What am I supposed to do with myself sitting on stage in an orchestra when I seem to have nothing to do?
Sometimes, as a member of an orchestra, a musician spends an extended period of time on stage not playing, but just sitting in his or her seat. This can be for a number of reasons, for example, during a concert programme, a musician may be in between two pieces of music that he is not playing, or there may be a long speech, or perhaps an introduction, poetry recitation, etc. on stage, which is also an important part of the programme.
In such cases, try to avoid distracting the viewer. It’s not very elegant to talk to the musician sitting next to you about something else, even if it has to do with the music. Prepare the music well in advance.
It also doesn’t look good if you’re adjusting your dress too much on stage. You can prevent this by making sure you’re in order from top to toe, including hair and make-up, before you go on stage. Don’t think that if you’re in a larger ensemble and not at the front of the stage, the audience can’t see you!
What is absolutely forbidden and disrespectful to your colleagues is the use of mobile phones – not only during performance, but also during rehearsal, only the tablet with the digital score display should be switched on, so that you can devote your full attention to making music.
Finally, from the moment you step on stage until the moment you take your bow, it is recommended that you concentrate on the show, and co-operate with the audience throughout, because this attention and interest helps not only the performers, but the audience as well.
And to make things easier for you, here are some simple tips for comfortable dressing and styling that, once mastered, will ensure you don’t let your hair down on stage:
https://hu.pinterest.com/pin/90212798762015269/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uF10if0daf8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EX13feT_SgA
