Sebastian Breit, 20, won today’s audition for a vacancy in the oboe section at the Vienna State Opera.
If he plays his reeds right, he will be eligible in a couple of years for the Vienna Philharmonic.
Sebastian is Viennese, born and bred. It helps.
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Look, he is holding one of those unique Viennese oboes! Oboe in VPO is kind of a specialty position. There can’t be too many oboists outside of Vienna who play a Viennese oboe!
I’ve never seen a Viennese oboe played outside of Vienna. I’m not even sure that in the rest of Austria they play them.
You’re totally right, Salzburg, Linz, just to name a few, french oboe.
In Facebook of Vienna Philharmonic they said that it is a principal oboe position
Oh, the usual grudge of Norman Lebrecht against a anything Austrian! Why such resentment?
Don’t forget that Vienna has one of the top music schools in the world (Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst) and that it is not strange that top orchestral players and soloist study in the city, that the Viennese oboe that the WPO needs is not taught or played anywhere else, and that-ultimately- they hire whoever they want.
I would say two of the top music schools! (MUK) Musik und Kunst Privatuniversitat also!
Many students go to both MUK and MDW
Sorry, but the reality is that MDW is far much more prestigious, has a lot more history, its recent graduates are much more successful… that is why it is ranked always in the Top 10 (in some ranks as No.1 tied with Juilliard).
MUK is a good school, but it is usually the safety option for those not a accepted in MDW (those not accepted at MUK go to Prayner or Richard Wagner), and does not enjoy the success and prestige of MDW.
So, yes, I it is ONE world-class music school.
Excuse me for defending N.L., but I don’t see how “it helps” equates to a ”grudge”. It would stand to reason that someone who is local is more likely to start on the Viennese oboe (or the Wiener single F horn) at a younger than normal age. But more to the point, people who are ‘auslaender’ are not as likely to WANT to specialize on the Viennese oboe (or Wiener horn), as it might very well prohibit them from getting jobs elsewhere. These are, indeed, indigenous to Vienna. The choice greatly narrows one’s focus.
Perhaps because the Vienna Philharmonic has such a blatant history of discrimination against women and non-white musicians. There’s been progress in recent years, finally, but some observers are still keeping a skeptical eye on things.
Puchner oboes. The only game in town.
How old is the oboe to be exact?
It could be one of the modern Wiener oboes made by Yamaha, which are typically in better playing condition than instruments made in the 19th century.