It must be a sign of the times. News moves so fast, sometimes it's ahead of the actual events purported to be covered.

Two examples: On Jan 24, Peter Dobrin, culture writer of the Philadelphia Inquirer, wrote an article about the new, young Assistant principal cellist of the Philadelphia Orchestra, Efe Baltacigil, and his last minute recital during the blizzard at Verizon Hall with pianist Emanuel Ax. Towards the end of the article, Dobrin chose to say the following:

quote:

Just ahead, presumably, Baltacigil will face an audition to take over as the orchestra's principal cellist. Orchestra politics and the luck of the audition process are unpredictable forces. But if there is a better candidate for the job out there, the future of the orchestra's cello section looks bright.

It's hedged, to be sure, but this looks like an announcement that long time principal cellist William Stokking is leaving soon - like next season. Is he? I don't know, and my email to Dobrin asking him if this was true was not returned. A helpful nudge, perhaps? I hope not.

Second example: the New York Times ran an article in this past Sunday's edition about the plethora of major principal oboe positions now simultaneously vacant (it's also the lead article on the home page of myauditions.com). One of the positions listed is the Cleveland Orchestra. Well, didn't they fill that position before this season began? Yes - but word was not made public that the player in question might not have been granted tenure (and as far as I'm concerned, this remains a rumor at best), but which the author of the article must have known when writing the article.

quote:

The job - a critical one in any orchestra - is open, or about to be, at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Cleveland Orchestra, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and the San Diego Symphony.

I hope that the unlucky oboist didn't find out about their predicament by reading the Sunday NYTimes with coffee and a bagel!

This begs the question: Why did people in the know disclose this information to reporters in two of the nation's largest papers when the subject matter in these two situations was presumably not yet in the public domain (and may not yet be still, assuming that the cello situation in Philadelphia is untrue)? What does this mean for those of us who hold jobs (especially as titled players) in major orchestras - are we entitled to arrange our retirement or resignation in a manner of our own chosing, or do we get relegated to the front page of the arts section? No small matter in times like these.

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