I am definitely not going to review the oboists who put their videos up you YouTube for the YouTube Symphony Orchestra audition. I think, no matter the playing, they are brave people. Or very innocent. Or perhaps extremely confident.
No matter. Some are pretty darn good, and some definitely have issues. Some aren’t following the rules; it appears a few don’t know it says no accompanist. Some have more than two videos up at YouTube … time lapse … but now I’m realizing that perhaps they haven’t actually submitted them to the contest*. But what fun to hear these players, even while I have reservations about the YouTube Symphony Orchestra.
Beginning tomorrow I will post the videos I find here with no comments. (You can comment all you want, but please remember these are people. Most have feelings. And they’ve put something up that multitudes of people will watch and listen to.) I’m unsure if these are officially submitted to the contest or not — it’s just what I’m finding out in YouTube land.
These videos will be put up in no particular order. I’ll probably only put up one per player, and I’m thinking I’ll skip the Tan Dun work (it’s just not that meaty for the oboe). So you’ll be hearing the solo work they choose. Enjoy.
(Side note: I’m almost always annoyed, disgusted, or angry by comments that folks write on videos. I hope people go easy on these auditionees.)
*If you go here and click on “view” you’ll see only one oboist and one English hornist have actually submitted a video. I wonder if the others think they have? Hmm.
I think if you put a video audition of yourself out there for all to hear, you need to be prepared for all sorts of comments — favorable and otherwise.
Yes, it is commendable that people extend (expose?) themselves in this way, but it is in the nature of the internet to be unforgiving, and harsh at times. That’s why I would not choose to put myself out there.
I would imagine that it takes a pretty thick skin in order to make one’s playing public like this.
I sure wouldn’t put anything I did up there!
I’ve noticed that many of the harshest comments come from younger people. (The “I’ve played piano for four years now and I’m so much better than this!” or “I like that song! I play it on my clarinet in band!” kind of thing.) As I said, I do get angry. But … sometimes I laugh. Sometimes I marvel. There are those moments too. Guess I should have added that.
But yes, one has to have thick skin. Or a very large ego. I guess I don’t have either. I’m wimpy that way.