TubaForum.net

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https://www.hso.org/about/meet-the-musicians/

Closing date Sept 20th

This is a per-service position with a guarantee of $4,500 per year.

I'm surprised dinky gigs like this bother holding auditions; it's not like someone's gonna move there if they win the gig; they're just gonna hire local talent who've most likely already been playing there. I'm an AFM member, but does anyone know if holding auditions is some sort of requirement?

Anybody know who won?

bloke wrote: ↑Sun Jan 19, 2025 12:39 pm $100 audition deposit...for a $4500 job.

If anyone denies that The Fed has printed so much de facto counterfeit money over the post four years that our currency is now worth no more than half the previous (with the value of it continuing to diminish quickly) you need not only look at butter, eggs, chicken, houses, cars, and fuel (etc.) but even fees such as "freeway philharmonic orchestra audition deposit requirements" (whereas full-time orchestras' customary deposits - in recent history - were often only $50).

I did some work (not that long ago) on the previous tuba player's instrument...
I hope he's no longer playing for reasons other than health.

UncleBeer wrote: ↑Mon Aug 05, 2024 1:28 pm I'm surprised dinky gigs like this bother holding auditions; it's not like someone's gonna move there if they win the gig; they're just gonna hire local talent who've most likely already been playing there. I'm an AFM member, but does anyone know if holding auditions is some sort of requirement?

That's 7 hours (r/t)... ' too much routine driving for a frail ol' bloke...(Yes, I can do 11-hours straight-though to see the grandkids once annually, but I REALLY feel it.)
Even if offered room/board (oh yeah...and even if I had managed to retain/maintain a World Class Sound at this point), that's too far to commute.

...One of my freeway philharmonics offers lodging, but the only way to get a decent percentage of it paid is to double up with another musician (SNORE-SNORE-SNORE !!! etc.)...and that FP forces the musicians to pay with their OWN c.c. and then get paid BACK (never 100%) after-the-fact...
Luckily for the low brass, an active elderly couple puts us up in their (not "Mc") mansion, which saves us all that hassle/expense. This time (Feb.) their own family is coming for a visit, but (as blokeplace is only an hour away) I told the tromboners to pile in my car, and we would (rather than the nasty-nasty hotel cooties - regardless of # of ★'s and snoring - etc.) crash at blokeplace (probably in bed shortly after 11 P.) and back for the morning rehearsal by 9 A. (with one of Mrs. bloke's amazing guest-breakfast layouts...ie. ONLY when guests).

...but 3-1/2 hours one-way...?? just not possible.

...the point being...NO...nothing about bloke, but YES, the audition surely would offer very limited geographic appeal.

So, you don’t know. Got it. Thanks?

Doug wrote: ↑Sun Jan 19, 2025 5:42 pm So, you don’t know. Got it. Thanks?

I sincerely apologize.
I just wasn't aware that the dictated/required etiquette is to respond to a response, and (not particularly interested in responses) was responding to this post/thread/topic:

I did (having not previously noticed this thread) send David an email to check on him, and hopefully he's ok.
I'll update, if anyone else is concerned.

UncleBeer wrote: ↑Mon Aug 05, 2024 1:28 pm I'm surprised dinky gigs like this bother holding auditions; it's not like someone's gonna move there if they win the gig; they're just gonna hire local talent who've most likely already been playing there. I'm an AFM member, but does anyone know if holding auditions is some sort of requirement?

When my first tuba teacher retired from his similar dinky per service gig in Pennsylvania, players showed up from all over. The eventual winner, who is still the current player, was and still is based out of Georgia.

Casca Grossa wrote: ↑Sun Jan 19, 2025 7:04 pm When my first tuba teacher retired from his similar dinky per service gig in Pennsylvania, players showed up from all over. The eventual winner, who is still the current player, was and still is based out of Georgia.

I played in a freeway philharmonic for a year (at the request of the personnel manager...and the pay - piss poor - was half of what it was a couple years later, when the new MD showed up and - as an advocate for musicians, as well as for them to receive enough money to attract better ones - did something about that). I took advantage of being "over there" (roughly once monthly) to reach out to some otherwise-far-away band directors, so I made it "pay". After a year (never a word about this, previously) I was told that an audition was to be held. I had to choice of telling him to F-off (likely breaking a long-time friendship with him, as well as appearing haughty to people in the orchestra with whom I had befriended) or sucking it up and auditioning...so - of course (no real choice, there) - I auditioned.

I was shocked that over twenty people showed up (and from a shockingly wide circle...How did they even find out about it...??)
The one person that I assumed would be chosen was a person who lived closer to the gig, with a university job, and a DMA from Indiana...but (as I was packing my sh!t up to get out of there as quick as I could and back to the store - having had to leave Mrs. bloke there by herself on a friggin' Saturday) I heard them miss a key change (two flats to five sharps - I remember the excerpt and have played the piece) on the "sight" reading...so I sorta knew I would keep the job. The PM chased me out the door to tell me, I interrupted them with "yeah, I know..." and hurried out to the car to get back to the store...

...I really don't believe (even with much better pay) they actually "do" too many auditions (orchestra referred to above) anymore. I do recall one a couple of years ago for a principal position. I have no idea how many showed up for that, but the person who was offered the job and accepted is a remarkably fine player.

Casca Grossa wrote: ↑Sun Jan 19, 2025 7:04 pm When my first tuba teacher retired from his similar dinky per service gig in Pennsylvania, players showed up from all over. The eventual winner, who is still the current player, was and still is based out of Georgia.

Wonder what he didn't have going on in Georgia to make him want to move.

bloke wrote: ↑Sun Jan 19, 2025 9:07 pmI'm caring for a paranoid-schizophrenic relative - here in this house, will do so until I'm dead, and have no idea what will become of them - once I'm gone.

Same.

bloke wrote: ↑Sun Jan 19, 2025 9:07 pm… all the in-person Twilight Zone "It's A Good Life" episode type of sh!t that I deal with daily.

I often come off as harsh here, largely due to this specific reason.

to @UncleBeer's point, Dave is a Huntsville Native...

...and not to suggest that he was/is not extremely qualified.

Most may not be aware but - particularly during the era of Dave's matriculation - the Grissom High School band (the adjective, "legendary" comes to mind) rivaled the performance prowess of a professional (military, etc.) band.

https://www.hso.org/musician/david-byrd/

...I'm hoping to hear back from him...

OK...I heard back from Dave.

I didn't ask permission to reveal anything really specific in his email, but

- Healthwise, he's fine.
- His real job is getting more-and-more hectic (ie. successful) and continuing to shoehorn in the orchestra stuff has become a bit stressful.
- He's doing another concert or two with them.
- Being one of the older players, "the hang" isn't what it once was (as - bloke sympathizing and editorializing here - with freeway philharmonics, there needs to be something other than the meager remuneration or even the music).

summary:
- He's fine.
- His playing is fine.
- He's really busy.
- He's done it for a long time.
- It's time to move on.
- He's not hanging up the tuba.

I'm glad to hear Dave is doing well and that everything is OK.

and hey: Huntsville sports a fairly impressive crime/danger rating - particularly for a moderately large city (over 1/2 a million - "greater Huntsville").
It rates at about a 50 (ie. safer than about half of all US cities ) whereas Memphis rates (yes, really) a zero.

UncleBeer wrote: ↑Sun Jan 19, 2025 7:51 pm

Casca Grossa wrote: ↑Sun Jan 19, 2025 7:04 pm When my first tuba teacher retired from his similar dinky per service gig in Pennsylvania, players showed up from all over. The eventual winner, who is still the current player, was and still is based out of Georgia.

Wonder what he didn't have going on in Georgia to make him want to move.

Very fine player. I believe a Curtis grad. From what I understand, is a big freelancer in the Atlanta area.

That whole supply and demand thing- not in the musicians favor. Get yourself a well paying,hopefully satisfying, day job and play on the side.

MikeMason wrote: ↑Wed Jan 22, 2025 11:42 am That whole supply and demand thing- not in the musicians favor. Get yourself a well paying,hopefully satisfying, day job and play on the side.

paraphasing reported board meeting remarks of an executive director of a per-service orchestra - who was pushing for musician pay cuts (in the midst of hyperinflation, YET with a record budget at their disposal)...when someone else (music director) objected to the suggestion:

"If we cut their pay, where else can they go?"

As offensive as that sounds, it also makes (unfortunate to musicians) an "inconvenient" point.

These various c. $4000/yr. thingies...Time-expenditure-wise, they're not "worth" the money, and - with more-and-more cheesy-assed pop concerts - neither are they artistic triumphs. About all that many of them offer (even with really high levels of execution, and managing to make music out of crappy charts) is "the hang" (ie. with beloved colleagues, etc.) The office workers - typically (particularly including all of the pre-rehearsal preparation time, back-and-forth travel, and lost days from musicians' real jobs) - are not only the only real (full-time with benefits) employees, but end up (all previously-mentioned hours tabulated) being paid more per hour, as well.

There isn't enough money to make me EVER play for this conductor. The stories I could tell .....

tclements wrote: ↑Thu Jan 23, 2025 10:47 am There isn't enough money to make me EVER play for this conductor. The stories I could tell .....

According to google's AI, this person (assuming that accept the position) has been offered the position:

Riley Lindsay