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Re: tips on being a better leader?

Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2017-11-05 09:04

Hey Justin - Know your parts really well. Mainly the solo parts and the hard rhythms. If you are having trouble with any of the parts get help from your teacher or the conductor as soon as you can.

Good advice from the others. Work on your sound daily. Long tones as you warm up for 10 to 15 minutes. Strive to have the best sound and the best rhythm always. This is part of what the leading position is all about.

When issued new music, make sure you try to master it right away, within a week or so. This extra effort drives fellow players to practice more and the whole section will follow your footsteps. This is what makes a great section leader. So try hard not to learn your parts at rehearsals.

Here is the scary part. Knowing your part as soon and as possible is a must. The conductor may ask you to play the part ALONE to help the section get the feel of the piece. So it can backfire if you are not prepared. So a leader is knowing the music really well, mainly the hardest passages such as something like 32nd notes or a mess of notes with 5 sharps or flats.

But don't worry Justin. The conductor picked you for a reason. You are good. Prove to everyone that the conductor was RIGHT.

Way to go. This is an honor. I'm sure you deserve this.

If you ever need an opinion on something, or a bit of help, send me a recording to my email. I'd be glad to offer advice. I know the others would too. Karl is a talented pro too. Ray is well on his way to becoming an outstanding skilled elite college student and in a few years he will be a gifted pro.

Sadly, I do not know the other people yet, but I'm sure they can offer advice as well. We are all here to help you make this position a blast for you. We will be here for you anytime.

This position can also lead to other things such as playing in trio's, quintets, quartets, sextets, with the other first chair players! So you have this change of maybe playing other types of really fun music. The conductor may want to do this with you and the others. This too is a lot of fun, in fact I play a lot of this kind of music. Playing with oboes, flutes, bassoons, who knows!

Don't be a stranger here. We are all friends wanting to help each other, from developing practice habits to something finding the right teachers, to auditioning to colleges and even taking orchestra and band auditions. Keeping horns in good condition, finding repair people in your areas. You name you will find the answers.

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