I'm just too excited- one of the flutists in the area's symphony can't always make it to rehearsal. Soo...the Principal is copying the music for me, and I get to substitute whenever she can't make it. And possibly for any performance, too

I know that there are several other local flutists that would like to play in the Symphony. Also, it may be just crumbs...but I've never had the opportunity to play in a symphony. And the principal and the other flute/picc player are good friends.

Along similar lines, I inherited my Grandmother's Steinway piano, which was (at the time) the nicest piano in the area. A friend of my Grandmother was the substitute pianist for the San Francisco Symphony, and so he practiced on her/my piano. I love hearing these old stories about the piano.

Ooh.. how fun! Congrats! I have a subsitute chair right now for the local symphony, but haven't got to sub yet Apparently it is a husband and wife duo that play in it and they are supposedly leaving and I was promised the a spot. I will beleive it when I see it though.

Do let us know what you think of it. I love playing in the orchestra and have to say I am a bit burned out when it comes to playing in the band.
That is really exciting though! Have fun

seems to be lots of husband-wife connections in the flute world

I wish I could get my hubby to play flute. He is pretty good to, when you tried. But, he is truly a bass man.

When I first had a seat at an orchestra, as a professional, 18 years ago, I realized that, after working for few weeks, that was the most demanding activity a musician could get. Completely different from chamber music or playing at a band (which BTW I did many years before that...) or even at the students orchestra, back in music college.
Concentration, intonation, sound volume, rhythm precision and color matching, everything must be perfect.
Also this is the best place to acquire experience, confidence and to grow more and more.
We play an instrument that in an orchestra is part of a group where everybody is a soloist. You just don't have a collegue by your side, playing the same thing.
That's what's most amazing about playing at an orchestra, IMHO.

Zevang

well said...

Zevang and Patrick,

Since you both play professionally, I have always been curious about one thing in an orchestra situation. Do you find it difficult to play the same passages as strings on the occassions where do you play them together? I would think that it would be easier for a string instrument to play violently fast compared to us. True or False?

Hi DottedEighthNote,

The situation you described happens many times, actually.
The issue is the location of the flute being apart from the 1st violins, so you cannot see what they all are doing together.
However, my location allows me to see clearly what the spalla is doing. Since this is the leader of the section, I think there is no problem in this case if you can connect to what he/she is doing. Keep an eye at the director, the other on the score, and the other on the 1st violinist (oops! I think I'm out of eyes... :-) Now, seriously, sometimes I rehearsal just the two of us to get things right, and at the main rehearsals keep "all eyes" wide open, and the ears connected to what the violins are doing, and... "voilá"... everything goes just nice!

cheers,

Zevang

Just a word to stick up for bands here! I've played in lots of wind bands or wind orchestras in my time and in terms of skill and standard they are not worse than orchestras, just different. It takes a whole different set of skills to play in a group of 8 flutes than to play a part on your own. I've played in some EXCELLENT bands where the standard of playing is exactly the same as the equivalent orchestra.

I am not sure if you are referring to my comment or not, but I should say that I didn't mean to put down any bands in general. I am just burned out in the particular band that I have been playing in is all. Bands can be a blast to play.

I've never played in an orchestra. But the high school I would have gone to, had a Symphonic Band. Not sure if they have anything to do with each other.

I am not sure if you are referring to my comment or not, but I should say that I didn't mean to put down any bands in general. I am just burned out in the particular band that I have been playing in is all. Bands can be a blast to play.


Not directly. Just more of a general response to everyone. It's not good for people to hanker after being in an orchestra and ignore the challenges that make bands exciting too.

a GOOD band is fun to play in, one with balanced instrumentation and a good director, all of us should take advantage of any experience offered to play in bands, orchestras, flute ensembles, chamber music ensembles, solos with harpsichord, piano or organ or orchestra, it is all part of the musical buffet

We have a great band that I play in. Many talented musicians, and several have a music degree. Several of the Band principals play in the Symphony, too.
I have had the opportunity in the band to play piccolo (though not always-substitute chair, again!) and I am reasonably comfortable with picc solos that don't have the rest of the flute section as a 'backup'. In fact, I just love belting somethng flashy out on picc with the low brass underneath...
I do expect the music to be more challenging in Symphony, though. I know I'll get lots of help/support from both the principal and the other flutist, so I am excited about the challenge and comfortable with the 'exposed' situation.
We're lucky here, Kara, that we essentially have two community bands. If a player isn't up for the difficulty of the music in the 'Symphonic Band' (advanced high school/college level), they can play in the 'Concert Band' which plays more at the advanced middle school/easier high school level. For example, our band can whip up a Sousa march in two rehearsals, where it takes the other band five or six to get it up to snuff. So, luckily, the players who want to practice just once or twice a week, and don't own a tuner, generally don't stay in our band. And players up for more challenge often 'graduate' to our band. A few players play in both, especially when we need a spare percussionist or Tuba.

Ok! So I hate, HATE the band I am playing in in college. It is bad. I am definitely in the lower band. Why? Ha, Ha! Because I spent the ENTIRE summer practicing my flute excerpts, and spent almost no time on my clarinet excerpts. They only took 12 flutes total for the two bands...6 and 6. Whereas they took 32 clarinets! I feel that a band can play GREAT with one person on a part! Why do you need 4 1sts, 5 2nds and 6 3rds in the clarinet section? I am going to create the university band that only plays one to a part so that you DON'T have 5 people sitting next to you playing the same thing you are playing, but badly! What was Jan Van der Roost thinking when writing Rikidum? This is a horrible, HORRIBLE piece. We are also playing a piece by Philip Sparke, whom I normally enjoy and love (if you have ever heard my version of Dance Movements on my recording page...that's Philip Sparke), but we're playing one of his worst compositions. This one doesn't even change time signatures once, which is atypical of Mr. Sparke. This piece is called sunrise at Angels's something or other. I really don't remember. Then we are playing a Percy Grainger piece. It's alright. Nothing special. I wish they would have made two equal bands and not two bands of different strengths. To me, this doesn't show equality and everyone playing towards one common goal. It shows that we classify even our students that actually MADE it into the music school here. It's hard enough to make it in, but once you're in...there are no guarantees, and it's NOT pretty. I think the most enjoyable thing will be the lessons. I am excited about those since I have never really had any. I dropped my clarinet major, and am solely concentrating on my flute major for now. I am even paying my private teacher for extra lessons outside of what comes with my tuition. I am vowing to be the best before it's over. I am a little bitter because I am not a big person on competition...yet that's all that seems to be in college. I am definitely not going to be in any orchestras ever! I will, however, be better than anyone at the auditions. I have decided. Look out FSU...Dennis is on the rampage! BTW, this is my first post from my new laptop at the panchero's eatery on campus here. A laptop, which of course, is required by FSU for EVERY student, and which I see no students carrying around. I need to be told of these optional mandatory things! I could have spent that 1000 dollars toward a new flute with the rest of my money. Now that I am way off topic...I will end with...I love challenging, well-written, well-versed, good sounding band music. All the rest can just kiss my royal rump! Tah Tah!!

-Dennis
P.S. People are already commenting on my SmartMusic program in the practice rooms. "How do you always have a piano player to play your songs with you?" HAHAHHA! Amateurs!