Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Used Conn


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Posted by Wade on October 24, 2002 at 16:51:18:

In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Used Conn posted by John on October 24, 2002 at 14:54:21:

Mary Ann and John, you are both right as far as I can see.

It might have something to so with loss of face. It will, if this behavior persists, limit this person's already very slim number of audition opportunities.

Some of the younger folks here fail to realize that this board is not some computer-generated game that can be played from any PC that has access to the Internet; this board is the single largest meeting place to be fully adopted by our community (our "Tuba Pub" so to speak...). MANY people cruise through here on a next-to-daily basis to see what is going on and NEVER post, choosing to be "lurkers" instead. There is no way to know who comes here for sure.

I do know, however, that whenever things have gotten out of hand here in the past, our board has drawn to it a whole bunch of non-regulars that play other instruments. They just came here to see the silly show, laugh at us, and leave.

Some of them have been Personnel Managers that "spy" on us prior to a big audition to see just how certain applicants behave. This is true - I have witnessed this type of behavior in several Personnel Managers that I personally know prior to horn, trumpet and bassoon auditions. They sign up for a mailing list or log on to a BBS and lurk to see if any of their applicants show up and act in any way (good or bad) worth remark.

Symphony Board Members come here to see what is being said by players during strikes and lockouts. This board is a real resource to more than just tuba and euphonium enthusiasts.

Most kids fail to realize that the audition screen comes down during finals for a number of reasons. One of them, while not being a stated "goal" of a committee, is to sniff out candidates that might not fit well into that orchestra's family over the long haul.

Sometimes those little questions asked by a committee during Finals are not to put the candidate at ease; the committee probably does not CARE about the content of the answers given them. In reality, they are looking to see whether or not you are a jerk, plain and simple, because every pool of candidates contains several players that will be suitable for the job musically. If a person proves to be unreliable, a flake, or just a big jerk in an open forum such as this, a few well-placed phone calls can ensure that they do not get invited to the few auditions that do occur. Because truely, a committee is looking for the finest player that they will enjoy working with for the next twenty or so years, not JUST the best player.

When on a committee, you sit, listen, write, and eventually review a few resumes. Your resume has your name right at the top, and having negative connotations attached to it will prompt comments during deliberations. Additionally, a comment from the Personnel Manager about you being a "problem" (based on behavior they witnessed online or via an email list that could classify you as being argumentative, foul-mouthed, or otherwise unprofessional) just prior to you entering the room to play can go a LONG way in influencing decisions. While this is not how things are SUPPOSED to work, it is "the way it is" in a number of orchestras. Your reputation as a player is important, but your reputation as a person follows (or preceeds) you for a long time, too.

Wade "I've been 'hoist on my own petard' by my words in the past a few times myself" Rackley




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