After a well run audition at Fort Collins, I received my comments in the mail. Frankly, it was refreshing to receive comments from an orchestra, as it seems to have fallen out of favor recently. As an aspiring orchestral musician, it is quite helpful to hear from the committee what they thought I did well or poorly. I understand that auditioning is a grueling process for a committee, and I can't wait until I'm on the other side of the screen to better understand the process. Unfortunately, I received this on the back of one of my sheets, from a round which, for the record, I passed on from. This is not sour grapes; I am fully aware of my strengths and weaknesses. This is for all committee members on any audition to see. We, the auditionees, are watching. We are hyper-aware of your judgement and, as we have spent time, money and energy taking ANY audition, expect the same respect and professionalism from a committee that we take into the audition. This is not professional or respectful.

LOL!

Frankly I think this is hysterical. I have written this kind of thing to myself often while listening to auditions, and I would guess a lot of us have -- HOWEVER, I keep those comments on a separate page in my notebook, and take care not to let anyone see it who shouldn't.

Every so often, especially in an orchestra that doesn't use screening CD's, you will hear someone behind the screen who would be hard-pressed to earn a II+ at Solo & Ensemble. If you're writing comments to them, you tell them constructive things about working on their tone, rhythm, phrasing, technique and excerpts. If you're talking to yourself, you draw little pictures of hanged men. (And by "you" I mean me.)

Funny, BBodden, when I made finals in your orchestra, your personnel manager was wise enough not to include any disparaging remarks in the comments she gave me.

Flutephobia, I agree, I think that is incredibly disrespectful. Perhaps the committee member didn't realize it was on the back of the comment sheet; maybe they thought they were doodling on their own paper. I don't know. I do think sometimes that committee members have been orchestra members for so long they forget what the audition process is like, how much time, money, and effort it takes from us. I didn't go to this audition b/c I couldn't justify to myself a $400 plane ticket for a job that paid very little, even if it WAS in colorado and a JOB, although now that it's over I do wish I had gone and tried. Any idea who the winner was?? I'd love to hear more about the audition, what they asked in first and second rounds, were you on a stage, in a small room, how many people were there, etc. Would you mind elaborating on your experience?

Not to make any excuses whatsoever for the game/doodle that was on the back of your comment form, but after you've heard a few auditions, it's very hard to not do things like this. It was unprofessional for this to have ended up on the back of an official document, but it's pretty tame compared to some stuff I've seen. BBodden has a point - if you don't screen resumes, you sometimes get people literally off the street who come in and screech their way through the excerpts, and in our orchestra we have a minimum number of excerpts that we have to hear before we can cut off a candidate (I believe it's three), so it can be quite excruciating. All I can say is, I'm sorry it happened, be glad it wasn't your audition they were referring to, and once you are on the other side of the screen and have a few audition committees under your belt, you'll understand completely (just as people who have sat on committees for twenty years would immediately understand how offensive their actions are if they are suddenly compelled to take an audition themselves).

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Charles Noble,

Auditions can be rough on both sides of the screen. It is an investment and commitment for all parties involved. I agree with Bruce and Charles. We all make these kinds of comments at one point or another, but with that said, they should NEVER make there way onto an official document. I'm not shocked that someone would think or write something like this, more so that you received it. However, the fault here lies with whomever wrote the comments and doodled on an official form, which looks to me like it was obvious what they were writing on. If you want to make your own comments, keep a separate sheet or notebook that is distinctly different and separate from the official comment sheets. Even if you do
scribble a sarcastic or negative comment somewhere, it may be wise to erase, scribble it out, or rip it up. We see how easily things can get out. If you don't want others to hear or see it, then it is probably best not to put it in print in the first place.

Because the comments were on the back of the form, I would aim to think that the personnel manager, or whomever sent them out, did not notice this, or at least I hope not. I guess it's a lesson to check both sides of the forms in the future.

Flutephobia -- if you make the finals of anything, probably nobody was writing "kill me" on their note pads.

If this was the flute audition about 2 years ago, I thought all the finalists were good enough for the job (based on what you can tell in such a short time). A couple of the ones who didn't advance, though... hoo boy

The PM usually asks the committee: "Candidate number so-and-so would like comments. Does anybody want to write anything?" So we have a chance to clean up our comments if they need it.