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Double Bass Double Bass Audition Winners

[However, why is it that the principal bass of Dallas, Nicolas Tsolainos, made his way to the recent Boston Symphony SECTION audition? He would have recieved about a 30 grand paycut, on top of a lower position in the orchestra.

The base pay at Dallas is $74,100 and $99,580 in Boston so I'm really not sure what you mean.

[What this shows is that it is about the opportunity to play in a "better" orchestra, not so about a higher paycheck;

Well I'm quite sure that playing in the better orchestra is very important factor. However, I think it would be naive to think that a drastic cut in pay wouldn't also be a major consideration. These talented, and hard working musicians, all have wives, kids, families that depend on them. And I think, based on my discussions with symphony level musicians, that money and standard of life does play an important part in the decision making process. My point was really that SF may be looking to 'steal' someone from another major symphony, situated in a city that provides a better standard of living. As an example, Cleveland, has a base salary of $96,460 according to my information and I'm quite sure that a salary of that level, in that city would provide a far more comfortable standard of living that $97,500 in SF. In other words, perhaps SF may be unrealistic. Of course, this is only a theory on my part. But I do think money plays an important part in the decision making process. All important? Probably not but very important for sure.
 
pedro said:
Well I'm quite sure that playing in the better orchestra is very important factor. However, I think it would be naive to think that a drastic cut in pay wouldn't also be a major consideration. These talented, and hard working musicians, all have wives, kids, families that depend on them. And I think, based on my discussions with symphony level musicians, that money and standard of life does play an important part in the decision making process. My point was really that SF may be looking to 'steal' someone from another major symphony, situated in a city that provides a better standard of living. As an example, Cleveland, has a base salary of $96,460 according to my information and I'm quite sure that a salary of that level, in that city would provide a far more comfortable standard of living that $97,500 in SF. In other words, perhaps SF may be unrealistic. Of course, this is only a theory on my part. But I do think money plays an important part in the decision making process. All important? Probably not but very important for sure.

I'm pretty sure Cleveland was over $100k for '03-'04. Got that from Donald Rosenberg's Book on the Orchestra Published the prior year.
 
There are many reasons why people do what they do. When I graduated Curtis in 91 my goal was to get a gig by the time I was 25 or I was headed for UPS. Well what happenned..I was asst principal in the Oslo Philharmonic when I was 25. BUT I had two other jobs before that and each one was better paid than the other as well as a higher position. Solobass in Spain than co principal in Stavanger Norway than section in Oslo (I won the assst principal a year later) All the gigs were paid less and less. Why did I go? I don't know, I got tired of Spain and Stavanger was great but someone told me I should audition for Oslo. Now it has been 9 years and I have it great here but am considering moving to the states. Why, a change. A longing for the familiar .. New start in a new place. So pondering why people go to other auditions for me is a moot subject. My feeling is why not. It is a great way to get your chops up. A way to be reconfirmed that you are worthy and competition can be fun especially if you have nothing to lose.
I last took the Cleveland audition in 2002. I knew eric harris would win it. My 5 minutes was great and fun. I learned a lot about myself in the process. I don't get so many chances to play the Dittersdorf concerto and my training has me conditioned to audition...So I'm sure I will do more just for fun.
Soryy so long
G-force
 
here is an update up of all the auditions I've tracked. If you
can add or correct details, please do. I haven't got everything, but I've kept track of most major orchestra job openings....:

-1997:
Minnesota Orchestra: no winner
-1998:
Cincinntai Symhpony: Boris Astafiev (Columbus Sym)
Oregon Symphony: Jason Schooler (Cincinnati Conservatory of Music)
Minnesota Orchestra: Matthew Frischman (Curtis Institute)
Utah Symphony, Asst. Principal: Student of principal won
-1999
Los Angeles Philharmonic: David Moore (Houston Sym)
Louisville Orchestra: Kingsley Wood (Peabody Conservatory)
Houston Symphony: Ali Yazdanfar (Peabody, Rice)
New York Philharmonic: David Grossman (Student of principal/Juiliard)
Colorado Symphony: Jonathan Burnstein (Rice U.)
Charleston Symphony, Principal: Charles Barr (Curtis)
National Symphony: Ali Yazdanfar (Houston sym.)
New Mexico Symphony: Kathy Olszowka (Indiana University)
San Antonio Symphony: Zlatan Redzic (I.U.)
-2000
Kansas City Symphony, 1-year spot: Ju-Fang Liu (I.U.)
President's Own Marine Band: Eric Sabo (Arizona State U.)
Seattle Symphony: Jonathan Burnstein (Rice, Colorado Sym.)
Buffalo Philharmonic: Edmond Gnekow (I.U.)
Tulsa Phil, principal: Dan Johnson (Iowa?)
Dallas Symphony, principal: no winner?
Columbus Symphony: Jena Huebner (Peabody)
Houston Symphony: Burke Shaw
Cleveland Orchestra: Charles Carleton (Juilliard/Curtis)
San Francisco Sym., principal: Ali Yazdanfar (not retained?@#$!)
-2001
Metropolitan Opera Orchestra: Kingsley Wood (Peabody, Louisville Orchestra)
Alabama Symphony: Long Luo (Juilliard)
Oregon Symphony: no winner (for 2 spots!)
Florida Philharmonic, principal: Shigeru Ishikawa (member of section )
Louisville Orchestra: Karl Olsen (I.U.)
Cleveland Orchestra: Eric Harris (principal St Louis) won, then left for SanFran;
the runnerup Charles Barr (Curtis), got the job.
Montreal Sym., principal: Ali Yazdanfar (now going back to National)
-2002
Charleston Symphony, principal: Scott Pingle (Manhattan)
National Symphony: cancelled; they welcome Ali Yazdanfar back
Baltimore Symphony: Mark Huang (Nashville Symphony)
Oregon Symphony: Paul DeNola (I.U., U.S.C.)
San Francisco Sym., principal: Eric Harris (not retained?!@#!?)
-2003
Indianapolis Sym., principal: Ju-Fang Liu (I.U.)
Boston Symphony: Ben Levy (Rice U., New England Conservatory)
Calgary Philharmonic: Jeff White (I.U.)
Grant Park Orchestra: Andy Anderson (I.U.)
Nashville Symphony, principal: Joel Reist (member of section)
resulting section spot was offered to runner-up, Ryan Kamm (I.U., Boston)
Louisianna Philharmonic: Colin Corner (I.U.)
Naples Philharmonic: Matt Medlock (Boston, Rice)
New York Philharmonic: Satoshi Okamoto (San Antonio, Juilliard; student of principal)
Louisville Orchestra, principal: CANCELLED!@#$!
San Francisco Sym., principal: Hired noone again!@#$??
San Diego, Principal and Asst.Principal: Jeremy Kurtz, principal(Curtis, Rice), Susan Wulff, Asst. (member of section)
-2004:
San Fransisco, Principal, YET AGAIN!:Scott Pingel, on a Trial Year? Ira Gold, runner-up
Detroit Symphony, Principal: They opted not to hire anyone...?!
San Antonio Symphony, Asst. Principal: Doug Balliet (Harvard)
Louisville Orchestra, Principal: Burt Witner (SP?) (Curtis Institute)

Coming Soon! St Louis and the Metropolitan Opera!
 
Someone recently posted that it's getting more difficult to get invited to audition unless one has a master's in bass. Anyone have more info on this? I understand things have only gotten more competitive, more people are staying in school longer, and it makes sense for orchestras to be more selective.

Do you think really good players are getting passed up in favor of degreed applicants? Or are the good players doing what it takes to get the degree so they don't miss out on opportunities?

Is this a broad enough trend to justify going back to school for a master's before embarking on a fulltime job search?

Also, is it possible that only having experience in a ROPA organization could make it difficult to get invited to audition for ICSOM orchestras? Have any of you heard that it's difficult to make that jump? I have no information at all that it is, or is not, other than the experience of one friend for whom this may be a factor. The friend does not know either. We just wondered if it was a possibility.
 
I don't know about that - I think it would be somethign that completely depends on what orchestra is auditioning.

Case in point - there were sophomores from IU auditioning in Detroit last year (one advanced), but sometimes pHd candidates don't get invited to auditions in Louisville.

I think a lot of it has to do with that orchestras intentions and thoughts about auditioning - some orchestras don't really know what it is they want but are obsessed with credentials, and others are open to seeing what is out there, but know what type of player they want. Sometimes, Orchestras are looking for experienced players who have subbed in a bigtime gig - others will accept everyone's resume but after that its dancing on eggshells.

Fort Worth made a lot of good players send tapes last year, and it seemed largely contingent on how much ICSOM experiences they had, more than any other factor. Go figure.

I've got a MM so I guess I'm in the clear either way, but I would never choose to not send a resume because I thought the orchestra wasn't going to invite me on the basis of my academic credentials.
 
prelims222 said:
Fort Worth made a lot of good players send tapes last year, and it seemed largely contingent on how much ICSOM experiences they had, more than any other factor. Go figure.

Ha! It was my friend's resume not qualifying her for the Fort Worth auditions (on viola) that raised the issue. Seemed like she has a great resume, with a master's and several major festivals in addition to years of professional orchestra experience. Everything but a contract with ICSOM orchestra, although she did sub with two, each for a whole season at a time.

Any idea what would make an employer hesitant to feel that someone without ISCOM experience could do the job? I know we are mostly talking about one employer's preference, which could be for any reason. But is there generally a difference in the repertoire or something else, between ISCOM orchestras and other organizations?