New York Philharmonic adds three violinists
NewsThe new recruits are I-Jung Huang, Alina Kobialka, and Audrey Wright.
I-Jung Huang (pictured) comes from the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra’s first violins; Alina Kobialka has ‘performed with various American orchestras’; Audrey Wright is concertmaster of the Baltimore Chamber Orchestra.
NYC is not the city that it once was and the NY Phil was only great under Bernstein just like the CSO was fantastic under Reiner. We will never see those days again. You see, magic happens when results matter.
These were legends which we do not have today.
You idiot. The conductor doesn’t make any sound. Why you folks give the guy on the podium so much credit is bewildering. Their impact is usually detrimental to the ensemble, as well as the organization.
i agree Megan Markel could
conduct the vienna philharmonic and it still sound great.
I disagree most wholeheartedly!
The NY Phil was quite wonderful under Boulez’ direction. Recordings of that combination playing music stretching from Handel to Bartok – and beyond – will bear me out.
Mehta, too, had his moments, before he became weary of the “You Are The Conductor Of The New York Philharmonic!” social and media scene.
Right now, the orchestra under van Zweden is playing beautifully.
I just can’t understand your comment. Are you actually listening to the broadcasts?
And please, if you would be so kind, explain your statement “You see, magic happens when results matter” in plain non-hippie English.
Nary a mention here or elsewhere of Eileen Moon’s quiet departure from the NY Phil. Having a renowned cellist stepping down from the Associate Principal chair of a top-tier orchestra is not an everyday occurrence. Does anyone here have any insights as to why?
Jasper
There was an article a few days ago, including a comment from Eileen in the comments section.
Eileen Moon?
It is good to know that musicians are in employment
Are there any male violinists left in the orchestra……?
Yes. You could go to a concert and look for yourself, or visit their webpage, which lists the names of the players and even has pictures. The most highly paid member of the orchestra, Frank Huang, is a male violinist.
They generally hire the people who play the best auditions, regardless of gender, so if the orchestra is disproportionately of one gender, one might reasonably conclude that it is likely a case of more of the people auditioning and playing well are of that gender. If seeing too many women upsets you, be sure to buy tickets for the Vienna Philharmonic next time they are in town; women are winning seats there, too, but the roster is still mostly male.
associate concertmaster in Baltimore but congratulations to her!
I know two of them and NYP is so lucky to have such wonderful people and musicians joining them! Congrats to I-Jung and Alina!!! I hope the third person is just as wonderful!
In addition to continuing as concertmaster of the Baltimore Chamber Orchestra, Audrey Wright initially joined the Baltimore Symphony as fourth chair second violin (I think in 2016) and soon after won the associate concertmaster position, which she held until, well, now. Her performance of Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 3 – which was a part of her Baltimore Chamber Orchestra audition during the 2018/19 season – can be heard here:
https://www.yourclassical.org/episode/2020/07/17/one-heck-of-a-job-interview
The woke among us surely have something to protest, no?
Well first off congratulations to all. I also hope they are partnered with investment bankers or surgeons. The cost of living in NYC is intense and the taxes so high even earning 144k a year, about 60k is gone to taxes. so now you have 85k left. the average one bedroom- and that means just that, a dining room? forget it! -is now 4000. so that’s another 48k of your post tax income gone. subway, taxis, food, clothes, want to just go to the beach for a weekend? i mean the food costs! unreal… you’ll survive but i for one- and i lived years there til i realized this is insane -and will never go back. and i dearly hope you own nice fiddles or the phil gives them to you cuz the 10k you have at the end of the year won’t go so far….oh and i forgot about kids. i never would enquire but add kids and you’re now broke.
Does all that make you feel better about yourself…..?
maybe i was not fully clear. i’m happy for them! they must be incredible musicians. but the costs of living in new york are going to be a stark awakening, that’s all. and the quality of life even in the ‘good’ areas has so declined ….the city is not what it was in say, 1994.
London is also expensive to live.
Even a poor area is expensive to buy or rent
A flat. Transport is also expensive
Sour grapes!!
You’ve forgotten there are places outside of the five boroughs/counties of New York City where one can live very nicely and not pay those kinds of expenses. Many orchestra members do live outside of the ‘City’.
Might Alina Kobialka be related to the long-time violinist in the second violins of the San Francisco Symphony, Daniel Kobialka? He was the principal for a number of years.
What, exactly, is so newsworthy about an orchestra having hired three new musicians in a 30+ musician section? And why are there so many arguments going on in this comment section that have nothing to do with those musicians? Professional orchestras around the world are constantly hiring new musicians.
She does not look very happy.