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While I don't generally prescribe to this theory, I wonder how many of the "no hires" are because the candidate(s) at the top simply make no representation of DEI hiring practices. I see this in practice more in the arts community than I do anywhere else, in my experience.

Mark wrote: ↑Thu Jun 06, 2024 11:42 am When the Boston Symphony was holding auditions to replace the retiring Doug Yeo, I attended a master class Yeo was teaching. He talked about the current auditions for Boston and said, you will not be compared to the other auditionees. You will be compared to me, the bass trombonist they have heard for the last 27 years.

I think there is a lot of truth in this one -- to the point if someone were an aspiring auditionee, they would be well advised to study the playing of the person they are hoping to replace. Basically nobody wants someone new coming in and causing a disruption, however mild, in how the group sounds.

And -- to another commenter, I'm pretty sure that Carol Jantsch was not a diversity hire. Many years ago she would not even have had the chance to audition on tuba.

Carol wins that job if it’s completely blind and anonymous, she’s that good. I was thinking more about the mid-level MD’s and their need to guide the “soul” of an ensemble. I know several groups that include “underrepresented” composers on every program. I am fine with that, but it’s not a long walk to apply that to personnel, especially with multiple qualified candidates. It goes both ways, perhaps an MD is anti-DEI and goes the other way.

I've heard Carol play solo stuff and I've heard a couple of the other finalists who auditioned for that job play solo stuff. I've never spoken to her, and I seriously doubt that she has any idea who I am, but based on what I've heard of her playing and a couple of other finalists' playing, hiring her was an easy choice. The fact that she was young lady - who would be written about in newspapers and provide the orchestra with additional publicity.. that was a bonus.

The other stuff brought up:
I steer clear of those topics. No matter where someone steps in regards to those things, there are landmines.