Has anyone heard anything about the Chicago Symphony Orchestra auditioning for a new principal trumpet. The current one, Craig Morris has only been there for a little more than two years and I was wondering why he is leaving? I figure he would have stuck around like Herseth for 40-50 years.

Whoa, you are right. check it out at http://www.cso.org/cso_auditions_trumpet_principal.taf

I thought Craig Morris was doing a fine job. I haven't heard anything about this audition in any other boards. Were they keeping this quiet for some reason?

Go to the Trumpet Herald website if you want more information on this topic:

www.trumpetherald.com

There has been much speculation, and some substantive information, shared on that forum about Craig. I would check the forum under Orchestral playing or do a search for Chicago Symphony Principal or something...

I checked out that Web site. Pretty cool. Will have to bookmark it for future reference. Thanks.

Nice site but after doing a search, most of the talk was a bit outdated. almost from a year ago. whilt it had some good info, seems like nobody really knows what's going down at the CSO and everyone is keeping tight lipped about it.

I have a friend who studies with Dale Clavenger, Principal Horn with the CSO. He asked him recently but Dale was all mum about it. He got the impression that the orchestra is all mum about it and everyone is keeping a tightlip about it.

A. Hoover

whoa! I didn't even know Rob Morris was on the outs. I heard he was doing a fine job but it is a near impossible feat to replace Bud Herseth. Perhaps CSO set the bar so high that even the most talented trumpeter will not suffice because of the enormous hole Herseth left.

Just my two cents.

Rob Nesmith

So what's the latest on this? They had the auditions on the 19 and 20th. Anyone hear anything?

Blair - Tuba

Okay, I heard a rumor that Chris Martin and Mark Hughes from the Atlanta Symphony made it to the finals. Just goes to show that the Atlanta Symphony trumpet section is a force to be reckoned with. If one of them wins, do you think they would stay in the ASO or go to the CSO?

Forgive me, I am a violinist, not a trumpet player but I was interested in finding out why anyone would want to turn down a job with the Chicago Symphony?

Forrester "Mac" McNeil

I heard there are 2 finalists . A hungarian ( possibly the same person who recently won the MET audition) and an italian - both received some training in the US . Don't know what happened to the Atlanta crowd. Maybe they will hire someone with musical consistency and stamina this time around. As for turning down a gig with the CSO , maybe playing principal in Berlin ( or even conducting there ) is a better prize ? Examples : a) Barenboim did all he could to be the MD there to no avail. b)Principal Fl.in CSO was runner up to a prin position in Berlin . Anyway, these 2 tpt finalists will have a couple of weeks each with the CSO and then they'll know. Should be interesting .

AZ,

Names! We need names!

As for Morris getting the proverbial boot but in a quiet way, when Herseth was hired in his early twenties, it was a different time. CSO is so political and Herseth's shoes are so large, that even the most talented guy or girl in this position will have to deal with the egos and politics that go along with the job.

The pressure will be enormous but then again, the rewards will be even better, that is, if whoever wins is successful.

Just my two cents...

Blair - Tuba

I once met Bernard Adelstein, former principal of the Cleveland Orchestra for many years. He told us stories that when he was trying out for Pittsburgh with Fritz Reiner at the age of 16, the orchestra had to beg 4-5 players to show up for the auditions. He went on to lament that today, you've got exceptional players trying our for orchestras who pay $15,000 a year or for per service.

This is not 100% , but what I heard were the names Balazs Nemes from the Hessen Radio Orch. in Germany and Marco Braito , principal of RAI Orch. And yes , the pressure will be enormous and one needs not only to play like a god but be a wiz at diplomacy. Just goes with the territory - until tenure is achieved .

Yes, but does anyone think that they will do as good a job as an American. Stylistically, there are differences with the playing.

Also regarding the diplomacy that goes with the position, I think a European would be at a disadvantage since he may not understand the "Yankee" mentality. The approach would be from a European perspective, not an American and that may lead to misintrepertations.

Are there any Europeans in the CSO's who are principals?

Ok, it's been a week already since the Auditions. Does anyone have an update??

Greetings Fellow Artists,

MyAuditions has put into a call today, 30 September and spoke to the CSO Personnel Manager, Carol Lee Iott.

The current status is that they have narrowed it to a few finalists (number was not disclosed) and that they are now going through an extended audition round.

We did ask her to clarify what exactly that that meant but all she said was that Maestro Barenboim was continuing the process.

There is no timetable at this point to make any public announcements.

So, it will be a looong process before anything is decided.

Well, the pressure should be intense during this extended round. Perhaps they will be performing with the CSO?

Do you think that the CSO would want them to perform with the orchestra in concert. Maybe at a few rehearsals but I don't think during live performances.

A. Hoover

So I hear that the two finalists are Marco Braito and Balasz Nemez.

Marco was second in the Berlin Philharmonic auditions.

Balasz Nemez won the Met job when Marc Gould retired. I heard he quit after two weeks of rehearsal.