Today we’d like to introduce you to David Freeman
Hi David, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My musical journey began in elementary school, starting with piano and trumpet. As I progressed, I eventually found my way to the tuba, and the deeper I ventured into this world, the more opportunities I had to perform in various ensembles and orchestras. This ultimately led me to The Juilliard School, where I earned my Bachelor of Music in 2018 and Master of Music in 2020.
Following a brief stint in arts administration at The Metropolitan Opera and Juilliard after graduating, I pivoted into a completely different career outside of the arts as a general manager for Equinox, a renowned luxury fitness brand.
In addition to this full-time career outside of music, I started a small consultancy that supports performing artists in transitioning to careers beyond the arts. While conducting research for this project, I found myself revisiting the numerous audition websites I had relied on during my time as a student. The same frustration resurfaced—why did it still require visiting multiple sites to find open auditions?
This realization inspired the creation of OrchestraAuditions.com. My goal was to build a centralized platform that simplifies the audition search process, providing musicians with a single resource to discover opportunities.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The journey hasn’t been without its challenges. I was fully prepared to take on every open tuba audition after graduating in 2020, but the pandemic derailed those plans, canceling everything I had lined up. Fortunately, my administrative experience at The Metropolitan Opera helped me secure a full-time role quickly, but it also meant shifting away from a performance career.
It’s now been four years since I stepped back from pursuing tuba full-time, but music remains a central part of my life. This past year, I’ve had the opportunity to perform with The Juilliard Orchestra at the newly renovated David Geffen Hall, teach masterclasses and lessons for brass musicians in Nairobi, Kenya, and play at Oktoberfest venues with fellow brass musicians.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
OrchestraAuditions.com provides professional audition listings for orchestra musicians across the United States. We’ve developed a proprietary method to quickly gather and share information on open positions, often posting opportunities that haven’t yet appeared on some of the largest audition platforms.
One of our standout features is our email notifications. From any page on the site, you can select your instrument and subscribe to free audition updates, ensuring you never miss an opportunity. We also send reminders when deadlines are approaching to keep you on track.
We understand that auditioning isn’t cheap, with travel and lodging costs often adding up. That’s why we’re developing an audition fund to help musicians cover these expenses. Plus, we’re planning to introduce several new features in the coming months—stay tuned!
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
If you choose to step away from taking auditions, as I did, don’t see it as a sign of failure. There’s a common misconception in the performance world that pursuing something else means you’ve fallen short. I believe the right word for it is growth. As my career has evolved, so have my goals and ambitions, and that’s completely normal. I remain deeply connected to the performing arts in different ways, particularly through managing OrchestraAuditions.com, and it continues to be a fulfilling part of my journey.
Pricing:
- Everything is completely free
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.orchestraauditions.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/orchestraauditions/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/orchestraauditions/
