Battlefield Promotion

"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn) 05/16/2017 at 18:07 • Filed to: None

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I just got a call from the principal trumpet in my orchestra. He said that he has injured his embouchure (the muscles of the mouth you need to play) and can’t play lead. So now the second player is moving to first, and I’m moving from third to second. Not necessarily a problem, but I’ve never even looked at the part before, let alone practiced it, and will be sight reading it at the rehearsal tonight. And it’s significantly more difficult than my original part.

Just last night, I leaned over to the second player and pointed out a particularly nasty line in his part and said, “Better you than me.” Well, now it’s me. I guess I spoke too soon. Should be fun, though perhaps a little nerve wracking. I’ve got the post-rehearsal beers chilling now....

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > ttyymmnn 05/16/2017 at 18:11

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Not one to toot your horn are you?

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > ttyymmnn 05/16/2017 at 18:12

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#betablocker

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > ttyymmnn 05/16/2017 at 18:12

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I don’t wanna know how one would injure that.

ttyymmnn > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 05/16/2017 at 18:19

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Hard to say. Strain, tear, swelling. It’s never happened to me before, but I know he’s worried about it.

ttyymmnn > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 05/16/2017 at 18:19

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Nah, I think I may be beyond those now.

CaptDale - is secretly British > ttyymmnn 05/16/2017 at 18:21

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Good luck, break a embouchure I guess.... 

captainslowstang (Emotionally unstable around E39 wagons) > ttyymmnn 05/16/2017 at 18:21

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This reminds me of the time I moved up to third trumpet on a band trip to Orlando. Even worse, I was sitting next to a microphone.

What matters is playing the notes you can  play. If something truly too difficult arises, as long as you’re tapping your foot or following along with the conductor, you can always shadow.

Also, you made me miss my silver Getzen sorely. Don’t sweat it and try to have fun.

ttyymmnn > captainslowstang (Emotionally unstable around E39 wagons) 05/16/2017 at 18:23

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Agreed, but it’s easier to shadow when there are other people playing your part. Every time I play, I’m a soloist. Some of the harder stuff is doubled with the first, but I’ve still got to get it figured out.

Chariotoflove > ttyymmnn 05/16/2017 at 18:23

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and we’ll see if you’re as smart good as we all hope you are.

https://getyarn.io/yarn-clip/562b33b0-5b9c-4da3-a956-9957b58ff9cd

ttyymmnn > CaptDale - is secretly British 05/16/2017 at 18:24

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Thanks, but that wouldn’t necessarily be a good thing. Break a leg will do, because I can still play.

captainslowstang (Emotionally unstable around E39 wagons) > ttyymmnn 05/16/2017 at 18:24

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You have a solo on second trumpet? For me that’s almost unheard of.

ttyymmnn > Chariotoflove 05/16/2017 at 18:25

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Well, you have to be somewhat of a cocky SOB to play trumpet, and just a little bit fearless. I’m just going to go in there, strike it hard, and wish it well.

ttyymmnn > captainslowstang (Emotionally unstable around E39 wagons) 05/16/2017 at 18:26

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By soloist, I mean that there is only ever one person playing the part. Unlike the fiddles, where there are 20 people playing the same part. One of them could drop dead in the middle of the concert and nobody would know.

captainslowstang (Emotionally unstable around E39 wagons) > ttyymmnn 05/16/2017 at 18:28

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What kind of music are you performing in the first place?

#oppobandgeeks #fiddlefail

CaptDale - is secretly British > ttyymmnn 05/16/2017 at 18:29

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Well then break a leg!! And I am sure you’ll do great.

ttyymmnn > captainslowstang (Emotionally unstable around E39 wagons) 05/16/2017 at 18:30

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Rachmaninoff piano concerto (not sure which one), Cinq Etudes-Tableaux (transcription of a Rachmaninoff piano piece orchestrated by Respighi), Roman Festival by Respighi. LOTS of playing. If you haven’t heard it before, look up Roman Festival on YouTube. It’s a great piece.

ttyymmnn > CaptDale - is secretly British 05/16/2017 at 18:30

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Thanks. It’s going to be fun.

McLarry > ttyymmnn 05/16/2017 at 18:31

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Just make sure you look confident, even if you miss a note or 2. If you sell it hard enough, everybody(ish) will think you nailed it

Chariotoflove > ttyymmnn 05/16/2017 at 18:33

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LOL at the description of trumpeters!

You’ll kill it. I’m not worried.

captainslowstang (Emotionally unstable around E39 wagons) > ttyymmnn 05/16/2017 at 18:33

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I shall. Maybe try to find the best way to damage  your embouchure then?

unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) > ttyymmnn 05/16/2017 at 18:36

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Best of luck to you and don’t sweat it.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > ttyymmnn 05/16/2017 at 18:38

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Like a violinist breaking their left wrist.

ttyymmnn > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) 05/16/2017 at 18:38

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Thanks. Not really sweating it. In a way, this is a chance to show my stuff, since I just won the 3rd job officially at the beginning of this season. All 3 of us are capable of playing lead whenever necessary.

ttyymmnn > captainslowstang (Emotionally unstable around E39 wagons) 05/16/2017 at 18:39

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Let’s hope not.

ttyymmnn > Chariotoflove 05/16/2017 at 18:41

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Thanks. I’m not really worried either, just not what I was expecting to do tonight.

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > ttyymmnn 05/16/2017 at 18:49

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You’ll probably do better than you think.

Leadbull > ttyymmnn 05/16/2017 at 18:52

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Congrats! Try not to blow it. Oh wait....

ttyymmnn > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap 05/16/2017 at 18:53

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Not really worried. Just not what I expected to do tonight. Just a little higher stress level.

ttyymmnn > Leadbull 05/16/2017 at 18:53

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Wait, wut?

Thanks.

unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) > ttyymmnn 05/16/2017 at 18:55

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So ttyymmnn for FBI director? In this day and age you are qualified for that position.

ttyymmnn > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) 05/16/2017 at 18:56

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Not for all the money in the world.

OPPOsaurus WRX > ttyymmnn 05/16/2017 at 21:02

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congrats

ttyymmnn > OPPOsaurus WRX 05/16/2017 at 21:03

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Sadly, no more money.

OPPOsaurus WRX > ttyymmnn 05/16/2017 at 21:06

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what if it becomes a permanent move?

how does the pay structure work on that type of thing? I woulda guessed higher the chair higher the pay?

ttyymmnn > OPPOsaurus WRX 05/16/2017 at 21:20

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It might become permanent for a season if the principal (1st chair) can’t return, but they would then have an audition for principal. If the second (or third) player won the job, they would then have an audition to fill that vacancy. Union rules require an audition for all open chairs.

As for money, the principal makes more than section players (2, 3 or 4). So, though I moved up a chair for this show, I’m still making the same money. The second, however, will receive principal pay for this show.

OPPOsaurus WRX > ttyymmnn 05/16/2017 at 22:32

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how many trumpets do you usually play with in the average piece? how many people total?

ttyymmnn > OPPOsaurus WRX 05/17/2017 at 00:24

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Standard orchestral brass section: 4 horns, 2 or 3 trumpets, 2 trombones, 1 bass trombone, 1 tuba. In Classical pieces (Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven), two trumpets is standard. Going into the Romantic period (Tchaikovsky, Mahler, Richard Strauss, Bruckner, Berlioz), 3 or 4 is common. But it gets complicated, because there are no generalizations in music. For the Respighi Roman Festival, we have 4 trumpets on stage, and 2 flugelhorns and one trumpet offstage (they’re actually playing from one of the boxes in the hall).