Opportunities

Estonian National Symphony Orchestra announces an audition for
PRINCIPAL DOUBLE BASS
(full time, commencing April, 2024; monthly remuneration 2187 Euros in gross sum or 2909 Euros excluding social tax).

The audition will be held in three rounds – the video round, the stage round and the orchestra round.

To apply, please send your application and CV (no official application forms are provided) to audition@erso.ee , with a quoting reference “Double Bass”, by September 8th, 2023 at the latest, along with a link to one uncut video recording* where you perform:

one movement from the Suite im Alten Stil for double bass solo by Hans Fryba
and
one of the following three pieces (preferably with accompaniment):
Giovanni Bottesini. Elegy No. 1 in D major
or
Giovanni Bottesini. Elegy No. 2 in E minor (Romanza Dramatica)
or
Giovanni Bottesini. Elegy No. 3 in E minor (Romanza Patetica)
and
orchestral excerpts** from Ludwig van Beethoven. Symphony No. 5, III movement from bar 1 to 18, from bar 44 to 75 and from bar 141 (with upbeat) to 218.

Invitations to the stage audition will be sent to selected candidates by September 25th the latest, after the initial review of the sent videos by the audition committee.

The stage audition will be held on November 8th, 2023 at 14:30 at the Estonia Concert Hall, Tallinn.

Repertoire to be prepared for the stage audition:

I round:

Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf. Double Bass Concerto in E major, I and II movement (with H. K. Gruber cadenzas)
or
Johann Baptiste Vanhal. Double Bass Concerto, I and II movement (cadenzas of your own choice)
and
orchestral excerpts**.

II round:

Giovanni Bottesini. Double Bass Concerto No. 2 in B minor, I and II movement
or
Sergei Koussevitzky. Double Bass Concerto, I and II movement
or
Eduard Tubin. Double Bass Concerto
and
orchestral excerpts**.

On the basis of the stage round, up to 3 candidates will be asked to play in the orchestral round, participating in turn in up to 3 ERSO’s concerts and related rehearsal periods. The winner of the audition will be announced after the orchestral round, by 31.03.2024 the latest.

Audition details:
Both, orchestra and solo tuning of the instrument are allowed throughout the audition. The stage audition will take place during the course of one day. Only live performances are possible. ERSO will not supply participants with visa invitations and will not pay for travelling nor other costs incurred by candidates.

Job Details:
The position withholds managing the section and leading group rehearsals. Alongside their musical responsibilities, section principals contribute to the management of the orchestra through the Board of Principals.
Tutti rehearsals (4hrs daily) are normally held on working days, concerts are usually on Fridays. The working language in ERSO is Estonian – all foreign colleagues are expected to become sufficiently proficient in the Estonian language within one year,

* The video recording must be filmed with one camera, the player facing the camera so that also both, the player’s hands and the instrument, can completely be seen throughout. Any post-processing of the sound or picture is prohibited. All required music can be recorded in one take.

** Orchestral excerpts are available on our website under the audition announcement, for the videoround immediately and for the stage round simultaneusly with the invitations.