Not to be outdone, Vienna names American musicians
NewsThe Vienna State Opera has appointed three new players to the orchestra, shortly after the Berlin Phil made a hiring announcement.
They are: Hannah Cho and Lucas Takeshi Stratmann in the violins, Christoph Hammer in the violas.
All three become candidate members of the Vienna Philharmonic.
Cho and Stratmann are Juilliard grads.
Hannah Cho and Lucas Stratmann were also members of the VPO’s Orchestra Academy, so they should be somewhat acclimatized. 😉
If Hannah Cho passes her trial year, she will become the first fully Asian person to enter the orchestra, and the first person with an Asian family name. Her employment is something of a landmark because the VPO long excluded Asians since it was thought that they would destroy the ensemble’s image of Austrian authenticity. More info and documentation about this unfortunate history here:
http://www.osborne-conant.org/blind.htm
Given the immense influence of the VPO, this is a happy day for classical music and a sign the orchestra has truly changed. Bravo VPO!
And Lucas Takeshi Stratmann appears to be part Asian (presumably Japanese).
I’d hazard she’s more American than Asian.
She’s Korean, born there of two Korean parents, but whatever you say…
You are where you grow up.
I see that your strange obsession with race and gender continues unabated, Mr. Osborne.
I see that the strange obsession with putting down Mr. Osborne at every opportunity here on SD continues unabated.
In ’06, tubist Yasuhito Sugiyama was denied tenure in the VPO/Opera and became employed by the Cleveland Orch. where he still plays. In the meantime, a female bassoonist, flutist, and bassist along with various string section players have been taken in. Some progress…..
Why do you think it’s your right to demand the VPO should hire certain ethnic musicians when you’re not actually contributing your own money towards that orchestra or its practices? Put your own money up or shut the hell up. It’s not your business.
The world is changing, dear. Sorry that it upsets you this much. But we can’t delay progress forever just to coddle a few delicate boomer snowflakes. You could always go find a safe space … maybe within a Jordan Peterson book?
Not you again, with your copy-and-paste ‘progressive’ platitudes. The world doesn’t want your way of thinking.
Because the Wiener Staatsoper is a public entity and required to comply with EU employment laws, including non-discrimination in hiring.
@Sue Spot on.
Why do you think all orchestras should have a homogenised, international sound? I LIKE the old sound of Russian orchestras, French orchestras, Austrian orchestras. Do you really want to live in a world where everything is standardised and anonymous?
That ship has sailed my friend.
But the tide is turning…
Not really. Vienna Phil still has a distinguished and unique sound. Strings, brass, recognisable, unique.
Berlin Phil has lost theirs to globalization, but they were always more international and their sound was more Karajan’s than the orchestra’s own.
I also like those different sounding orchestras – and soloists (from the past). Do we want to live in a standardized world? Not really? Do we have a choice? Not really – it’s the price of progress, which has also brought many benefits!
PS: In a book I used to have, dating from about 1900, various pianist “developers” (normally known as teachers) take part in a discussion. One is Teichmüller from Leipzig, another is one of Leschetitzky’s assistants. At one point one of them writes “Well this may be the current fashionable mode, but I can assure you it will NEVER be accepted in Stuttgart!”
Oh, that was a different era…
‘Progress’ is not always improvement.
Absolutely. Vive la différence.
This woke nonsense is for airheads. There is no reason why an all male orchestra made up only of people born in Baden bei Wien should be considered any the less humane than an orchestra made up of female members of the Politburo in Beijing. Or even Americans, half and half, since we get along with one another so well.
Tragedy to have Americans in great European orchestras. Oh Europe, what have you become to let in those rednecks…
(not so) nice try at a verbal false flag to make Viennese look moronic.
Good bye, Vienna Sound.
No. A few years back Ian Bousfield (British) was principal trombone in the VPO with an American second trombone. Didn’t change the sound of the orchestra. The sound of the VPO is chiefly (not entirely) driven by the instruments they play. The Philadelphia Orchestra sound hasn’t changed with numerous non-Curtis players in it. Muti tried to change it but, trust me, they can still muster the old Ormandy sound when asked in the right repertoire.
At least according to the orchestra itself, the quality of sound of the string section is NOT due to the instruments being played: https://web.archive.org/web/20120109050629/http://www.wienerphilharmoniker.at/index.php?set_language=en&cccpage=viennese_sound
Funny you mention the Philadelphia Orchestra when its current principal oboist is a born-and-trained Frenchman, and from what I know has not attempted to change his sound to match that of his predecessor. I personally the think the oboe is the best asset of many American orchestras.
Surely this is long overdue?
What is overdue? To fill open positions with the most able musicians one can find?
Or to act based on some ideology?
No indication in the summary that they’re Americans. Graduating from Juilliard doesn’t confer a passport. In any event, congratulations to all.
Always nice to see attractive women getting ahead.
Or giving it.
When I first time hear Ms. Cho’s playing, I knew that it was something extremely special. So I knew that this day will be come in future – and now it has! Huge congrats to Ms. Cho and also other job winners!
I was at the opera in Vienna last week and women musicians were still thin on the ground so two more is good.
Seriously what kind of jerk is going to concert (only) to looking how many women (or men) are in stage??! I don’t know others but I’m always going to LISTENING (hopefully) world class music performance – not looking (please read calculating) percentage of women and men in particular orchestra.
It’s common. I had a student at Westminster who was appointed conductor of the Boychoir, surprisingly so since, when I lived in Vienna, it was assumed that all major appointments would be to Austrians. Of course, that’s a long time ago.