JAVS Spring 2013

musicians in front of him. For the action coming from the staging can alter his musical goal at any point, and this will directly impact you in the pit. For example, there are performances when even the conductor is forced to go with the stage or risk los ing the singers altogether. Because this can happen, you must learn to develop a sixth sense and recognize when this is happening and act accordingly. The conductor has to direct the orchestra, the cho rus, and the soloists, and to bring all of these ele ments together is a huge feat for any one individual. More often than not, the musicians in the pit have to be able to make split-second decisions on whether the conductor is pushing them ahead or pushing a singer on stage. This can lead to disastrous results if the wrong choice is made. So to a certain extent, you have to be very independent and certainly more flexi ble from performance to performance as the conduc tor might not be able to give you his full attention. In circumstances like these, it is even more crucial for you to play with your stand partner and to fol low your principal. Making sure that your ears are open to all the voices around you becomes equally as important as following the conductor. As I mentioned earlier, pit conditions frequently change, and it is absolutely essential for the musician to learn how to adapt. In many symphony orches tras, the sections within an orchestra are more con sistent in their geographical setting with some occa sional variants, usually dictated by repertoire. However, in an opera orchestra, the sections will more often than not move around the pit depending on the opera being performed. A whole new set of challenges is now presented to you, for you may find yourself sitting next to a piccolo player instead of your usual cellist! The voices that you are used to hearing within the orchestra are completely differ ent, and your ears will now have to adapt to hearing an instrument that is not directly connected to you. Another factor to be aware of in playing in the smaller space of a pit is that there are frequent Pit conditions:

changes of temperature, and this will directly affect your tuning. For example, in a larger work, as in a Wagner opera, there are far more people in the pit. This not only limits your personal space, but given the additional musicians needed for a work of this scale, it will raise the temperature of the pit consid erably. These are all circumstances in which the opera musician has to show incredible flexibility. The endurance level of an opera musician is extraordi nary. Operas are long, and your physical well-being is tested at every turn. In order to survive the hours of playing, you must consider doing some physical train ing outside the practice room. Sitting for long periods of time can be hard on your body in any orchestral genre, not to mention holding your instrument up for hours. This is more apparent in an opera orchestra, where you are playing for many more hours at a time, as opera productions are much longer than symphon ic performances. Exercise—from lifting weights or practicing yoga, to running, weight training, or box ing—are all forms of activity that will only help the longevity of your chosen profession on a physical level. Adequate warm-ups are a must for any musi cian; this is a sport and not to be taken lightly. It is also important to explore seat cushions and ways in which to stretch your arms unobtrusively while you are sitting. String players are always hold ing their arms up and stretched out. When you have a break or an intermission, use the time to stretch in a contrary motion, i.e., holding your arms behind you and stretching your shoulders back. There are many variables in any given audition process. From the different makeup of a committee on any given day, to the journey you have embarked upon in getting there. In my humble opinion, the process itself is not a particularly musical one, however it is the only one we currently have that makes it possible for us to pick a worthy candidate out of the exceptional talent being produced in music schools today. Endurance: Auditions:

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