The November 2005 featured artist of the month is Karen Evans Moratz, principal flutist with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, and Artist in Residence at Butler University.

Post a question for Karen.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: MyAuditions,

How long have you been playing Principal Flute in the Indianapolis Symphony? What are some of your favorite pieces to play in the orchestra?

First off, I'm new to this site and I'm enjoying it! It's nice as an aspiring orchestral player to read and discuss items of interests in the business between those aspiring to have a job to those who already have a coveted position.

Karen, as you know our instrument is a tough one to get a job--congratulations on following your own path and having won yours. I've heard you play in the past and I think you have a beautiful sound and command of the instrument.

What recommendations do you have to help make us stand out to the audition committees when so many of us are going after the same thing? What kind of equipment do you play and what do you like about it compared to other instruments you've tried? Do you have any recommendations for how to tame those tricky bits like Firebird, Carnival of the Animals and anything Prokofiev.

Sorry for all the questions but I'm fairly new to the audition circuit (I now have 3 professional auditions under my belt). While I've heard how nerve wracking the process is--I agree, it is grueling--I'm having a lot of fun too challenging and pacing myself and am learning a lot about myself and my playing. I've heard that auditioning is a skill that needs to be learned and I'm looking foward to the day when I begin advancing and eventually winning my own position.

Thanks for your advice and keep up the great work!

Thank you for your queries and comments. I've held the position in Indianapolis since March 1989. Previous to that, I was a member of the New World Symphony.

My favorite orchestral pieces? That's a tough one, because my feeling about a particular piece could be influenced by many variables, including the conductor and/or soloist. There are a few pieces which I did not like all that well to begin with, which have grown on me over time as I have come to understand them better. However, short answer: The Beethoven Symphonies are all fantastic pieces of music, and a pleasure to perform... one can hear something different in them each time they "come around," and the spirit in them is indescribable. Bach's St. Matthew Passion is another favorite.
-Karen

Hi Nouveau Flutist,
Thanks so much for your kind words. It is indeed difficult to land a job in this business, particularly on a popular instrument with as few available positions as the flute. I wish I'd had a resource like myauditions.com when I was in school!

The #1 priority in orchestral auditions is rhythm. I know you've probably heard this before, but you'd be amazed at how many people (not just flutists) will rush sixteenth note passages in their Mozart Concerti during the first round. Of course nerves are part of the equation, but if you are one of the few who doesn't rush and has solid rhythm, you will stand out.

Note accuracy and intonation probably tie for #2nd place as an audition priority. Always practice your parts with a tuner. Try also to get a lot of experience playing in an ensemble, whether orchestra or chamber music, to work on intonation relative to others as well.

Adhere strictly to what's on the printed page of the music unless you have a good reason to do otherwise. If there's an accent on a certain note which most people overlook, but you actually make it, this will get noticed.

Comments on excerpts: In Firebird, work meticulously and be sure not to shorten the rests-- don't let the beat speed up in your head! (See #2 above.) Working slowly and thoroughly is also the key in Peter & the Wolf and Carnival of the Animals. Don't get impatient and start playing these excerpts fast all the time-- they'll just get sloppy. Think about every move you're making.

Above all, remember that all of you at the audition are in the same boat. There are always many talented people there, but unfortunately only one person gets the job. Try to keep perspective--I've met many wonderful people at auditions, some of whom have turned out to be good friends.
Just don't lose your focus by chatting too much between rounds-- wait until after you're finished playing.

I hope this answered your questions; let me know if you have more!
-Karen

Thank you Karen! It's nice to have you on this forum!

I have heard that winning a job is 10% of the battle but getting tenure and keeping your job is 90% and probably even the harder part. Would you say that is a fair statement?

There are times when there are a lot of auditions that pop up at once that are attractive. When you were taking auditions, would you take ALL of them , or would you just pick one or two and really focus on those? Especially when the lists are so different? I have heard from teachers..just go to every one that you can...but physically, it's just tiring and when you have a job to do already. What do you think about this?

Hello Karen,

Thanks for participating on this forum! I can't remember the last time myauditions featured a woodwind player as the monthly artist.

Since you've been with the ISO since 1989, do you ever feel the urge (if you can publicly say on this forum to go to other auditions of comparable or higher income earning orchestras? If so, what was the experience like?

Thank you!!

Hi Karen!
It's so exciting to talk to a professional flute player and be able to pick their brain a little bit! Here's my question for you: Since most every audition requires one of the Mozart concerti, what would you say you as a committee member listens for when hearing the Mozart? You mentioned the rhythm and not rushing, but as there are so many ways to interpret the Mozart and so many different styles, how do you stand out, since it's the first thing the committee hears? If an auditionee's interpretation doesn't exactly match up with yours or the other committee members, does that impact negatively, or do you accept other interpretations as long as they're within acceptable parameters? I hope that made sense!!
Thanks in advance for any advice you could give an aspiring orchestral flutist...

Thanks Karen! Sounds like a winning recipe to me.

My apologies: I haven't answered your query about my equipment yet. I own two Brannen-Cooper flutes, one a French Model with all open holes, the other an Orchestral Model:left hand plateau, right hand open hole, with a split E and a half-closing thumb key to facilitate the high G#. Both flutes have a C# trill key. The Orchestral Model is my favorite setup; the scale is unsurpassed. I switch back and forth between my Lafin and Arista headjoints.
I like them both very much, and they seem to have different strengths. The Lafin right now is my favorite for sound, but the Arista seems to be a little more agile in articulated passages.
-Karen

quote:

Originally posted by NouveauFlutist:
Thanks Karen! Sounds like a winning recipe to me.

Landing that job is certainly tough, but I would agree that the hard work begins once you start performing full concerts of vastly different repertoire every week. Back in 1989 when I started the job, I thought I'd never seen so much music in my life, and I was right! That first year or two prior to receiving tenure can be nervewracking, but it's all in the preparation: if you've studied the score with a recording and practiced the part well, you'll be in good shape.

This is saying nothing about orchestra politics, however, which can be a different story altogether. There are some horror stories out there about this. Mostly though, common sense applies: show up on time, be a considerate colleague, act like you're glad to be there even if you're feeling lousy, and don't get on any committees before you get tenure. Everything else is pretty much beyond your control anyway.

If someone is in a place where it is possible to take every audition that comes up, I say go for it! Nothing gets a musician into better shape than taking a number of auditions in a row. That being said, the musician should make sure that he/she actually WANTS the job in question. If not, there's no good reason to go there. This "take-'em-all" approach is best when a musician has just graduated from college and doesn't have a full-time job yet.

If you've got a full-time job already, music-related or not, I think it's best to pick and choose... otherwise you won't have time to sleep and eat!
-Karen

quote:

Originally posted by flutewoman5:
Thank you Karen! It's nice to have you on this forum!

I have heard that winning a job is 10% of the battle but getting tenure and keeping your job is 90% and probably even the harder part. Would you say that is a fair statement?

There are times when there are a lot of auditions that pop up at once that are attractive. When you were taking auditions, would you take ALL of them , or would you just pick one or two and really focus on those? Especially when the lists are so different? I have heard from teachers..just go to every one that you can...but physically, it's just tiring and when you have a job to do already. What do you think about this?

Hi Angie,
I've taken a few auditions since I've held the position in Indianapolis. I've done very well at some of them, and not so well at others. You just never know! It's always interesting to see who makes it to the semifinals and finals. Sometimes it's who you'd expect to see moving on, sometimes not-- and then someone new will occasionally come out of the woodwork, and surprise everyone. It has always been a learning experience for me. The audition mindset is very different from that of playing full concerts. I'm pretty happy where I am, though, so I don't envision myself going to many more of them.
-Karen

quote:

Originally posted by Angie:
Hello Karen,

Thanks for participating on this forum! I can't remember the last time myauditions featured a woodwind player as the monthly artist.

Since you've been with the ISO since 1989, do you ever feel the urge (if you can publicly say on this forum to go to other auditions of comparable or higher income earning orchestras? If so, what was the experience like?

Thank you!!

Hello Karen,

I'm not playing the flute, but I own a 1920's Haynes thinwall, open hole, C-foot, offset G which I would like to have restored to playing condition. If it is OK with MyAud, may I ask you for advice on a repair person? I have heard the name Anne Pollack from the NYC area who apparently takes care of James Galway's needs, if I'm not mistaken.

Thanks very much for any advice!

That's a very good question! Of course, each person on the committee may have different taste in how to interpret Mozart. They also may or may not agree with what the Music Director's ideas are on the subject. If your rhythm is solid, your intonation is flawless, and your interpretation is convincing, I don't think it will matter much whether you're striving for a more romantic or authentic ideal... though I'd steer away from extremes, such as no vibrato at all or a super-loud sound with tons of vibrato. If the basics are in place, then feel free to blow them away with your subtlety, especially in the final round. But don't try to second-guess what the committee's preferences might be, because you might guess wrong!
-Karen

quote:

Originally posted by magikflute:
Hi Karen!
It's so exciting to talk to a professional flute player and be able to pick their brain a little bit! Here's my question for you: Since most every audition requires one of the Mozart concerti, what would you say you as a committee member listens for when hearing the Mozart? You mentioned the rhythm and not rushing, but as there are so many ways to interpret the Mozart and so many different styles, how do you stand out, since it's the first thing the committee hears? If an auditionee's interpretation doesn't exactly match up with yours or the other committee members, does that impact negatively, or do you accept other interpretations as long as they're within acceptable parameters? I hope that made sense!!
Thanks in advance for any advice you could give an aspiring orchestral flutist...

I have heard good things about Anne Pollack but have not worked with her. She seems to have a great reputation. Another great flute repair service is Flute Arts in MA/NH.
For more info: http://www.flutearts.com
Both Paul and Karen at Flute Arts used to work for Brannen Brothers, and they really know their stuff.
Good luck!
-Karen

quote:

Originally posted by WavingAir:
Hello Karen,

I'm not playing the flute, but I own a 1920's Haynes thinwall, open hole, C-foot, offset G which I would like to have restored to playing condition. If it is OK with MyAud, may I ask you for advice on a repair person? I have heard the name Anne Pollack from the NYC area who apparently takes care of James Galway's needs, if I'm not mistaken.

Thanks very much for any advice!

Thanks a zillion, Karen! I will Email them pronto....

I'd also highly recommend Paul Harrington of Flute Arts in Acton, MA. He's a flutist and trained and worked for years at Brannen Cooper flutes. I've used him for years and he does phenomenal work!

http://www.flutearts.com/pages/home.htm

It's so nice to have a windplayer as the featured artist.

Who was the most influential flutist in your developement as a flutist/musician? Is there a particular flutist that has influenced your concept of the flute sound? If so, what is that concept?

Thanks for the advice.

I'd say William Bennett (aka Wibb) has been the single most influential flutist in my life. His concept of sound is based on analysis (tuning the harmonics in the sound) and instinct (resonating like a singer). In my studies with him, I learned a lot about how to phrase and play musically. He's also big on resourcefulness-- whatever works! That certainly spurred my creativity in many arenas.
-Karen

Hi Karen,

I was curious about your flute set up. I too play on an Arista headjoint. But I've become very curious of Lafins.

I've heard great things about Lafin headjoints. But I hear it is very difficult to try out his heads. As far as I know, he hasn't made an appearance at the past NFA conventions.

How did you aquire your current Lafin headjoint? Did you go to Germany to choose it? Or were you able to get it here in the states? Did you try many Lafin headjoints before you decided on the one you purchased?

Thanks a ton