The word on the street is that no one was offered the position following the auditions held last weekend...

Word on the street is correct. 6 (7?) in the semis. No hire.

What is up down there?! Hasn't this happened multiple times with this position? There are plenty of great players spending a lot of money to get to San Antonio, attempting to join an orchestra that is barely even in business. The orchestra should take a hard look at its selection process.

I believe that this was the 3rd audition for this position.

My understanding is that the first resulted in a hire, but tenure was not granted. The second resulted in the hiring of someone who subsequently won a position in another group.

In addition there was a no-hire back in 2005 or so. Two of the finalists later went on to win jobs in Pittsburgh and Boston.

Irritating. One can almost understand when a large orchestra takes its time, and perhaps multiple auditions, to find the candidate that best suits the institution's long developed tradition. Almost. But come on, SASO. You guys are lucky to have anyone at all showing up to audition, let alone the many fine players who were present at this last one, given your history of financial and artistic instability. Don't you have a tenure process? Didn't that process help to overturn a hire several years back?... Shame.

My 1st thought is whether or not the financial situation is a factor in the recent no hires with this position & the flute position. I have heard mere speculation about that (finances being a possibility), but I don't know if that's 'official' or not. It certainly doesn't stop good players from taking the audition (I don't think they have a big problem attracting good players), but it is questionable either way.

The symphony just hired a new Assistant Principal Bass at their last audition (this past week), so it does not seem as if finances are necessarily issue...