After a week of lengthy preparation, we finally performed our first concert. Surprisingly, I had a really good time. I think I had the most fun I've ever had at a concert. I had a great stand partner and fed off of her energy as well as the energy of the whole orchestra. It's so nice to play in an orchestra in which every single person is talented and knows how to communicate on a musical level. Times like these make me want to never leave orchestra!
I think I did a great job saving my energy for the concert. I realized that in rehearsals, it's not always necessary to put in even half effort. In the case of AACA, the rehearsals are mainly for the conductors anyway, so there is no point in wasting energy when it's not necessary. That way it is actually possible to pull out all the stops for the concert without becoming completely exhausted. That being said, I would love to reach a point where I am able to put in a fair amount of work for each service, whether it be a rehearsal or concert, but I think that skill is something that develops with years of experience.
A few weeks ago I played in a master class with Lynne Ramsey from the Cleveland Orchestra. She was talking about all the great orchestra repertoire and to sum it all up she exclaimed, "playing in orchestra is FUN!!!" This is how I feel right now. I'm so lucky to have the opportunity to play so much amazing music with people I enjoy working with. Sometimes it seems like getting paid to do this full time would just be icing on the cake.
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