In Germany and neighboring countries, when a person occupying the position of soloist in an orchestra falls ill for a more or less long period, another person with the same position in another orchestra can replace him or her. In addition, there is an unwritten rule that the substitute must come from an orchestra of an equivalent or higher level. As this last criterion is highly subjective, the collective agreement is often used to classify orchestras. In fact, there is a classification: A-B-C-D which determines the salaries and conditions of the orchestras. Radio orchestras (there are 10 in Germany) have the best contracts and are therefore at the top of the list. These details are useful for understanding why I have played as a substitute in more than thirty orchestras in Germany, Luxembourg, Austria and Switzerland.
It is a great privilege to be able to share the daily life of a good orchestra as if you were a full member. Of course, this comes with the stress that accompanies the first day of rehearsal… Being attentive to everything and everyone, reacting at the drop of a hat, understanding the psychology of the interactions of the first chairs, learning the names of colleagues in your section, meeting expectations… in short, the same attitude that we have to have in our own orchestra but without delay, times a thousand. No time to adapt. It’s an extreme situation that tests our knowledge and abilities and at the same time often brings immense moments of happiness and surprises. I loved playing this role.
I experienced magical moments, met colleagues who are sometimes really special characters. I was also able to play and experience operas and ballets from the pit, which was not usual in my own orchestra. I have recorded dozens of works, shared tours, spent whole weeks with musicians, colleagues, many of whom have remained dear friends, and whom I would never have met otherwise.
It’s a way of doing things that seems to me to be an extraordinary way of creating links between orchestras, of comparing different ways of approaching problems of work, acoustics, music distribution, and vision too.
There are many rich anecdotes. I will publish them in my blog.
What I take away from it is a certain understanding of the different ways of practicing this profession. I really believe that I am in a privileged position to help prepare for an audition, to coach someone who has just found a job and is on probation, in short, to share my orchestra experience.