I know audition secrets are “take care of the basics” like pitch and rhythm, but what specifically do you think audition winners do differently in practice rooms than those who continually come up close but short?

I think it's similar to any other human achievement (e.g. athletics) or even something like fine wines or instruments. Highly accomplished violinists are already an incredibly small subset of the population, but what separates the best of the best from the others is usually at once incredibly minute, yet just out of reach for almost everyone. With a violinist, it might be superhuman reflexes and coordination (in the case of a Hilary Hahn) or it might be the ability to turn and sustain a phrase.

In the world of collectibles (wine, instruments, etc.) you see a super premium being paid at the very highest end, often many times what the "next best" fetches in terms of price, even if the difference is only .01%

What's the difference between a really, really good classical violinist and a Hillary Hahn who's considered likely the best in the world. How different is their play, and what do they do differently?

That's a really good question, and one that's not at all easy to answer. Without resorting to "you know it when you see it," I would say that the good conductor has everything in place -- good technique, clarity, vision of the piece, rehearsal style, etc. The great conductor is able to go beyond that and inspire. The sum total is something that goes beyond the ordinary. What that is exactly or how one gets there is much harder to define.

For more AMAs on this topic, subscribe to r/IAmA_Music, and check out our other topic-specific AMA subreddits here.

I do believe organizations such as the Met are willing to sponsor visas, but the truth is we don't get a ton of applicants from outside the country for most auditions, though we did get a fair amount of interest for the concertmaster position (i.e. the equivalent position to mine) a few years ago.

I wish I could say that players are consulted for artistic decisions, but we just aren't. I do agree it's been great to see a movement towards more modern and varied programming. Despite that, however, I'm most excited this season about Lohengrin, which has come up only once during my 23-year Met career, and Idomeneo, a profound Mozart work that we don't play often enough.

Just curious how often orchestras of your pedigree hire from outside North America. Is it normal to sponsor visas, or are your members typically already in the country or have other work authorization?

Hard to pick just one. Uchida, Brendel in no particular order are also favorites.

It’s been a real joy to watch the programming continue opening up & modernizing under YNS, to include more new & lesser-known rep. Are players’ opinions sought/considered at all in forming the programming approaches?

(Related: what new/unusual rep coming up in this or future seasons are you especially excited about?)

Hi David! Thanks for taking the time to do the AMA. I’m curious what thoughts you have on the difference between a good conductor and a great conductor- and between one you enjoy working with, and one you might not want to have to collaborate with again? Toi toi toi for the concerts!

I must say I did not expect an answer like Gilels! He is certainly one of my favourites as well (but mostly for Beethoven!) Thank you for your insight!

The Bible

[removed]

Not me, but I've played with people who have!

Ever pass wind during a solo?

Best book you’ve read in the last ten years?

[deleted]

Emil Gilels / Karl Böhm !

The modern taste for Mozart playing would be lighter and crisper than what Böhm gets here, but the poetry of Gilels is still unsurpassed.

John Williams is an amazing musician and likely would have written terrific Baroque music had he been composing in the 1700s!

As much as I recognize great classic film scores from early cinema (Korngold's Robin Hood, Hermann, etc.) I'll readily confess that my favorite film score is Star Wars.

[removed]

[removed]

Uh, never? ;)

Truthfully, at the top professional level it doesn't happen much. It can happen, but rarely in commonly played pieces; it would tend to happen in some sort of unfamiliar or extremely challenging work, and where there's some kind of extenuating circumstance (e.g. problem on stage in the opera, some kind of technical difficulty, etc.)

And do you have a favourite performance for this?

Favorite film score? How do you think someone like John Williams would have done if he had been composing in the 1700s?