An ordinary “seated” orchestra needs regular rehearsals, but it requires no special training. To perform, it is enough for the musicians to play their parts accurately and to be neatly dressed.
Let’s look at two similar situations.
Situation One: A Concert in a Hall
We have 20 competent musicians who handle their parts beautifully. To put on the simplest “live” concert (without amplification), you need: a building with a stage, 20 chairs for the musicians, 10–12 music stands (one stand for every two players) and a stand for the conductor. That is pretty much all.
The music is on the stands, the musicians are on the chairs. You can begin… if the audience has come. And ensuring an audience is no easy task.
Situation Two: A Marching Band
Now let’s take the same 20 competent musicians and try to make a marching band. A host of questions immediately arises:
- How do you line up the musicians?
- How do you teach them to play while moving?
- How do you keep an even rank and column while playing on the move?
- How do you follow the commands of a conductor who is also moving in formation, with his back to the band?
- Where do you put the sheet music when there are no fixed stands?
And that is only a small part of the questions. As you can see, a marching band is far from a simple matter. It is much easier to sit the musicians on chairs, hand out the music and not bother your head with difficult questions.
But You Forgot About the Audience!
A marching band chooses for itself a place where there is an audience. And the audience is always glad of such a show — and even follows the band. That is its enormous advantage.
The band truly carries music, rhythm, smiles and good spirits with it — and the music moves along with it, drawing people in. It is a beautiful spectacle. And if you add to it the musicians’ smart uniforms and accompanying girls with flags and pom-poms, hardly anyone will remember that other orchestra “sitting” somewhere in a building.
Feeling tempted to try? To learn how to turn a “seated” orchestra into a marching one step by step, read the article “Any Orchestra Can Become a Marching Band”.
Questions? Call: +972 54-622-2633.
Evgeny
