Being an Orchestra Savant Lesson #3- Following the leader isn't all that easy!

In every orchestra we all know who the boss is.. It doesn't even have to be discussed. The principal cellist is the leader in the orchestra... Oh sorry, the cellist inside of me is coming out. Of course I know the conductor is the boss. I was just messing with you!

        No matter who you are in the orchestra you cater to the every whim of the conductor. But sometimes it can be hard to read what they want from you just looking at the end of a stick. There are so many different styles of conducting it really does take skill to intepret them.
       In my personal opinion the best way to hone in on this skill is to sit in the back of the section. And I don't just mean the back, I mean last chair! I know most of us hate being back there but you can't learn more anywhere else in the orchestra.
       I remember my first year at Sewanee Summer Music Festival I spent the first three out of the four weeks in the last few chairs. I don't think I had ever learned that music about orchestra and boy was it exciting! Sitting in the back forces you to pay extremely close attention to the conductor because it can sometimes feel like you are jumping into a moving car.
        First off, it's difficult to see the conductor. If you aren't careful you can easily fall into the habit of staring into your music and just zoning out. At least when you do that in the front the conductor stares you down till you stop. This forces you to sit up strait and learn your music really well because you only ever have time to glance at it! Second, if you are sitting in the back of the orchestra you don't have as much support as if you were sitting in the middle or the front. In the front, you have the support of the other principal players and in the middle, you have th e support of you entire section.
      This is why sitting in the back of the section is such a great learning experience. It becomes essential for you to learn exactly what the conductor is giving you because more often than not, they are your only life line. You are literally forced to learn how to follow.
      Following is not only a hard skill to learn, it's a hard skill to want to learn. But unfortunately, to become a great musician it's something you have to master. It's important also for playing in a small ensemble and EVEN for being a soloist. The best soloist puts down their ego and learns how to follow the music, not their own personal goals.