A Tale of Two Violinists

Tags

collaboration, good relationships, working together

Recently I’ve played for two violinists.  They are more than 20 years apart in age and experience.  Can you tell which is which?

There are several situations that occur frequently when two musicians collaborate.  I have had very different reactions to each of these musicians.  For example:

Phone and Email

Violinist A

rarely responds
avoids answering many crucial issues
no communication between concerts

Violinist B

responds quickly and with clarity
addresses all issues

Conversation

Violinist A

interrupts constantly
always talks about self

Violinist B

engaging conversationalist
includes everyone

Travel

Violinist A

remains aloof from travel companions
creates distractions:  makes cell phone calls; turns up radio

Violinist B

fun to travel with

Musical Preparation

Violinist A

none
changes program to accommodate lack of prep:

drastically slows tempo
cuts cadenzas
changes program, even if that means repeating the same music in the same venue  (“They won’t remember.”)

Violinist B

music learned before first rehearsal
improves between rehearsals and during each one as well
music memorized before performance

Backstage

Violinist A

goes off into a corner
practices loudly and furiously, making a show of learning the music

Violinist B

a little nervous ~ in other words, fine
interested in rehearsing a little with piano

By now you get the idea.

One of these violinists makes a living as a musician, the other is a high school student.  Can you tell which is which?

Thanks for voting in the poll!

The correct answer is #2.  Violinist A is the “pro,” Violinist B is the high school student.

Comments are still open!  What were your thoughts when reading this post?

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Playing well with others

Tags

collaboration, communication, flexibility

Image via Wikipedia

What does it take to collaborate well?

The most important factor I can think of is this:  it’s about the music.

Every musician I know collaborates with others at least occasionally.

Flexibility is very important here.  A violinist needs to be willing and able to play 2nd violin in a quartet, beautifully.  A singer should be able to switch voice parts.  You may find yourself conducting a rehearsal.

To succeed in any rehearsal, you must listen to what is going on in the room and adjust accordingly.  Learning all the parts is very helpful.  The Juilliard Quartet rehearses from open score for a reason.

Accepting other people’s ideas can move the rehearsal along and result in a better performance.

Contribute your insights, too!  You may have reason to advocate for a different tempo or volume level.  You can help by cueing another musician’s difficult entrance.

Between rehearsals, pay attention to communication. Emails and phone calls need to be returned.  Don’t make people wait for you.  They have schedules, too.

Converse. Don’t dominate.

Respect other people, even when you gain nothing directly.

Ideally, we learn good collaborative skills as children.  Factors may include:

• parental involvement
• finding the best teacher available
• enrolling in a prep program
• going to music camp
• attending concerts
• discussing what you heard
• good relationships with other musicians
• practice!

My childhood included very little from the above list.  So I worked hard to make up for the void, and got it together later.

I was thrilled that a high school student was comfortable giving me comments in rehearsal.  When I was that age, I assumed that anyone older must be right at all times.  Of course, that didn’t help me progress.

In summary, collaboration is not about superiority or criticism.  It is about working together and reaching a consensus.  Without that, no collaboration exists.

What is your experience with collaboration?  Please comment!

Ethics in booking, rehearsing, and performing concerts

Tags

collaboration, ethics, Jennifer Larmore, performance, rehearsal, relationships

Image by Lawrence OP via Flickr

The ethics of rehearsing and performing can be complicated.  Each situation is different!  That’s what makes collaboration so challenging, and interesting as well.

I’ve encountered various levels of ethical behavior in the many musicians I’ve performed with.  I wanted to provide some examples of what works and what doesn’t.

A Wonderful Example

Jennifer Larmore was one of my classmates at Westminster Choir College.  She was stunning every time she sang, even then.  So I was fascinated by a later broadcast of an oratorio where she was the mezzo-soprano soloist.

On performance day, the soprano soloist wasn’t so great.  Perhaps she was ill ~ there was no way to tell.

When Jennifer and the soprano soloist had a duet, the soprano had significant problems with longer phrases.  And her voice would certainly have been overwhelmed, had Jennifer not been exceptionally aware of the situation and considerate of her colleague.

As it happened, Jennifer listened intently, always balancing the soprano perfectly.  And when the soprano ended her phrases prematurely, Jennifer ended exactly with her, tapering beautifully and sounding like that was her original intent.

I’m sure you’ve heard duets that were out of sync.  It takes a superb artist to make this work when the match is so obviously unequal.

Later in the performance, Jennifer had an opportunity to sing as well as she always does.  Her sound was gorgeous and full, and she could enjoy sustaining long phrases.  What a pleasure to hear her.

Unacceptable Behavior

Have you ever accepted a performance only to get a call about a “better deal?”  What did you do?

I think it is vital to your credibility to keep your original commitment.  If you explain the situation to the “better” presenters, they will call you again.  But if you bail out of your first commitment, your decision affects the presenters (who have already done publicity, mailed brochures, sold tickets, etc.), the audience members (who choose concerts based on the brochure), and the other performers involved in the concert.  One thing is certain:  you won’t be asked back.

Unethical Behavior

♥ I once overheard a violinist at a music festival talking to a cellist in the trio they were assigned to.  The violinist told the cellist very directly that he hated his playing!  I was appalled.

This was a temporary situation, lasting only for a week or two.  First of all, telling someone you don’t like their playing is often heard personally.  You don’t like the player. Artists are their art.  It is very difficult to separate the two.  And secondly, people can always find a way to work together for the duration of one concert.

♥ On another occasion, my trio was about to walk onstage for a performance.  The house manager had already dimmed the lights, which was our signal.  No problem, right?  Except that the violinist wasn’t there!

I found him in an electrical equipment room, away from the stage.  So we entered late for our own concert.  That, to my mind, is unacceptable.

Thoughts on How to Keep it Ethical

A comment from Martin Katz comes to mind:  If a singer is not adding ornaments, then you should accommodate her/him by not adding ornaments, either.  It’s not your job to upstage anyone.

If you need a day or two to think about a possible commitment, then say so!  Presenters I have spoken with are happy as long as you provide a clear date when you can get back to them.  But don’t keep them waiting for weeks.  They get ticked off, and you could very easily lose the concert.

Knowing What to Accept

♥ Most important:  know your strengths.

Include in this list skills you could learn quickly.  For example, if you are a pianist, learning to play synthesizer would most likely be easy.  But harpsichord?  Organ?  Fortepiano?

You may be asked to do any of the following:

• improvise
• play from figured bass
• play chorus parts
• play from open score (no piano reduction)
• transpose an instrumental solo (i.e., viola) while also reading chorus parts
• play from a lead sheet
• play jazz, gospel, blues, or soul
• conduct
• lead a sectional rehearsal
• transpose an entire piece
• make up an intro, interlude, or postlude
• add a descant
• add ornaments

and other skills that haven’t occurred to me yet!

Do you know a variety of styles?  Can you play by ear?  Do you need to have the music written out?

Okay, you get the idea.  Now answer the phone!  Then show up well-prepared and early.

Comments about your experiences are welcome!!!

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Happy Valentine’s Day!!!

The Hack

Tags

avoiding decline, career, music business, staying on top of game

Image by rofanator via Flickr

The music hack, of course.

How easy it would be to become one.  Wouldn’t have to practice, play in tune, play all the parts, figure out fingerings, rehearse, look beneath the surface, or care about our playing at all, really.

Contributing to rehearsals would no longer be necessary.  We could either take over the rehearsal and avoid all discussion, or breeze in late.  You know, phone it in.  Miss notes?  Parts?  Entire melodies or bass lines?  That’s OK.  Just phone it in.  Life is so much easier that way.

No expectations, no standards, and no conscience, either.

I’ve seen it happen, and know you have, too.  Someone spends a very significant amount of time and money going to school, taking lessons, coaching, even practicing.  Then s/he graduates, goes into the business, and perhaps becomes quite busy.

Next it’s “Oh, I didn’t have time to warm up.”  Then, “I didn’t have time to practice.”  Shortly after that, “We really lucked out on that one, didn’t we?  No one would ever guess that we didn’t rehearse.”  And then, “I’ll just cut this one passage.  No one will notice.”  Or, “Those 2 tempo markings are almost the same (for 2 contrasting sections), so I’m just going to play them the same.”

What’s the rationale here?  I played well in school, so no maintenance required?

In rehearsals, do you end in the wrong key because you never, ever looked at the music?  No problem.  Just play a couple of chords in the key of the composition.  That way, everyone knows you really know.  (Never mind the waste of everyone’s time, or that no one can get their pitch for the next number.  That’s not important.)

What’s that about?  Accompanying = sightreading?  Nooooooo!  First of all, if you can’t sightread better than that, you have no business being in a rehearsal!

What bothers me most is that once the descent into being a hack starts, sometimes there is a refusal to recognize that there is a problem.  So the descent continues.  A reversal, and thus improvement, never happens.

We can keep this from being our story.

What is required to play well every time?

• always warm up, even if it’s in the car
• always practice, even if it’s only 1/2 hr. once in a while
• always be curious
• always look below the surface
• always arrive early so you can get your bearings.  If you feel like you have your act together, there’s much less chance that you’ll lose it.  Mistakes happen, but they don’t have to destroy your confidence or affect the rehearsal in general.
• always learn the entire score!  Orchestration, all chorus parts, inner lines, words, phrasing, translation (musical terms and texts of songs/opera), preludes, postludes, interludes, recitatives, cadenzas, 1st and 2nd endings, repeats, codas
• when you’re not 100%, find a way to deal with that.  Most times, you can still practice and accomplish something.  Practicing under tempo is a good idea!  You can reinforce fingerings, dynamics, tempo changes, learn the words better, and become accustomed to transitions between pieces, all without the pressure of performance tempo.

Taking care of your performance/rehearsal level is important.  Always looking for improvement is a big part of that.  It’s not that hard, but does require

• dedication
• determination
• dealing with distractions

and

• the will to stay at the top of your game.

It’s when we begin accepting things as they are that the downward slide starts to happen.

Take care of your talent!

What steps do you take to keep your edge?