Life on the road moves fast. We're approaching our 100th performance! I've never played a show for this long and I'm happy to report that I'm not sick of the show yet. Yes, it's lost some of its magic, but the magic comes from creating a first time experience for a different audience every night. Working in the theatre is a selfless art. You're satisfaction is derived from the knowledge that every single show you play, whether it's your tenth performance or your 100th performance, is someone's first time seeing the show.
A few days ago we did a talkback for a local high school. I normally don't attend the talkbacks, mainly because i assume people are most interested in the actors, not the musicians. But this time i went and it was a wonderful reminder of why i do what i do. The high school was currently working on their own production of Les Mis and they had brought the entire cast, crew, and orchestra to the show, and subsequently to the talkback. To begin, we all did introductions. The students were super excited to see Valjean and Fantine, as she had gone to that school. When i introduced myself, the roar was quite possibly louder than Valjean's as the orchestra kids went crazy. It was a response i was not expecting and reminded me that what i do is pretty special, even as a violist.
I have always enjoyed doing talkbacks, mainly because i love to talk about what i love. Well, i love to talk. Period. I absolutely hope to do more talkbacks in the future, and maybe i'll consider extending myself to local schools. I know i loved hearing about the business when i was younger, it's my responsibility now as a working musician to educate and inspire young players.
As if this post weren't long enough, i have a confession. Just because I've played the show almost 100 times, i still make some pretty heinous mistakes every now and then... Like last night for example. I definitely got lost during Stars. And not lost like "I didn't count my rests." We're talking lost like I blanked during a very exposed line, where I'm driving the rhythm, and when i looked up at the music to save myself, i had NO idea where i was. Needless to say, i just stopped playing. Oops...
To all those young players reading this: perfection is impossible. Be satisfied playing your best, but always remember you're human.
Things to listen for when YOU see the show: This one is tough. As you know, most shows augment their string sound with synth sounds. Try to see if you can hear what is acoustic strings, what is synth alone, and what is a blend of the two. Its tough, which is a testament to our keyboard players, our string players, and our sound designers.
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