What does it take to become an orchestral musician?

Answer:

The path to obtaining a job in an orchestra is somewhat straightforward. First, you nearly always have to attend a great music school, at least at the Master's degree level. ... Secondly, study with a teacher who either has experience playing in an orchestra OR has had students get placed in an orchestra.

Frequently Asked Questions

What instrument do orchestras tune up to?

Oboe

Who is responsible for leading the orchestra?

The concertmaster (from the German Konzertmeister) is the leader of the first violin section in an orchestra (or clarinet, oboe, flute in a concert band) and the instrument-playing leader of the orchestra.

What is the name of the person who leads the orchestra?

Conductor, in music, a person who conducts an orchestra, chorus, opera company, ballet, or other musical group in the performance and interpretation of ensemble works.

How big is the pit orchestra for Hamilton?

Along with 10 pit musicians—a pop rhythm section (drums, percussion, guitar, bass, two keyboards) and a string quartet (two violins, viola, cello)—Lacamoire creates the "Hamilton" sound. (Lacamoire also plays keyboards, giving him a total of five hats to wear.)

Why do you think conductor stands at the center of orchestra?

A conductor usually supplements their direction with verbal instructions to their musicians in rehearsal. The conductor typically stands on a raised podium with a large music stand for the full score, which contains the musical notation for all the instruments or voices.

Which position in the orchestra does the trumpet sit?

The HORN is in the back row of the orchestra, behind the bassoons and clarinets. The horn is a very long brass tube wrapped around in a circle several times. If you unwound a horn's tubing, it would be twenty-two feet in length! The TRUMPET sits to the right of the horns, and the TROMBONE sits behind the trumpet.

Do orchestral players get paid?

Major orchestra salaries range by the orchestra from a little over $100,000 to a little over $150,000. Principals, the ranking member of each orchestra section, can make a great deal more, in some instances more than $400,000. And most major orchestras play for a season lasting only about nine- months a year.

22 Related Question Answers Found:

How do I make an orchestra sketch?

0:199:35How To Sketch An Orchestral Idea In Under 10 Minutes! - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo the first thing you want to do is basically use your primary instrument for me it's the piano. MoreSo the first thing you want to do is basically use your primary instrument for me it's the piano.

What is it like to be an orchestral musician?

Being an orchestral musician involves learning, playing and performing pieces of music on a particular instrument. A lot of the job involves rehearsing under a tight schedule and performing up to four times a week.

Do you get paid to play in an orchestra?

How much you can make as a classical musician varies wildly. According to the American Federation of Musicians or AFM, Toronto branch, hourly rates for orchestral musicians start at $106 for the leader and $53 per hour for what they call side players, with a three-hour minimum. That's scale for a freelance gig.

Did any of the orchestra survive the Titanic?

The musicians of the RMS Titanic all perished when the ship sank in 1912. They played music, intending to calm the passengers, for as long as they possibly could, and all went down with the ship. All were recognized for their heroism....Georges Alexandre KrinsOccupationViolinist.

What orchestra means?

English Language Learners Definition of orchestra : a group of musicians who play usually classical music together and who are led by a conductor. US : a group of seats in a theater that are close to the stage.

Which instrument plays first in an orchestra?

If you go to a concert performed by an orchestra, you will first hear the oboe play an A note (the standard tuning note) right before the performance starts, followed by each instrument playing an A and the entire orchestra tuning with one another.

How much does the Philadelphia Orchestra make?

The Philadelphia Orchestra's current musicians contract went into effect in September 2019, and called for base salaries of $137,800 per year to increase between 2% and 3% over the course of four years. This means that, after the new pay reduction, the new base pay through March 14 is about $106,000.

What does second chair in orchestra mean?

Second chair means that you're still very good at your instrument. You don't have the same leadership responsibility as first chair. Sure you might be called upon when they are sick once or twice a year. Instead, you have to follow first chair's lead, even if you don't fully agree.

Do orchestras use pianos?

Originally Answered: does orchestra include piano? In the modern symphony orchestra, yes. I play it in one, for example. The pianist(s) in a symphony orchestra is also called upon at times to play other keyboard instruments, most usually the high-pitched, tinkling celesta, and perhaps harpsichord as well.

Why do brass instruments sit at the back of the orchestra?

Wind and brass instruments have a directional sound that naturally projects, so they are still audible from the back of the stage (usually on risers so that their sound travels over the heads of the other musicians without them having to strain to be heard).

What is the order of the orchestra set up for instrument families?

Each instrument has unique characteristics, such as the different ways they produce a sound, the materials used to create them, and their overall appearance. These characteristics ultimately divide instruments into four families: woodwinds, brass, percussion, and strings.

Do orchestra players wear ear protection?

Many musicians suffer ear damage. Professional orchestras have therefore taken measures in recent years to reduce the sound levels. ... They also well exceed the 85 dB(A) limit that European regulations stipulate for the compulsory wearing of ear protection on the work floor.

Where are the orchestra seats?

Orchestra seats are located in the lowest level of the theater, the same level as the stage, though, of course, the stage is raised so that it is accessible for everybody to see.

How many instruments are in a chamber orchestra?

A modern full-scale symphony orchestra consists of approximately one hundred permanent musicians, most often distributed as follows: 16–18 1st violins, 16 2nd violins, 12 violas, 12 cellos, 8 double basses, 4 flutes (one with piccolo as a specialty), 4 oboes (one with English horn as a specialty), 4 clarinets (one with ...

What is the difference between first and second violins in an orchestra?

All violinists in an orchestra have very high skill levels and the only difference between the two sections is the role they play in the orchestra. ... Often the second violins have to come out of the musical texture and play the melody themselves or play in unison with the first violins.

Where do violas sit in an orchestra?

When we think of the 'traditional' layout of an orchestra, we think of the violins directly to the left of the conductor and the violas in the centre, with the woodwind and then the percussion behind them.

What instruments did the orchestra accompanied?

In the classical era, the orchestra became more standardized with a small to medium sized string section and a core wind section consisting of pairs of oboes, flutes, bassoons and horns, sometimes supplemented by percussion and pairs of clarinets and trumpets.