How to find an orchestra for a high school concert

Date: December 24, 2009

I have decided to do my first large choral work with my high school choirs. I think it is an amazing experience to sing a great work with a full orchestra. However, I really want to find a great orchestra to join us to help make the event extra special. We don't have a high school orchestra that is strong enough for what I am envisioning. We have many nice community orchestras in the bay area which I would like to approach to join us. I am new to the teaching community here and do not have many contacts where I can ask candidly. How would you approach an orchestra to join in concert with a local high school. Are we expected to pay them or can we ask them to join us for educational purposes? We are looking at doing the Vivaldi Gloria or the Mozart C Major Coronation Mass, both of which require smaller orchestras. Thank you for your suggestions and help.

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John Howell on December 24, 2009 10:13am

Hi, Colleen! I understand your situation from both sides.

The problem with asking ANY existing orchestra to play with you is that they have their own schedules of rehearsals and concerts, and you would have to plan well in advance and get them to agree to make your performance part of their schedule. I'm not saying it can't be done. It can, but it takes advance planning. And this is true for union, per-service, community, and volunteer orchestras equally.

That's why in this area (SW Virginia, which is a right-to-work state and therefore has little union presence or influence, which will NOT be the case in California; I assume that's what you mean by "bay area."), concerts like this are usually played by "pickup" orchestras, for which the members may very well play in established orchestras, but who must be contacted and contracted individually.

Our community chorus usually hires Roanoke Symphony members on this basis, but for this year's "Messiah" they scheduled it on a weekend when the Symphony had a Holiday Pops Concert scheduled, so their conductor got one of the non-Symphony musician to contract the orchestra, and she put together a FINE orchestra. Most were professionals who didn't play with the Symphony, but she did have to go further afield than usual, and they had to play out quite a bit in travel money. In this case we were all paid, and paid rather generously by local standards, but you can find community musicians who are willing to play to be part of a good experience as well without being paid. In fact I do exactly that when I put together our all-volunteer pit orchestra for our annual summer musical theater production.

As to not having established local contacts yet, that's something you really MUST do. And you can start by going to the concerts by those "many nice community orchestras" and making a point of meeting and getting to know their conductors and some of their musicians, who then might be exactly the people you need to do your contracting at this point. That's exactly what our community chorus director did this fall, since he is brand new to the area.

Paying your orchestra will get you better players--players who DESERVE to be paid for their skills. Asking people to volunteer will get you enthusiasm, but you'll need to schedule more rehearsal time with them. We did our Messiah on one rehearsal, because professionals know theyr'e expected to show up at rehearsal already knowing the music. With our volunteer community orchestra, it would have taken at least 3 rehearsals, and perhaps even more. (We did Part I complete, plus "Halleluia.")

You are absolutely correct that it's a great experience to do a major work with orchestra, as the composer intended, but are you REALLY sure your high school orchestra isn't strong enough? Perhaps with the addition of some paid ringers? It might be worth thinking about, and it's CERTAINLY worth talking with your orchestra conductor about.

All the best,

John

Michael Shasberger on December 25, 2009 12:42am

Hi Colleen,

Good advice from John to be sure. Make connections, build relationships, it really helps. If you can work 12 - 18 months ahead you might be able to coordinate with an area orchestra to include your chorus in their programming. Every orchestra wants to build audiences, especially young audiences! You could also consider a local youth symphony. These are generally stronger than an individual high school orchestra and it is great to have peers playing and singing together.

I'd be happy to help if I can. I direct both the choir and orchestra at Westmont College just down the coast in Santa Barbara. Perhaps we could make something happen to help you accomplish your goal.

Merry Christmas!

Michael Shasberger

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