Orchestral auditions I have done
anonymously, this being a prerequisite, of course; performed behind a screen. Nothing particularly funny to bring to qotw, only to inform that American orchestras do not permit any perfume, coughing, jangly jewellery or high-heeled shoes to pre-empt any post-competition accusations of sex-discrim.

How would they be able to hold saxophone auditions in a racially-discriminatory-free-ma-boobly-way? Bit of a bloody give-away there, maestro. (I am referring to a funny scene in a movie where a black saxophonist plays "white-man-jazz" on a street, all warbly vibrato. Anyone remember the name?)

But just for the record, doing many anonymous orchestra auditions is a real test of one's mettle. It's the musical equivalent of having a quick knee-trembler in a back-alley, where your partner is wearing a paper bag on their head, and there are twenty more waiting to have a go after you. Naturally, you wish them luck.
(roysin, Tue 19 Jan 2010, 17:46, Reply)