SFS has an audition page wherein they list upcoming auditions and sometimes the repertory required for the auditons. I checked it out today in connection with CK Dexter Haven's mention of goings-on in the percussion section, and I found the following:
Principal Second Violin (November, 2013)
Associate Principal Trumpet (Winter, 2014)
Principal Oboe (February, 2014)
Principal second violin, eh? That's a chair currently held by Dan Nobuhiko Smiley.
Justin Emerich has been Acting Associate Principal Trumpet since Glenn Fischthall's retirement. I cannot remember whether there has already been one round of auditions for replacing Fischthall.
We've got a scheduled Principal Oboe audition, but not Associate Principal, but there hasn't been an announcement yet about whether Jonathan Fischer is staying in SF or going to Houston permanently.
With regards to Principal 2nd: curiouser and curiouser . . . can't wait to see/hear if you learn anything more. Hope that Dan Nobuhiko Smiley is OK.
ReplyDeleteThere seems to be no shortage of top-notch trumpeters looking for jobs in an orchestra like SFS, and while I'm less familiar w/ oboists, the same could probably be said for them too
BTW: I'm guessing you're right about a glitch on the SFS website roster. I stopped looking after I noticed that the top two viola chairs are blank and that half the cello section was missing. If this were true, it would rival Minnesota in the number of open chairs.
Yeah. I've started asking around, will eventually just email the press office.
ReplyDeleteNo shorter of anyone!
I'm guessing Fischer won't resign until he has to: some orchestras give some leeway in that and who knows if he's happy in Houston. I was just so sad to see the principal oboe audition announced, even while it had to be done. It hurts the heart.
ReplyDeleteIndeed; the principal oboe audition is just another reminder that Bill Bennett is gone. Too sad, too soon.
ReplyDeleteRe Fischer, he has been on leave this season while playing in Houston, and I think he has to make a decision soon. Oh - he was playing first chair in Sacre this week! I saw Chris Gaudi in second, Pamela Smith in third, and of course Russ deLuna on cor anglais.
Thanks for the names, Lisa. I'm embarrassed to admit I wouldn't recognize Fischer or Gaudi. I did see Smith and deLuna, along with James Moore on third. (Pamela was actually on fourth oboe and second English horn.)
ReplyDeleteSurprised you wouldn't recognize Fischer, but I have to admit that I recognize him primarily from the SFS web site photo. And maybe I am confused about who I saw. (I got totally confused by the flutes because there were five players, one of whom I don't know at all and I did not recognize Robin McKee on alto flute.)
ReplyDeleteDo you know why Dan Smiley is no longer the pricipal second violin?
ReplyDeletePersonal decision on Smiley's part. The press release from SFS said the following:
ReplyDeletePrincipal 2nd Violin Dan Smiley has elected to move to the fourth chair position. Dan Carlson will move up to Acting Principal, Paul Brancato to Acting Associate Principal, and John Chisholm to Acting Assistant Principal.