Major orchestras around the country have several positions for musicans open. These seats tend to stay unfilled for long periods of time for several reasons. It’s cheaper to pay a substitute than hire a permanent replacement so there’s no financial incentive to hire quickly. There have been several musical director transitions and outgoing directors will let their successors fill the spots. And the multiple steps of the audition process combined with the busy schedules of the committee and director make for lengthy selections.  It’s nice to know there are well paying (six figures!) jobs for classical musicians out there, if only they could just get hired.