- In this day and age the issue of about screens
really varies a lot orchestra on orchestra,
because I've sat in on some final auditions
with a few of the professional orchestras
that I'm involved with, where even the finals were screened.
They might have a rule,
the union might have a rule of one member of the committee
wishes to have the screen up used,
that even if the conductor wants no screen,
the screen is used.
But I would say, regardless if there's a screen or not,
that if you're fortunate through your excellent playing
in that day or two days to make it to the final round,
please be dressed respectfully and accordingly.
And why should that matter?
I think it is one of the many ways
in which you present yourself on a first impression.
So on the ridiculous side is,
the screen comes down and you're sitting there in shorts,
sandals with your baseball hat on backwards.
I think it sends a certain kind of signal,
even if you play great.
And maybe that's a bit old school
but I think that's part of it.
Also if the screen is down
how you respond to the comments asked by the committee
or the conductor to do something differently.
You want to understand the instructions, and once you do,
be so enthused, honorably enthused in your effort
to try to do it.
I think also in this day and age it's not unusual
with the screen down and as part of the audition
for there to be some subtle conversation
that I know I and other conductor colleagues of mine
like to have with the final two or three applicants
just to see frankly a little bit of insight
into the kind of communicator they are,
nothing profound but just Is this the kind of person
that the other people the orchestra can live with?
Because it's two different things about winning a job,
keeping a job, and the latter of keeping the job
has certain subtleties to it
some of which don't have to do with how well you play.
Some of it has to do with
frankly the kind of person you are,
how flexible you are, how you come to work in the morning,
if you've shaved, if you've brushed your teeth,
if you smell good, these are issues
no one wants to sit next to a smelly person.
And I mean that both literally
and in the sense figuratively.
And the finals is a good opportunity to present yourself,
I'm not saying you have to have a jacket and tie on
or a long dress
but you know you wanna respect the situation.