Part 1 was on your personal rehearsal etiquette, Part 2 was on your sectional rehearsal etiquette, so naturally Part 3 is about your orchestral rehearsal etiquette. And if this organization system doesn’t make sense, too bad. This is my party.
Hierarchy
I’ve teased this a few times, so I’ll finally list it out. You’ll find that it is both predictable and straightforward.
- Conductor
- Concertmaster
- Principals
- Assistant Principals
- Everyone Else
There’s also your personnel manager, whom you should respect and treasure no matter where in the hierarchy you are, as well as your union rep (if you have one). If there’s a guest soloist, they rank on par with the conductor.
This list is the direction of the flow of power and respect; if you’re familiar with the two types of each, I mean here the power over and respect of authority versions, respectively. You can hope for some respect for your person, but at the end of the day the orchestra is highly structured and stratified. This is to keep rehearsals from devolving into endless debates and arguments and amusing asides.
Im Lauf der Rehearsal
Orchestral rehearsal etiquette really isn’t that complicated, so let’s do this one as a quick journey through an orchestral rehearsal, looking at some of the more common and exciting pitfalls as they come up.
Tuning
Step one in a rehearsal, after you’ve sat down and unpacked (or vice versa), is tuning. You’ll know it’s time to tune, because the concertmaster will stand up and face the ensemble. This is your subtle clue to be quiet. Usually there will be three A’s given: first for the woodwinds, then the brass, then finally the strings. Sometimes the strings are split into low and high, each with their own tuning note.
When tuning, don’t come in right away. Give it a moment to settle, and to let it get into your ear. Then come in softly; don’t tune forte. I personally always wait to come in until after my principal (for me, the concertmaster), but this isn’t a universal rule. Once you have finished tuning, stop playing.
In Rehearsal
Your job now is to play with the rest of the ensemble. How do you do that, though? You follow the conductor. Sure, play with your section, but there’s a god in that room and they’re the one holding the baton. They stop conduction, you stop playing. They speak, you listen, even if they aren’t talking to you. (This is actually kind of important and often disregarded. But just because the information isn’t specifically addressed to you, doesn’t mean it doesn’t apply to you. Also, conductors will often bring in the rest of the ensemble on the part they were discussing, and if you weren’t listening to where that was…)
If you have a question, ask your principal. Don’t yell questions up from the back of the orchestra. Also, stop and ask yourself: does this question pertain to anyone besides me? How about anyone outside of my section? If the answer to either of those is no, then instead of stopping rehearsal, make a note for yourself (so you don’t forget it) and address the problem at break or after rehearsal.
When Playing
Listen to the rest of the ensemble. Weird thought for musicians, I know. Often musical phrases or ideas are repeated and echoed, or they develop, and you’ll need to listen to do any of that musically: either passing off phrases smoothly, or picking them up in the same style as you received them. You’ll also need to listen to know how to fit in dynamically (loud or soft), stylistically (articulations), and in time and tune. It’s also nice to listen to your colleagues, because they’re pretty good musicians too.
If someone has a solo, it’s appropriate to do a quiet clap/foot shuffle during the first run, assuming it doesn’t crash and burn I suppose. Otherwise, refrain from in any way critiquing other players if you’re not their principal. If you are their principal, try to be diplomatic.
I hate that I feel the need to say this, but don’t talk back to the conductor. Or your principal. I don’t care if you’re right, that’s not how orchestras work.
On Break and After Rehearsal
This is your chance to socialize, NOT during rehearsal. Do remember though that you’re still in a professional environment, so moderate your topics and gossip accordingly. I’m not saying don’t gossip, because I’m not sure that’s possible for musicians, but be aware of your audience at least.
The hierarchy can relax a bit off the podium, but it doesn’t break down entirely. How much it relaxes also depends on the orchestra: some groups are very casual, while others stay much more formal. As a general rule of thumb, maintain the respect you had in rehearsal.
Orchestral Rehearsal Etiquette
Orchestral rehearsal etiquette boils down to respect. Respect authority, and respect conventions. If there are any specific situations that I forgot, ask yourself what’s the respectful way to do this? and you should be golden. If there isn’t an obvious more respectful answer, then you’re probably safe going with your gut (but chose wisely to avoid purgatory).
If you haven’t already read Part 1 or Part 2, go check those out now! And if you’ve thought of something that I have forgotten, be sure to let me know in the comments (especially now that the series is wrapped up). In the meantime, check out some other blog posts for quality entertainment!