In my previous post, I discussed various hats a Music Director wears.
So what do the Music Director Auditions look like?
Major orchestras do not announce position openings. My guess is they consider guest conductors they invited in the last several years. Without much warning, they announce who the next Music Director is.
Professional regional orchestras typically announce the position opening and solicit applications. These materials may include: resume, letter of interest, sample videos, and sample programs. After the committee reviews the materials, they may conduct a Zoom interview then narrow down to several Finalists.
Once you're a Finalist, you program a concert you will conduct. This is where you get to be creative! Conducting is absolutely my favorite part of the job, but programming is a close second. Every orchestra has their unique challenges, and you will have the opportunity to construct a striking program within the organization's available resources. Once the programming is set, you will communicate with the librarian, personnel manager, etc to make sure every logistical details are set.
During your audition week, you will attend many events to meet donors, patrons, community partners, or visit a school or two. The search committee will observe if you are capable of connecting genuinely with all the constituents of the organization. While being professional, I think it's important to be authentic. It is hard to keep up a facade, and I would like the orchestra to choose me for who I am, and not who I pretend to be.
The relationship between the Music Director and the orchestra is like a friendship. Through the rigorous vetting process, all finalists are capable of doing the job. I believe the most important factor of this relationship is if there is a chemistry that sparks excitement, joy, and trust. The committee tends to highly value this element during the selection process.
At a later date, I'll discuss how staff conductor auditions work. I hope 2025 brings you full of excitement, joy, challenges, and loads of fun.
