreed.

Folks, in the future, it would be a lot more honest to stand behind what you post by using your name. If you're not willing to do that, at least fill in your profiles. I have zero respect for people who post controversial statements behind the blanket of anonymity. If you choose to remain anonymous, realize that anything controversial you choose to post will immediately be under the magnifying glass of the moderators.