Have you ever gotten first chair?!What was your experiance like auditioning?

[Stephen Fine]

1 hour ago, PhilipKT said:

19 years. I wonder how many people who posted back then are still playing now?

A very few of them are still here. One or two are over at violinist.com

54 minutes ago, Rue said:

Are these 'necroposts' ever 'real', or are they all part of some bot-thingy I don't fully understand?  They mostly seem to be posted as 1 post by a new user...who is never heard from again.  Yet, I can't quite figure out what the pay-off is...when they aren't linking to a site.

I assume PainturGurl was googling something related to first chair because she's sitting first chair and this post showed up and she decided to post a reply. But maybe a bot is going to come through in 6 months and edit the post when no one is looking to be an advertisement for something.

[PhilipKT]

2 hours ago, Rue said:

I am. 

Are these 'necroposts' ever 'real', or are they all part of some bot-thingy I don't fully understand?  They mostly seem to be posted as 1 post by a new user...who is never heard from again.  Yet, I can't quite figure out what the pay-off is...when they aren't linking to a site.

And yet you look so young!

Regarding auditions, and seat placement, I remember thinking that my goal was to be in an orchestra so good that I was the worst player in it, and sometimes I sadly wonder if I achieved it.

[GoPractice]

On 1/7/2021 at 8:53 AM, PainturGurl said:

I am first chair in my school orchestra, and we don't really audition for it either; the teacher decides which player is best suited for the role. I actually share first chair with my best friend - we are the same skill level and rotate songs. Some things to keep in mind as first chair: you don't have to be perfect! It's fine if you make a mistake. Everybody does! Be a leader. Most likely, the director has told the other people in your section to follow what the first chair player is doing.

I am so glad that being a Leader was mentioned. In the adult world, it is looked at as a management position. It is often not worth the trouble of getting paid a bit more in regional orchestras. I look back on choirs fondly as there was no pressure of sitting up front. Being a friendly helpful leader is not always easy.

As a student ( and even in professional ensembles, ) there are bossy CMs but ones that respond to players requests and to do what is in the interest of the ensemble is the better leader. In student ensembles, players age out. I hate playing for bad CMs. That's just me and it is a luxury to walk away in some instances. I used to drive hours to play for certain Conductors and there were never any CM issues with better conductors who understood the dynamics of an ensemble. All my teachers were CMs and there was a lot of wear and tear on them, looking back as an adult. Every time there was a new conductor the chance of being fired was obviously there. Much less the shake up of the other sections, sometimes the board wanted to clean house and that left the groups in shambles even if one were not to lose their position.

Also at schools, the best players are not always at the first stands. The bad teachers often seat the kids that behave at the front stands. As a student, we understand this dynamic but the parents ( and some students ) may not get it. As talent as one might be, disrupting a class takes away from others.

The best teachers are the one who get the "bad" kids to become leaders, perhaps not CM but those who help select the music and the spirit of the group.

[GoPractice]

On 1/7/2021 at 8:53 AM, PainturGurl said:

I am first chair in my school orchestra, and we don't really audition for it either; the teacher decides which player is best suited for the role. I actually share first chair with my best friend - we are the same skill level and rotate songs. Some things to keep in mind as first chair: you don't have to be perfect! It's fine if you make a mistake. Everybody does! Be a leader. Most likely, the director has told the other people in your section to follow what the first chair player is doing.

Music is often about making mistakes. The risks that we takes often result in mistakes. Beethoven metronome markings. Last mvmts. New music. 

Take musical and technical risks, set a great example and have fun. Get your teacher to perform more concerts.

[lwl]

Wow, really quite the necropost.

The former teenaged members of this forum's early days have by and large done pretty well for themselves. 

[MANFIO]

As a viola maker, I say to my players to study hard, to get the principal or assistant principal positions in order to be away from the brass session! 10 of them got it!