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Robert's blog: Verbier Festival Orchestra auditions - Stop 5: Berlin
Feb 17, 2012
Back to this lively and vibrant city and spent the first evening at dinner with several alumni of the Verbier Festival orchestras. Olga Polonsky and Stephen Koncz hosted the dinner and we spent quite some time reminiscing about past Verbier Festival performances and VFO/VFCO tours. Joining us in the fun was Andy Ottensamer, Nerina Mancini, Elizaveta Zolotova, Robin Hong, Ben Hildner, and Alicia Lagger. The Berlin orchestras were well represented on this evening.
The auditions are being held at the Hochschule für Musik Hans Eisler, a venerable, old (but newly refurbished) building located on the periphery of the Schlossplatz (Museumsinsel). Similar to the other audition cities, the days are quite full with the instrumental auditions. The guest adjudicators seated with me, in addition to Blythe Engstroem are Stephan Koncz and Gergely Bodoky, current members of the Berlin Philharmonie and the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, respectively.
Next and last stop, New York City!!
Robert's blog: Verbier Festival Orchestra auditions - Stop 4: Brussels
Feb 9, 2012
The theme for the VFO audition tour 2012 might be stated simply as “the Siberian arctic winter”. On my first morning walk to the Koninklijk Conservatorium Brussels, a short 15-minutes from my hotel, I nearly lost a few limbs due to the cold -7°C (18°F). Ok, it’s a slight exaggeration but the gods seem to be punishing me for commencing the audition tour in Miami Beach, where it was a balmy 80°F (26°C)!
The audition themselves have once again proven to be intensively long sessions, but what we’ve most enjoyed is recognizing the noticeable improvement of several musicians who had auditioned on previous occasions. Again, I state that the future of classical music is indeed secure with this next generation of superbly trained instrumentalists who are only just beginning to make known their presence and commitment.
If my colleague Blythe Engstroem and I might offer one word of advice to those new to the orchestra audition experience it is to study the full score of the orchestral works to be performed in the audition and listen to recordings. As one would know the full orchestration for the solo concerti, the same must be done for the orchestra excerpts. This is a critical component of preparing for orchestral auditions and it is quite apparent those who have prepared in this manner, and those who have not.
On a lighter note, it was with some amount of confusion for me to greet an instrumentalist in the audition room who is the identical twin of a current member of the VFO. I was completely taken aback and froze mid-sentence as I greeted this individual and tried quickly to figure out why he was auditioning on another instrument! Thanks for the advance warning, A.L.!!!
Folgender Halt Berlin.
Robert's blog: Verbier Festival Orchestra auditions - Stop 3: Geneva
Feb 7, 2012
It has been somewhat of a shock to find the weather in Geneva quite a bit colder than what I had experienced in Oslo. The cold has even affected the transportation timetables but the determined musicians made it to their scheduled audition times again produced many outstanding performances. With the record number of applicants, the days have been quite full but it is with great expectations that we greet every performer.
During this leg of the audition tour I was joined by several familiar faces and as well a couple of new faces. Those who assisted me with the brass, woodwind, percussion and harp auditions were Matteo DeLuca, Magda Schwerzmann, Christophe Delannoy and Tom Hadley. Blythe Teh Engstrom, my colleague throughout the 2012 VFO audition tour, joined me for the string auditions.
"Since I started learning the flute, I have always wanted to play in an orchestra. Every time I have been playing in an orchestra, I enjoyed every moment of it. That is why this audition was so important to me. My goal was to stay confident and prevent my stress from affecting my musicality. I just wanted to convey my pleasure, be satisfied with my playing and be entirely in my music. Playing in an orchestra and sharing my passion with other young people from all over the world, would give me a huge boost of confidence." Nathalie Hérouan, flute, 1st audition with the VFO
"Fast schon gleicht es einem Klassentreffen, das Wiedersehen an den Probespielen für das Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester, für das Schleswig-Holstein Festival Orchester und nicht zuletzt für das Verbier Festival Orchestra. Sei es in Zürich, Basel oder in Genf, überall trifft man wieder die gleichen Personen, die gleichen Freunde mittlerweile. Und trotzdem war und ist das Vorspiel für das Verbier Festival Orchestra in Genf für mich persönlich immer wieder speziell. Seit knapp zwei Jahren studiere ich nun schon an der Haute École de Musique de Genève und somit wird dieses Vorspiel jeweils zum Heimspiel. Zum zweiten Mal habe ich dieses Jahr teilgenommen. Letztes Jahr wie auch dieses Jahr war es mir eine Freude, die "Klarinettisten-Familie" in Genf willkommen zu heissen. Ich mag die lockere und kameradschaftliche Atmosphäre unter den Klarinettisten. Angenehm ist auch die Stimmung beim Vorspiel in Genf. Von der Jury wird man mit einem Lächeln, mit Interesse und viel Respekt empfangen. So gelang es mir letztes Jahr und auch dieses Jahr, mit einer guten Leistung das zu zeigen, was ich mir vorgenommen hatte. Letztes Jahr hat es knapp nicht gereicht, ich war auf der Warteliste. Hoffen wir nun das Beste für dieses Jahr. Und sonst sehen wir uns wieder im nächsten Jahr." Livio Russi, clarinet, 2nd audition with the VFO
Next auditions in Brussels on 7 and 8 February!
Robert's blog: Verbier Festival Orchestra auditions - Stop 2: Oslo
Feb 1, 2012
This morning Blythe Engstroem and I were warmly greeted by Stephan Due at the Barratt Due Institute of Music and afterwards spent several hours listening to musicians from Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Poland, Switzerland, Belgium, England, Scotland, Australia and the USA.
Admittedly, it was fascinating to engage those auditioning in conversation about their studies, their dreams and even learn of their favorite pastimes, which was mostly frequently, and not surprisingly, cross-country sking and/or snowboarding.
This gem of an institute has produced several world-class musicians and I was able to observe the Barratt Due Symphony Orchestra in rehearsal later that evening (with Alexander Rybak serving as concertmaster, the winner of Eurovision 2009).
Maestro Dietrich Paredes was preparing the ensemble for a performance of the Tchaikovsky Fifth Symphony, a work that will be performed on the Verbier Festival’s opening night with Charles Dutoit on the podium.
Videre til Geneve, or rather, prochain arrêt, Genève.
Robert's blog: Verbier Festival Orchestra auditions - Stop 1: Miami
Jan 31, 2012
The recruitment of new musicians for the Verbier Festival Orchestra 2012 started in Miami Beach with two audition days, on Monday 23 and Sunday 29 January!
Robert Smith, Artistic Coordinator of the Verbier Festival Orchestras and member of the jury, and two participants of the Miami audition, describe their experience:
It was a rare overcast day in Miami Beach, but for the young orchestral musicians vying for a seat in the 2012 Verbier Festival Orchestra the air was decidedly not static. Performance after performance was chock full of virtuosic and engaging young musicians offering a level of preparedness and commitment that was thrilling to witness. Listen closely and one would hear musically phrases deftly spun or difficult orchestra excerpt passages tossed off by these young artists as if they were pros far beyond their young years. Well, I quite excited to see what Oslo will yield on the next stop…Auf Wiedersehen, Miami Beach!
“(…) Usually, I am very nervous walking into an audition, but last Monday when I took my Verbier Festival Orchestra audition, I felt calm, cool, and collected. As soon as I walked into the audition pavilion at the New World Center, Robert Smith welcomed me with a smile, helping to set a relaxed atmosphere for the audition. I felt at ease and able to make music, really showing my personality, instead of just playing the notes. I have been fortunate enough to go to a variety of festivals, and based on the wonderful experiences my friends and colleagues have had in Switzerland, I know a summer at Verbier would be incredible. Attending Verbier would allow me to be a part of a high-quality, professional orchestra, surrounded by people who love music and work hard to make each performance special.” Marybeth Brown-Plambeck, Cello, 1st audition with the VFO
“ (…) What more could you want from an audition? I would like to join the VFO to have the opportunity to meet and play music with fabulous young musicians, and to visit a place I have never been before. The VFO comes well recommended--all of my friends who have played with the VFO spoke fondly of their experiences.” Alexander Kienle, French Horn, 2nd audition with the VFO
Next audition in Oslo on 31st January!
