Comments on: What do Conductors want to Hear?

By: Jonathan West

Jonathan West — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:28:32 +0000

I remember very many years ago, I was 1st horn in the University of London Orchestra, and the BBC came along to record one of our concerts for their “Youth Orchestras of the World” series.

We were playing the symphonic dances from West Side Story. I thought I had done a nice projected solo in “Somewhere”, but when I heard it on the broadcast it didn’t come through nearly as strongly as I had imagined it would. It was a very good lesson – what sounds right to you is not enough as heard from the back of the hall – so you have to play “too much” and then it will sound right.

One very good way of mastering the art of playing soft enough is to play regularly in a wind quintet. It is very easy to overbalance the woodwind players, especially as the horn often is just filling in the middle of the harmonies. Blending right is far harder with just 4 other players than with a whole orchestral string section in front of you.

By: John Ericson

John Ericson — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 23:25:28 +0000

The summer that #1 was in Aspen was my second summer there and I remember vividly playing fourth horn on Leonore 3 with #1 on third and Wakefield on first. I learned so much those summers. One thing I often tell people is that with the right summer event and hard work you can make a semester of progress easily. I know I improved tremendously over my undergrad years from a fairly average music business major at a small college to working on a Masters at Eastman. Hard work with good teachers and mentors does pay off.

By: Jennifer Hyde

Jennifer Hyde — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 13:55:39 +0000

I studied with David Wakefield this past summer at the Aspen Music Festival. I learned so much from sitting next to him in orchestra! My idea of dynamic contrasts and a top professionals idea were not the same. It wasn’t only the loud playing that impressed me, but also the sustained quiet, AIR-DRIVEN playing.

By: Jeffrey Agrell

Jeffrey Agrell — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 13:33:06 +0000

Very true. I often tell students to make enough dynamic contrast in your playing to get those folks in the back of the hall who have been texting the whole time to look up and notice that something interesting is happening and make them want to listen to the story you’re telling. It may feel like a lot to you, but for some unknown psychoacoustic law of the universe, it barely gets out to the cheap seats.

By: John Ericson

John Ericson — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 15:47:08 +0000

#1 I love the quote from Wakefield. For disclosure, I also studied with Wakefield that same summer in Aspen and it was for me as well as for #1 a life turning point. At some point I should post more about that specific summer and the lessons and memories retained.

One other point I wish I had made is that often students honestly believe they are making big contrasts but they are not, the contrasts are totally felt but not actually heard by listeners. There is a point were your contrasts go over the top but they need to be big enough to be easily heard.

By: Bruce Richards

Bruce Richards — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 14:08:28 +0000

In regards to auditions; I can’t remember how many boring Mozart concertos I have heard on an audition committee. (not just horn) People “playing it safe” to get to the next round. Once they got there the majority failed to impress in the excerpts. Playing if safe is a mentality which can infiltrate your subconscious and affect all of your playing. It is a dangerous decision to make.

By: Bruce Richards

Bruce Richards — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 13:27:13 +0000

I took two great things away from one summer at the Aspen Festival. The first was the experience of sitting next to real professional horn players. Hearing just how loud, and more importantly how soft they played. What are the real dynamic ranges that you have to play as a professional at the highest level. The second came directly from David Wakefield. He said always play the first rehearsal as if it was the concert. Look the conductor in the eye just before your entrance. This will give him confidence in you and if all goes well he will probably leave you alone.