MARCH 2006 SPECIAL REPORT "NEW ROLES FOR PLAYERS"

Performing orchestra music is a highly specialized, complicated job that requires years of training. And the learning needn't stop when the job starts. FULL REPORT

Sponsored by SYMPHONY, the bimonthly magazine of the American Symphony Orchestra League.

Join this discussion with the authors:

Eric deWaardt - Violist, National Symphony Orchestra
Photo Credit: Scott Suchman

 

 

 

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Paul Silver - Violist, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
Photo Credit: Michael Lutch  

 

 

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Tina Ward - Clarinetist, Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra

 

 

 

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This message has been edited. Last edited by: MyAuditions,

I've only read Tina Ward's article so far and I find it facinating that as one door closes, several other doors open.

Many might have given up and chosen another area to pursue outside of music but I like that Tina stuck to her guns and was driven by her necessity to adapt and change to embrace opportunities not related to playing an instrument. This is particularly difficult because in this case, Tina was not just out of school for a few years but a seasoned tenured member of the SLSO who probably was very comfortable in her place with the orchestra prior to her injury.

I would imagine that so many musicians live in a bubble and rather just play the music but not really get involved in other facets of the operations of an orchestra.

Tina, I am curious as to what your injury was and what type of rehabilitation program you went through to overcome it and two, can you provide a bit more information on "Six Thinking Hats" program? That sounds like a facinating program!

Question for Paul -- When I am not taking auditions, I teach a lot to supplement my income. No great surprise here. I play double bass and most of my students are in junior high/high school because of the size of the instrument.

I also play piano and recently starting teaching younger students in the 4-5 year old range but I find that their attention span wavers greatly.

Are there any instructional manuals or teaching guides you would recommend specific for this age group related to learning an instrument? What methodologies do you incorporate into your educational framework? Did you acquire teaching techniques prior to going into the school or just sort of winged it?

Mac,
Let me start with your request for more information about Six Thinking Hats. This is a method of thinking originated by Edward de Bono. In Hats, thinking is separated into 6 separate areas described by different colors of hats. In using hats, one works in a specific hat/kind of thinking for a given length of time and then moves onto the next hat. For example, the green hat is creative thinking. Most of us tend to interrupt our creative process with all the reasons why an idea won't work or is difficult. In Hats, those thoughts of caution/difficulty are under a different hat, the black hat, and will be dealt with separately. By eliminating the distraction of other kinds of thoughts the flow of creative ideas is kept on track. This encourages the building of a combination of ideas or new design rather than each idea immediately being dismissed as not doable.
Just think of how productive a meeting can become if all the kinds of thinking are kept separate and everyone knows there is a time and place to deal with all aspects of the issue under discussion.
There's a great introductory book by Edward de Bono, Six Thinking Hats - it's a quick read and very simply explains the system. Also, information on Edward de Bono is readily available on the web. Check out www.debonogroup.com
It's been interesting to me to learn that thinking is a skill with techniques available that can be used and practiced to improve how one thinks.

Now to the other question you pose, what was my injury and rehab. The initial injury from running the snow plow was that I had a rotator cuff tear and other injuries in my shoulder joint. I had shoulder surgery and was in physical therapy when there was a cascade of other injuries too numerous and diverse to go into. I worked closely with an orthopedist sports medicine MD, a chiropractor, physical therapist and a number of others, all of whom assisted me in my healing process.
My advise to any musician with an injury that affects their ability to play is to seek medical help and actively pursue health. Every injury is different, and every individual is different so it may take some persistance to find what works for you.

Hi Tina,

Is the Six Thinking Hats program being used by other orchestra's?

Hi Pete,
I first encountered 6 Thinking Hats at a Mellon Orchestra Forum, a gathering of the orchestras receiving grants from the Andrew W Mellon Foundation. There were representatives of 15 orchestras attending and 6 Hats was presented twice in meetings in different years. While I can't say how many of those in attendance use the method formally or informally, I have talked with a staff member of one of the orchestras who said that he had used the thinking skills to successivefully come up with innovative programing ideas and a manager from another orchestra who kept a 6 Hats summary over her phone for quick reference.

So, the quick answer is possibly as many as 15 different orchestras have some musicians, staff and board members who may be using 6 Hats to some extent.

Tina

A quick question for any of the panel they may be participating, how has working in these other areas made you a better more conscious player with your orchestra? Do you have a heightened sense of awareness that perhaps some of your colleagues don't have and see things perhaps differently now?

Rob,
I really don't feel in a position to judge if I have something that my colleagues do not. I can only speak to what continued learning and experiences beyond my normal orchestra job have done for me personally.

For me, the process of continuing professional development has encouraged my being open to change and new ideas. It has kept my professional life more exciting because I'm constantly seeing everything I do with different awarenesses. I see change as a skill that one develops by practicing. It has made it easier for me to remain enthusiastic about playing standard repertoire again and again, because each time there's something new and different that I bring to the performance.

Also, I believe that the greater the depth and understanding I have in my life the greater depth and breath of emotion I am able to communicate in my playing.

Having interests outside of performing in the orchestra has given me much joy, which, enables me to be more enthusiastic in everything I do and that includes playing a Beethoven Symphony yet again.

Tina