Posted by O on February 25, 2004 at 21:45:54:
In Reply to: Foreigners allowed in London Orchestras? posted by curious American on February 25, 2004 at 13:07:25:
Job ads go out in the Saturday editions of the Times and the Guardian. Most of the orchestras also have started advedrtising on Musicalchairs also. The stories that go around about people being not allowed work permits etc may or may not be true, but an american who would consider applying for a job in a british orchestra would be advised that the playing style that they expect you to have is quite different from the american style. Also, I have been told that no tuba jobs in the UK for the past 25-30 years have gone to people who audition on anything but an Eb tuba. Even those who now use lots of different instruments in their daily work.
Plus: The pay in London orchestras ain't great even if it was a cheap place to live. And it ain't either.
But by all means go for it if you really think you have a chance of getting the job and can justify the cost of flying there. I have met americans at auditions in London.