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Double Bass Double Bass Audition Winners

#341
Calvin Marks said:
What's so wrong with that??

It's not like this stuff doesn't go on...The fact is these bassists got to the final round BEHIND a screen, so it really has nothing to do with Levinson spotting his own students...Even if he somehow could...which he can't; doesn't it make sense that a principal would want a player that is familiar with his style of playing??
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Of course a teacher can tell his/her student that he/she has been working with for years.



"
I am sick and tired of everybody on this forum saying that these musicians do not deserve to be in the finals because they are Levinson students, or that they are fed up with the politics. It is not unheard of for students of the principal to win the audition. The Philadelphia orchestra holds a long tradition of accepting Curtis students, and the Boston Symphony has long accepted students from NEC and other Boston area schools. This is going to happen with any orchestra where there is a major conservatory in the same city"

You're sick of everyone calling politics, so you cited more examples of where it happens??


"Every orchestra has a specific playing style, and when a student studies in that city, with players who play in the orchestra, and listens to the orchestra every week of their school tenure, they are going to have an advantage. It's not politics, and it is fair."

Some of the participants that traveled a long way to the auditions might just disagree with that last part.


"I encourage everybody to keep their comments to themselves from now on about this matter."

well look at you! All tellin' us what to say! People will look the other way and pretend that it doesn't happen. Yes, it happens everywhere and not just auditions. Yes, it will continue to happen. Yes, the finalists are most often very good players that are quite capable of the position but do NOT for one second claim that the process is even close to being "fair".
 
#343
hamata said:
Of course a teacher can tell his/her student that he/she has been working with for years.



"
I am sick and tired of everybody on this forum saying that these musicians do not deserve to be in the finals because they are Levinson students, or that they are fed up with the politics. It is not unheard of for students of the principal to win the audition. The Philadelphia orchestra holds a long tradition of accepting Curtis students, and the Boston Symphony has long accepted students from NEC and other Boston area schools. This is going to happen with any orchestra where there is a major conservatory in the same city"

You're sick of everyone calling politics, so you cited more examples of where it happens??


"Every orchestra has a specific playing style, and when a student studies in that city, with players who play in the orchestra, and listens to the orchestra every week of their school tenure, they are going to have an advantage. It's not politics, and it is fair."

Some of the participants that traveled a long way to the auditions might just disagree with that last part.


"I encourage everybody to keep their comments to themselves from now on about this matter."

well look at you! All tellin' us what to say! People will look the other way and pretend that it doesn't happen. Yes, it happens everywhere and not just auditions. Yes, it will continue to happen. Yes, the finalists are most often very good players that are quite capable of the position but do NOT for one second claim that the process is even close to being "fair".
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If you have a complaint about the way an audition is being run, or the outcome of the audition, if you even took the audition, you can call ath AFM Symphony Audition Complaint Hotline at (719) 520-3288 and speak to a AFM representative about it.

If you are upset with the way that the auditions have been turning out, and feel that the outcome is unfair, and the winners had an unfair advantage because they were on the sub list, or students of the teachers, then I suggest that you audition for the sub list of that orchestra the next time it comes around, or that you get in touch with whichever teacher or principal it is you think gave these players an advantage, and have some lessons with them. Most of these teachers are more than willing to give bass players lessons, even strangers from out of town.

If not, I would say it is in your best interest to keep your thoughts to yourself.
 
#347
There are three people in the finals for the Indianapolis Symphony -

Colin Corner, who is from Indianapolis originally, an IU grad, and recently won the principal spot in the Rochester Philharmonic after playing for a year in the Louisiana Philharmonic, a year in the Vancouver Symphony, and two years in the Minnesota Orchestra.

Brian Smith, an Indianapolis freelancer and a grad of Peabody and studied with Hal in Philadelphia

and someone named Matt ---- - I don't know anything about him.

I believe that the finals are tomorrow. Good luck to all three of these guys!
 
#348
sibass89 said:
As a former Levinson student, and someone who personally knows three of the finalists, let me just vouch for them, and there abilities.

I encourage everybody to keep their comments to themselves from now on about this matter. Mr. Levinson is a well respected player and teacher, and the NY Phil is a well respected orchestra. The auditions are fair. Any of the players in the finals deserve that job and have worked and studied bass for many years leading up to this audition. Let the system work and congratulate whomever wins the audition, Levinson student or not.
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That's great that you studied with Levinson for a year in high school (or was it mostly with his teaching assistant?), but that doesn't mean you are less clueless as anyone else in this thread about what really goes on in auditions at the Philharmonic.

Furthermore, have you even taken an orchestral audition before? It's easy to say these things when you have no experiences playing against bassists in auditions that know exactly what the panel wants to hear because they've been studying with a member of the orchestra. Of course this is not unfair, but it is incredibly frustrating to people who make expensive, time consuming trips to take auditions when they don't have a chance of fitting in.
 
#350
Douglas.Nestler said:
There are three people in the finals for the Indianapolis Symphony -

Colin Corner, who is from Indianapolis originally, an IU grad, and recently won the principal spot in the Rochester Philharmonic after playing for a year in the Louisiana Philharmonic, a year in the Vancouver Symphony, and two years in the Minnesota Orchestra.

Brian Smith, an Indianapolis freelancer and a grad of Peabody and studied with Hal in Philadelphia

and someone named Matt ---- - I don't know anything about him.

I believe that the finals are tomorrow. Good luck to all three of these guys!
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could that be matt palmer? i heard him play through his audition stuff for indianapolis about a week ago, and knew he had a fighting chance there
 
#353
showbusiness said:
That's great that you studied with Levinson for a year in high school (or was it mostly with his teaching assistant?), but that doesn't mean you are less clueless as anyone else in this thread about what really goes on in auditions at the Philharmonic.

Furthermore, have you even taken an orchestral audition before? It's easy to say these things when you have no experiences playing against bassists in auditions that know exactly what the panel wants to hear because they've been studying with a member of the orchestra. Of course this is not unfair, but it is incredibly frustrating to people who make expensive, time consuming trips to take auditions when they don't have a chance of fitting in.
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Showbusiness -

Yes I studied with Levinson, and not mostly with his teaching assistant, although Joel was also one of my teachers and a great friend. And Yes, I have taken an audition (although only 1 as I am still young) before and I know how costly and discouraging than can be. I was just trying to make the point that it is not just the NY Phil, it is just about every orchestra. This is the unfortunate part of the audition process, but like bwitzel said, complaining about it on a public forum where newcomers find their information and get their first impressions is not only pointless, but just wrong. Please, let's leave this thread to what it is supposed to be (the audition winners) and if anybody who took these auditions has a complaint - call the AMF. Let's at least try to act like professionals from now on.
 
#356
Go on with your bad self brian,i knew you had it in you.
Thank god somebody IS hiring,unlike some orchestra in the " big apple " and another one that has gone on for 5 years.

Good job indy!!
Go brian go Brian go brian!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BTW,what kind of strings did brian use to achieve victory in indy????
 
#358
sibass89 said:
Showbusiness -

I was just trying to make the point that it is not just the NY Phil, it is just about every orchestra... Let's at least try to act like professionals from now on.
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I don't feel the need to put on a show and "act" in any manner because I actually know what goes on at certain auditions, including the New York Philharmonic in detail, which paints a different picture that one would arrive at from the general speculations that you and other posters have made. What IS unprofessional is both spreading this information around, either by word of mouth or on the internet (something I will not do in the name of "professionalism"), and pretending that you have a say in matters that you do not from hearsay you might have picked up from distant sources. There's no need to jump in and pretend you're an expert at this point in the game. But yes, if by tell me to act like a professional you mean you want me to stop side-tracking this thread, that is what I will do from now on.
 
#359
SUNBA said:
I mean have you ever heard of bassist talk bad about the met and their audition process????????????????????????
I don't think so!!
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The Met audition process is the fairest, bar none. It is un-riggable. Totally blind, no conversation is permitted, and the conductor's vote is unweighted. Told to me by a principal (not bass) and member of the audition committee.
 

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