Posted on 12/05/2004 5:46:36 AM PST by rhema
I can't tell you how many times I've had the following conversation:
"So you're a musician? What do you do?"
"I play viola in the Minnesota Orchestra."
"Really! ... Is that a full-time job? What else do you do?"
What else? I shouldn't be surprised by cultural ignorance in a society that idealizes sports heroes, rocks stars and reality TV. But even though the Minnesota Orchestra is in the public eye nearly 200 times a year, who we are and what we do remains a mystery to most people. To that end I offer, as a public service, everything you wanted to know about the lives of professional orchestra musicians.
First things first: Not only is it a full-time job, but Minnesota Orchestra musicians play about 165 rehearsals and 195 concerts a year. We nearly always work on Friday and Saturday nights (many Sundays too), and don't have the same day off every week. Then there are the many hours spent practicing at home preparing the music. During our busiest time -- summer -- we can have up to three programs a week to prepare, each with just one rehearsal.
This makes time management one of our biggest challenges. All rehearsals are governed by strict ground rules that apply to conductors, musicians and orchestra management alike. For example, rehearsals are 2½ hours long and nobody is late. Ever. At exactly 10 a.m. the orchestra tunes and the rehearsal starts. Precisely 2½ hours later, the orchestra stops. Even if we are in the middle of a phrase, the rehearsal is ended.
Now I know what you're thinking: "That's so rigid! How can you just stop in the middle of a phrase?" Paradoxically, from discipline comes freedom. Time management is so essential that this rule serves us well, because . . .
(Excerpt) Read more at startribune.com ...
Except Bill Clinton and his sax.
Congrats!
No one cries when you cut up a viola.
For all the Michigan Freepers, The Kentwood Community Band, which is made up of volunteers from all walks of life, and of which I am a member of, will be presenting their Christmas Concert next week Sunday, December 12, 2004 at 2:30pm Eastern, at the Forest Hills Northern High School Auditorium. FHN High School is on Leonard St, just east of M-44 (East Beltline Ave)
ROFL ........ there goes the coffee!
Shoot 11 of them.
Why wait; It saves so much time.
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What do you call someone who hangs around musicians a lot? A Viola player.
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What do you call a Viola player with half a brain? Gifted.
*****
Why are Violist's ears sought after for transplants? They've never been used.
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What do a SCUD missile and a Viola player have in common? They're both offensive and inaccurate.
"Good Evening, sir," he said to the 'cellist. "And what would like tonight?"
"I'd like a rump steak, medium rare," replied the 'cellist.
"Would you like anything with that?"
"What do you have?"
"Salad?" suggested the waiter.
"No, thank you," said the cellist.
"Potatoes?"
"Ah, no."
"Vegetables?"
"Oh, they'll have what I'm having."
STOP........ I'm going to have to brew another pot at this rate!
p.s. There really is alot of humor surrounding these folks, isn't there?
"At exactly 10 a.m. the orchestra tunes and the rehearsal starts. Precisely 2½ hours later, the orchestra stops."
Doesn't leave much time for the "band meetings" in the back of the van over a hash pipe, does it?
Ah, memories of the band bus! No funny cigs for us, but oh the memories! I was telling the kiddies band bus stories just yesterday but some stories I, smilingly, kept to myself.
"Hey, who was that violist I saw you with last night?"
"That was no violist -- that was my fife!"
(OK, some things don't translate well)
The reason for the rigid rehearsal time is because being in an orchestra is a UNION gig. There is a union rep that sits (and usually sleeps or reads the paper) through the whole rehearsal, and walks over to the conductor and points at his wristwatch if the rehearsal goes one second late.
And, "band meetings over a hash pipe" are more common with rock bands, not orchestras.
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