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SubCategory Archive (tags): ‘Orchestra’

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Orchestra 101: Overtime, Young Conductors, and the Temperature Clause

PUBLISHED: November 17, 2009, John Ericson

Another big pet peeve in amateur/school settings are services, especially rehearsals, running long. They run long because conductors have the luxury of not using their time efficiently; there is no financial consequence to the organization if they run long. Any time a rehearsal or concert that exceeds 2 ½ hours not excluded specifically already (such [...]

Are All Professionals Kind of … Jaded?

PUBLISHED: November 17, 2009, Bruce Hembd
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The pleasures in performing music are relatively well known – they seem practically innate from birth. Over time these joys can mature into a life-long relationship, and perhaps even into a professional career. A regular job in a symphony or opera orchestra, or chamber group is a job that is like no other. The experience [...]

Orchestra 101: Dress Code

PUBLISHED: November 8, 2009, John Ericson

At the end of the previous article in this series I referred to concert attire. Suffice to say it is specified very clearly in the Master Agreement what to wear for every type of service. The short version for students about to play professional jobs for the first time is to dress well and somewhat [...]

Categories: Sub-categories:
Orchestra, Orchestra 101

The Performing Acoustic and Your Horn Playing

PUBLISHED: November 7, 2009, John Ericson

The way we perform is related to the physical space we play in and the mental space we play in. First, let us consider the physical space. I played in a hall that was rather dry when I was in the Nashville Symphony. In a recent post in Adaptistration we learn from acoustical consultant Christopher [...]

Two Typical Leadership Styles of Conductors to Watch For

PUBLISHED: November 6, 2009, Bruce Hembd

With regard to leadership there are basically two types of music conductors: Those that lead from the side Those that lead from the front Conductors that lead from the side will begin rehearsals with broad concepts. They allow details to organically evolve from the musicians in rehearsal and will mold this organic process into a [...]

Categories: Sub-categories:
Opera, Orchestra

Orchestra 101: Overscale and Doubling

PUBLISHED: November 5, 2009, John Ericson

Today we look at two types of extra payments beyond base pay scale in an orchestra, overscale and doubling. While any player can try to negotiate a special contract, Principal and Assistant Principal players in the Nashville contracts that I have been referencing in this series were guaranteed a minimum overscale; Principal players 25% and [...]

Sub-categories:
Doubling, Orchestra, Orchestra 101

Conductors: Time and Gesture

PUBLISHED: November 5, 2009, Bruce Hembd

I can remember the first time I worked with a world class conductor. His manner and mannerisms were so different from what I was accustomed to that it took me a good while to understand and follow him. While my encounters with world-class conductors has been admittedly few and far in-between, over the years it [...]

Categories: Sub-categories:
Opera, Orchestra
John Ericson & Bruce Hembd
on the French horn, brass related topics, and the field of classical music.