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I was happy to see this article. I am a retired violist after playing in the Radio Filharmonisch Orkest Holland from 1979 to 2010. I agree that there is a COMPLETELY different what he calls "language" to auditions. You are meant to do things that have NOTHING to do with what the job actually entails: (Here I am speaking about the orchestral excerpts part of the audition): 1) choose your own tempo. 2) play with NO conductor. 3) play alone, with no one to blend in with. Wouldn't it be an idea for the conductor to CONDUCT the candidate...maybe in round 2? And the leader play WITH the candidate? After all, what we actually DO is play flawlessly WITH the group! Ah, well, maybe in my next lifetime! (For your amusement, I posted on YouTube a film...about the freedom from the group mentality. Look it up under maribone20021!)