Re: Re: Re: Music and joy


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Posted by Christopher on October 25, 2000 at 13:24:33:

In Reply to: Re: Re: Music and joy posted by Joe Baker on October 25, 2000 at 11:15:26:

Okay, time to throw in my four cents (two each on two points)

Joe, I think you've hit on a serious problem with professionalism -- one of the things we give up in order to stay fed is an unbridled enthusiasm for playing, and it becomes most manifest with music that isn't as gratifying as our jaded ears would like.

I remember talking to a very well known tuba player about the very well known orchestra he plays in. He complained bitterly about just what you saw taking place even in the most musically accomplished and financially lucrative symphonies. He said whenever the group read a new piece, someone was there to complain "that's no beethoven" and then turn around at the second half of rehearsal with "Beethoven again?!" With groups of about 100 people it's pretty easy for an attitude like that to spread like a mold and become the prevailing attitude of the orchestra as a whole, and I am sure that it can be heard as well as seen.

As far as whether appearance is part of the performance: absolutely!
I make the bulk of my music money playing in free jazz and "experimental" contexts, where we all whine constantly about our small audiences. Having come up with the hypothesis that part of the reason for this is that avant-garde types tend to dress like bums on stage, I started dressing up my own quartet in full rock star gear -- vinyl pants, torn and painted suits, even a wig and a dashiki. In my experience, that was just enough visual stimulus to make people comfortable with our performance, and many have stayed and enjoyed my stuff that would have gotten bored had I just rolled in off the street like anyone else (I further claim that I may be the first tuba player to get actual groupies this way!!).

Point being -- it's a show, and you are being watched. Don't let it affect your playing, but good stage presence improves the performance for everyone.


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