Do orchestras prefer hiring subs who are part of the musician’s union over those who are not? I’m more so referring to full time/major orchestras, but happy to hear about per service ones as well. If this is true, what would be the reasoning behind that?
I’ve had quite a few issues with summer opportunities going well past their decision deadlines. I feel this is very disrespectful to musicians who adhere to strict deadlines, pay application fees, and sometimes pass up great opportunities waiting for late decisions from better opportunities. How much is it acceptable to hound administrators for updates when none are given for days or weeks after decisions were supposed to be sent? On the one hand I feel that musicians should advocate for respect and festivals/jobs should feel the pressure to keep their word. On the other hand, I feel like it’s usually not in the admin’s power to make decisions faster, and I don’t want to bother them over something they can’t control. I also don’t want to risk losing opportunities I might otherwise get by being too pushy and pissing people off. Is my last concern something to worry about?
Is it okay for festivals and programs to continually miss their deadlines and keep applicants waiting in the dark? No.
Is it useful in any way to “hound administrators for updates” for days and weeks? Also no.
You are right when you say it’s not in an admin’s power to send out the decisions any faster. When you apply to a job or a festival or any other opportunity, you are at the mercy of that organization’s process. Whether you decide to apply again in the future, based on your past experience, is totally your choice.
Not asking who got in or anything, just if you received any sort of information from them regarding the finals which are supposed to happen around may 5th.
I want to get better at just intonation because my goal is to win an audition for an orchestra. I’ve been using the TE tuner App with the equal temperament for tuning because I normally only play with pianists; however, I don’t want to train my ear with equal temperament if orchestras mainly use just tuning. What is the best way to use the TE tuner App with the Just termepermnt tuning? Should I be changing keys on the app each time I play a different piece or should I stick with key of C since flute is in C? TYIA!
I've found using drone pitches and tuning with my ear to be more helpful. At least for me, trying to chase the tuning needle just lends itself to practicing correcting my pitch instead of finding the pitch center by ear and replicating it. I like to practice a varying number of scales outside of just C drone for C, E for E, etc - think practicing Cmajor with a B drone - so it forces me to not only tune the typical Maj3/6, P4/5, but also min2, tritones, etc. Getting creative with it can be fun.
That being said I'm a string player, but I feel like something similar could work for flute too!
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The answer to this likely depends on the state’s labor laws and the orchestra’s unique union contract. In some orchestras, all the regulars have to be union members, but the substitutes do not necessarily have to be. In some orchestras, you would have to join the AFM local in that city just to play even 1 service as a substitute player. And in other orchestras, union membership is completely optional for all the musicians, regular or substitute (especially in right-to-work states).
In any case, I’ve never heard of an orchestra preferring to hire union musicians as opposed to non-union musicians. Financially, it makes no difference to the orchestra management as the union dues are paid by the musicians, not the orchestras. It’s more likely just a matter of what they are legally required to do. I personally recommend becoming a member of your AFM local in whichever metro area you live. Musicians’ only leverage is in their collective willpower, and the only ones who benefit when musical workplaces are not organized under a strong union are the employers.