As we get older and more experienced, our ability to see red flag warnings, becomes sharper. We can see that a situation we're about to enter might be accompanied with a certain amount of trouble or drama. It could be a new job, like an arts management position, or maybe a concert engagement. Maybe it's an agent, manager or publicist who promises you the world.
If we see that early sign, that huge red flag, we can back out before it's too late. I've seen a few of those red flags in my career, but unfortunately, I've missed many more than I care to mention.
There was, however, one flashing red light I saw immediately. I was thrilled to be on the short list for an announcer position at a radio station in a major radio midwestern market. After completing the initial phone interview, the station manager detailed the next step of the process.
Enter the Red Flag. After getting off the phone with him, I thought about it for an hour. I then wrote the Station Manager a quick note thanking him for the opportunity, and respectfully asked him to remove me from consideration.
The reason for my rather abrupt flight? All finalists would have to perfectly recite a script that required the proper pronunciation of difficult non-English names, titles and musical institutions. This Announcer Audition Script originated at WFMT in Chicago in the early 1950s, and it's still used by stations across the country as part of their application process.
I knew right away this wasn't the right job for me, but it saddened me that this major market radio station was putting its most important stake holder, their audience -- as a second priority. That's why I bailed, although I would have loved to have been offered the job under different circumstances.
This drapeau rouge told me that the station put more importance on how applicants correctly pronounced names of people who rarely show up on the radio -- Lina Pagliughi Claudia Muzio, Beniamino Gigli, Betty Plumacher, Giacinto Prandelli and Hilde Rossel-Majdan. (Again, these names rarely ever appear on the radio.)
Now of course, announcers must pronounce all names correctly and authentically. But, there is plenty of wiggle room. These days it's acceptable, and even desired, for announcers to tone down, translate and even anglicize the pronunciation of foreign names, titles and terms. It's also acceptable, and even desirable, for announcers to say some foreign names, titles and terms in English.
Afterall, in the U-S, the audience is primarily English speaking.
Think like an audience member who has 75% less knowledge than you do about classical music. Do they want to hear the totally proper and authentic way of saying "Le Sacre du Printemps," or would they prefer the "Rite of Spring?"
"La fille aux cheveux de lin" or "The Girl with the Flaxen Hair?"
This major market station, without saying so, was continuing the established practice of classical music radio sounding stuffy, elite and out of touch with its audience.
And, that was the red flag that drove me away.
What's my point?
Who comes first; what really matters, and what does your audience really want from you?
The WFMT Announcer Audition Script provides the announcer position candidate the opportunity to display their talent and skills, but it offers very little opportunity to show something personal, like heart, soul, personality and the ability to connect one-on-one with audiences.
That's what really matters to audiences.
All Art is Personal.
(Thank you to John Clare who edited this post.)
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Here's a shortened version, followed by an actual demonstration (performance) of the entire announcer audition below.
"The WFMT announcer's lot is not a happy one. In addition to uttering the sibilant, mellifluous cadences of such cacophonous sounds as Hans Schmidt- Isserstedt, Carl Schuricht, Nicanor Zabaleta, Hans Knappertsbusch, and the Hammerklavier Sonata, he must thread his vocal way through the complications of L'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, the Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam, the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, and other complicated nomenclature. However, it must by no means be assumed that the ability to pronounce L'Orchestre de la Societe des Concerts du Conservatoire de Paris with fluidity and verve outweighs an ease, naturalness and friendliness of delivery when at the omnipresent microphone. For example, when delivering a diatribe concerning Claudia Muzio, Beniamino Gigli, Betty Plumacher, Giacinto Prandelli, Hilde Rossel-Majdan and Lina Pagliughi, five out of six is good enough if the sixth one is mispronounced plausibly."
