Dear Alma, Can you make sense of the Berlin Philharmonic?
OrchestrasOur agony aunt has freelanced in the Berlin Phil and knows the situation from the inside.
Dear Alma,
I am a young musician trying to get a foothold on a career. I am still in a post-school program, have been taking auditions, and have won a number of competitions. I was very inspired, 18 months ago, when Vineta Sareika won the position of first concertmaster of the Berlin Philharmonic. I stayed up late drinking with my friends, we were so happy that she had broken through the strongest glass ceiling, and it gave us confidence that we could do so as well. And now, she has left the job. I have been very sad these past days, trying to make sense of it. Can you help me understand it, Alma?
Crushed
Dear Crushed,
I too have been feeling quite blue since the announcement. She lifted us up, showed us it could be done, and through concerts (if we are lucky enough to see one live), and the Digital Concerthall, we could (and can) see that she deserved that job and was more than rising to the occasion. We can never know the true reason she decided to leave, but we can know it took a tremendous amount of strength to decide to do so. This is the same strength that got her to this job, arguably the best orchestra job on the planet, and which took her through her childhood, excellent training, competition wins, and leading a major string quartet. It is that strength which allowed her to say “no more”.
There is no doubt in my mind that the job of concertmaster of the Berlin Philharmonic is demanding beyond compare, and that the judgment of peers is crushing (think of all of the colleagues she beat to win the position from
inside the orchestra). The press and audience are unforgiving. The sexism which lead to the 141 year block on having a woman concertmaster is both within and without that orchestra, woven through the tapestry of classical music.
Was it that pressure that took its toll? Was it the balance of home and work – being the mother of a young child? Or something else.
Crushed – the glass ceiling that Vineta Sareika punched through is now open. It is splintered, jagged, dangerous and has the blood of those who had pounded on it for all of those years soaked into it. But it is open. You can also push through. We all can. And together will clean that opening in the ceiling, creating a glorious stairway to it and above it. And one day we will look down at it, and thank Vineta for paving the way.
Questions for Alma? Please put them in the comments section or send to DearAlmaQuery@gmail.com
Her assignment as our Concermaster was a PR move, this doesn’t take away from the fact she’s good, but it was a PR move nonetheless by our orchestra. Having any position in our orchestra doesn’t change the way we interact with each other, and to put it mildly, she’s not everyone’s cup of tea. Other musicians have come and gone because at the end of the day they just don’t really fit in with us as a social group.
I wish her luck in her next endeavors, but nobody’s crying about her departure.
‘Having any position in our orchestra doesn’t change the way we interact with each other…’
‘…at the end of the day they just don’t really fit in with us as a social group…’
No, can’t figure out why anyone would want to leave you. You sound so open-minded and welcoming. In the old “ve haf vays off making you enjoy yourself…” manner.
An orchestra is a team; its members have to spend a lot of time working together. Good relationships matter. Some new comers can fit in to the orchestra, and the orchestra can adjust to them. Sometimes it just doesn’t work out. Is that so hard to understand, without veiled references to Nazism?
GuestX – yes I do understand. But you would have through that the orchestra would have bent over backwards to make sure she was well treated and comfortable. It looks bad for them, not to mention the callous remarks by a member of their ranks here.
A lot of superiority and arrogance in this statement!
So sad..
She s a brilliant violinist and her Heldeleben was much better and much more musical than the other Concertmaster from Pittsburgh….
Sorry ….
An excellent violinist! Yes. Great solos.
Yes, and also much better than the overrated Asian Concertmaster…
The Asian must stay, because the orchestra is still after that sweet sweet money from Japanese audience and sponsors. Not saying he isn’t good, of course. But isn’t it curious that there are no Japanese concertmasters in other top European orchestras or the US, but the Berlin Philharmonic got two Japanese concertmasters in a row?
Japanese Naoka Aoki, also a lady, was appointed Concertmaster of the Munich Philharmonic in 2022. Although not answering Guest’s primary issue, it is surely noteworthy that of other Asians, in Europe two South Korean ladies fill Concertmaster slots. Only this month the Orchestre Philharmonic of Radio France announced Park Ji-hoon as Concertmaster. Lee Ji-yoon isFirst Concertmaster at the Berlin Staatskapelle at the Berlin State Opera.
In the US, Robert Chen has been Concertmaster in the Chicago SO since 1999. David Kim is Concertmaster of the Philadelphia Orchestra, also since 1999. Frank Huang has been Concertmaster of the New York PO since 2015, and Shanghai born Bing Wang is Associate Concertmaster in the LA Phil.
It is however noteworthy that while there are many Japanese in the ranks of many major European/US orchestras, few fill the post of Concertmaster.
Surely you jest. Daishin Kashimoto is a fabulous violinist. And why can’t you actually use his name while slamming him?
Nicola.
I don’t understand how anyone can think it’s ok to write something like this online, anonymously, about one of Europe finest musicians. Vineta is fabulous -but why the need to criticise the other concertmaster?
A concertmaster’s job is more than playing the solos.
GuestX – yes a concertmaster has many jobs. And a female concertmaster has to do them while being socially accepted and strong. And beautiful.
This is a brutal statement but it lines up with what some of the speculation has been. Thanks for sharing from the inside.
Gosh – what an amazing PR team you guys have! Brilliant to hire someone to boost the publicity machine – I guess you are saying because she is Latvian? And maybe they hired Noah because he is from Pittsburgh? She must have loved to hear the whispers of “why she was hired”, and further – your PR team is really nailing it on the head by losing her. I wonder what the angle is there? “Let’s fill the seats by being misogynistic”? Cool one.
Wait – publicity? I thought Berlin was a democratic orchestra – that you all voted? Are you saying you were coerced into hiring her for publicity reasons? What are those reasons? That she plays better than you? Or maybe because she is tall? Sounds like you guys need therapy.
Wait – it’s about publicity and fitting in? I think I want to audition. I’ve got like 400,000 followers on Insta and I am transgender. I am really really fun to hang out with and I am sure, with a couple of weeks of lessons, I can learn to play fiddle just as good as you folks! How do I sign up?
I get it; she probably wouldn’t bathe in the warm waters of group-think.
You are disgusting, Just a Colleague. I can’t imagine sharing a seat with you. Won the job because of PR? Didn’t get along socially? Didn’t you know her for a year before she won the job?
And what experience do you have of working with her? Do you truly believe we’re all bullies and she’s a damsel in distress? Grow up. We’re an orchestra, not the Vatican, musicians come and go all the time, nobody is irreplaceable.
Just a Colleague. I do know her and have played with her. She is a violinist of very high personal standards, and has a cool head. She does not lose her temper and is intelligent and thoughtful. She is tough and thorough with preparation, and solid under pressure. Just what a concertmaster should be.
I agree and I’m sure she will do just fine in her next projects, despite people in the comments panicking as if she’s been mistreated or given the boot.
This reminds me of a classmate I had. A very good violinist in his own right but a difficult person all around. I asked him to join my school quartet as our former violinist transferred school. He agreed to join but soon after it became apparent it wasn’t going to last and we parted ways at the end of the year. Our cellist then said; “it’s too bad, the guy is good enough to win any job but he won’t be able to keep it”. Sure enough he’s been through 5 jobs and didn’t earn tenure once
Most people in these comments have no orchestral experience and don’t know her, but it’s easier to defend someone you know nothing about than to find out the truth. Anyway, good luck to her and to all of you who are so deeply affected by this… go figure.
Just a Colleague – the news that a woman had won this top position was world-wide. Kate Blanchet named Vineta by name in an interview that she had after Tar. You are unaware of how important this step was for women.
I am merely an observer.
I still strongly suspect that you are not in the Berlin Philharmonic, but are just another “poser.” You are attempting to write with great omniscience and cliches.
Professional colleagues, even with strong opinions, would tend not to post on this website, and especially on this matter using the language and wording that you have selected.
Your style of writing also strikes me as someone who is perhaps trying to disguise themselves as a non-native English speaker.
“..but it’s easier to defend someone you know nothing about than to find out the truth.”
Statements like that one just above strike me as having been written by someone who is not who they claim to be. Again, it has that omniscient narrator voice, which is suspect.
“Just a colleague.” I find that moniker to be totally unconvincing, and especially in the way that you phrase your words.
You might as well use your name if you are a member of the Berlin Philharmonic.
Of course you have not done so, perhaps not simply because you wish to remain anonymous, but because you are likely not in the orchestra, and merely pontificating from a perspective that asserts without evidence that you are a member.
Your comments are almost like a little treasure hunt, but for fool’s gold.
You are writing total rubbish. The commenter is a verified member of the Berlin Phil. Now go speculate on the snails in your garden.
Haha.
“Total rubbish.:
“…a verified member.”
Well then, the public on this site can only work off of the line of “trust, but verify.”
He/she should use their real name.
Mere assertion is not sufficient.
I like snails.
Somehow I suspect that you are not in the Berlin Philharmonic.
Rather, you are more likely just another critic.
Doesn‘t fit with you as a social group? Does that mean she didn’t go drinking with you, or didn’t laugh when someone made an inappropriate joke? Or even called people out on it?
I don’t know anyone involved, only speculating from your comments, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s some kind of bro culture that’s making her leave.
Not a Musician – I couldn’t agree more. Bro culture for sure. Calling her hiring a Public Relations Stunt. Deplorable. Good that she left. Toxic.
it could be she does
not like living in Germany.
Henry – I believe she has a husband and child in Berlin, and also has been teaching at the University of the Arts for quite some time. Berlin is a fantastic city.
…and to add to that, living in Berlin is not the same as „living in Germany“. Berlin is more diverse culturally than other more typical German cities. The only thing Berlin does lack over western German cities is a wealthy plutocratic minority. And coming with it a lack of intercontinenral nonstop flights. That‘s due to what was decided in Yalta by Stalin, Churchill and Roosevelt in 1945.
Anyway, I doubt that has much to do with her leaving the Berlin Phil.
Just a colleague. You show us how insensitive and bullying the environment must be. Belittling her having won the position, complaint of her social skills, and kicking her as she leaves. Shame on you.
Conclusion : Berlin Phil has the worst PR time ever
As always, an excellent response from Alma. Whoever you are, you know your stuff!
Thank you, Steph!
Steph – yes – this is the kind of response we need from Alma at this time. Supportive, clear, and true. Brava.
When Rattle got the BPO job, Eliette Karajan warned him to be careful because “they killed my husband and they almost killed Claudio”. Looks like some things never change.
It is a tough job at the top. People don’t make it easy for you. Is it worth it? Not sure.
LOL absolutely not. They have not produced a single recording in the last decade of the quality that one would expect given their reputation. Compared to fellow German orchestras Gewandhausorchester and Staatskapelle Dresden they sound like they haven’t played a single day together. Poor ensemble skills do not make a great orchestra.
The Berlin Phil killed Karajan? That’s a joke! Odd that he created the Salzburg Easter Festival and installed that orchestra in residence. Odd, too, that he could have at almost any time left the BPO had he really wanted to do so. Not odd that his widow founded the Eliette and Herbert von Karajan Institute to promote his artistic legacy – most with the BPO!
As for its almost killing Abbado, that too is rich unless she believes it was a result of the BPO causing his serious cancer! Abbado had worked many times with the BPO since he was 33 – around 23 years before offered its MD position. He knew what he was in for and remained with the BPO for 12 years. Like HvK he could have left at virtually any time.
As for Ms. Sarieka’s departure, we have no idea why she decided to leave. Having been the leader of a major quartet for around 8 years, perhaps she just wants to return to a more intimate form of music making. If leaving due to bitterness amongst her colleagues or some other negative reason, it is surely unlikely she would have added her gratitude for the “unique life experience, fantastic concerts and inspiring encounters.” I reckon her terminology is likely to have included less admiration.
There are many reasons why great players might decide to leave a prestigious position. While it may look glamorous from the outside, a highly coveted position does not necessarily result in personal happiness. In fact, it is quite possible, if not probable, to be absolutely miserable in an ensemble that is highly regarded (I am not singling out here the BPO, this is probably true of many prestigious orchestras). The reasons for this are manifold, but usually the higher the ensemble’s level, the more likely it will be pervaded by a toxic culture and by criteria of excellence that seem almost unreachable and insatiable. Many ensembles are capable of dismissing even the most stellar of candidates, based on the most minute details, and quite often as well on non-musical factors, such as personal chemistry.
We don’t know the specific reasons why this particular player decided to leave. It could be that she simply decided to prioritize her personal happiness and balance, and concluded that a job at the BPO did not allow for that. Many people are ready to sacrifice their personal sanity for a highly coveted position, and that is usually a crucial mistake. Whatever her reasons were, I’m sure they were justified, as this is not a decision that one takes lightly. It is extremely difficult to win one of those positions, as auditions for them are usually comprised of players who a generation ago would have had a worldwide solo career — this is how hard it has become. Getting a concertmaster position, especially in a world-class orchestra, is somewhat akin to winning the lottery. You have to play well, extremely well, but that is merely the equivalent of purchasing a lottery ticket — the rest is a mix of multiple factors, such as what shape one is in on the day of the audition, whether one’s playing matches the style of the particular ensemble, and one factor that is rarely mentioned, as most people mistakenly believe that auditions are strictly rational processes: sheer luck. I have seen stellar players be rejected in an audition’s first round and average players emerge as the winner, although that is much less likely in an audition of the BPO’s caliber.
What sense you speak. As eloquently put as ever. Obviously an orchestral musician!
Thank you Ich Bin E…
Thanks to you!
“The reasons for this are manifold, but usually the higher the ensemble’s level, the more likely it will be pervaded by a toxic culture and by criteria of excellence that seem almost unreachable and insatiable.”
(i) I’m sure it’s possible to have the high standards without the toxic culture
(ii) what happened to courtesy and good humour?
Courteous on the outside, back-stabbing from within.
They might actually be a more disgusting cesspool with more bullying than the vastly inferior UK orchestras who think they can even slightly compare.
Sounds right, Enrico, judging by the first comment, where they dismiss her appointment as “publicity”. That’s a really low blow. Can you imagine winning Berlin Phil and then people telling you it was for publicity?
What wonderfully wise words from Ereignis, in the unlikeliest place to find them, about not just the industry today but indeed the vicissitudes of life. How often really do we want what we think we want, and do we find happiness in having what we wanted?
Indeed. Does what we think we want actually fulfill our expectations once we obtain it, or does it carry its own hitherto unexpected burdens? Do we know ourselves well enough to know what we truly want, or more modestly, what we actually need?
Thanks for the kind words.
Being a good orchestra doesn’t necessarily make it a good place to work. There are plenty of good situations out there. Some glass ceilings just aren’t worth taking on, it seems to me. I think it’s better to find a good place to enjoy making music than seeking to prove a point. And this goes for both sexes, too.
Sob.
The Berlin Phil suffers from a large dose of ‘ the kings invisible suit ‘ syndrome.They are very good, but so are about half a dozen other other Orchestras in the world.It’s very dangerous in life to believe in your own hype, but they do.
Is ” Just a colleague” a colleague or ” Just a troll” ? ….
It reads like both
Dear Alma,
thank you for your inspiring words, giving so much hope to other women. Yes, Mrs. Sareika DID break the ceiling, so every young musician can dream of any career in the world. If she could make it THERE, we all can make it anywhere!
Unfortunately this dream is breaking quite a bit as a self declared member of BPO is calling her assignement a ‘PR move’ – in the first comment of the very article that should give hope to all women. This is so unbelievably unsensitive and rude! If this ‘member’ would really represent the orchestra with his statement, and this would be the typical ‘way of interacting with each other’ that he was talking about, i wouldn’t be suprised AT ALL about Mrs. Sareikas decision to leave this place the sooner the better!
Everyone who watched and listened to her on stage or DCH (and not only her ‘Heldenleben’!) will be easily convinced that she more than deserved the job!
At the end, leaving the concertmaster position was probably a same-level breaking-the-ceiling move as winning it and, as you said Alma, it must have been based on the same source of strength.
Mrs. Sareika is such an inspiration – for achieving seemingly unachievable goals, as well as for putting happiness and freedom in the first place!
I wish her all the best for her future career!
Worth considering that self-declared member of the orchestra may not be what they claim to be.
They have been verified by our monitors.
Just a woman. We will be watching what she does next! Stay in Berlin? Find a new Quartet? Move to America? Land a big teaching position? Could be anything.
Dear Alma,
I am experiencing an identity crisis as musician! I am fortunate to have gotten a nearly full ride scholarship for an undergraduate violin performance degree. But I have been playing viola for six years now and really love it! Should I try to switch my degree to viola? Or stick with violin the next four years? If I stick with violin, how am I ever going to find the time to do all of that practicing!
Yours truly,
Identity Bratsche