Teacher Richard Krug will speak about the challenge of switching from solo performing (which is the entrance to an orchestra job: auditioning with cello concertos etc.) towards playing in a cello section.

 

• How to balance this: be strong as a soloist in your skills, your attitude, but try not to be audible as an individual at the same time.

• A group of great soloists doesn’t make a unified cello section sound without a lot of work.

• The difference between playing orchestra excerpts in audition versus how to play the same passage in the orchestra (question of dynamics, articulations, use of vibrato etc.).

• How to respect those differences while preparing excerpts for an audition.

• Illustrating  those differences with some examples (for example: how extreme must a pianissimo be in the orchestra versus playing alone).

• Enjoying the unified group sound where no one sticks out (illustrated by some excerpts to be played with the students) versus the passages, where we play divisi in many parts, which demands more soloistic playing from each (illustrated by passages from symphonic and opera repertoire).