Orchestra:

Why Bother?

May 14, 2021

In the Sounds of Treble Studio, all studio members are required to participate in the group available for their playing level. To some, this seems arbitrary and unnecessary. After all, they’re taking lessons. Why show up twice in a week? While I do understand that orchestra practice adds another thing to the schedule, it really is indispensable for a string student.

When a student wants to play the trumpet, or drums, or another band instrument, they join band. If they would like to sing, they join choir. It is expected they will perform as a group in either situation. In many places, orchestra is available in the same way for those who want to play string instruments.

Unfortunately, Mitchell does not have an orchestra program in the schools. The Lyricwood Cadets were established to provide a similar experience for our string players. Since they are not a school group, practices must be held after school hours. The group is run on volunteer time, with no fee required except for camp.

So why do it? The answer is found in how many important things, both musical and non-musical, are learned or reinforced in music groups.

Here are just a few:

* Correct rhythm

* Consistent tempo

* Good sound production

* Blending

* Balance

* Pitch matching

* Accurate reading of accidentals & keys

* Leadership skills

* Personal and group practice skills

* Ear training

* Listening to other parts when playing

* Performance of dynamics

* Social skills

* Mental and physical multitasking

* Personal responsibility

* Self-reflection

* Group cooperation toward a goal

There are many more, but it’s already a long list! Although many of these things are also taught in lessons, group makes them necessary from the student’s perspective. You can play a consistently wrong note or rhythm by yourself, and it’s not as noticeable. But if you play it in group, suddenly it sounds wrong or you’re not with the group. If several people are wrong at the same time, the whole group will have no choice but to stop the music and find out what happened. Then the incorrect part must be fixed so the group will not have to stop at that spot every time.

This situation teaches the importance of having correct rhythm and notes in more natural way. It also teaches personal responsibility and group cooperation, because each participant must learn their music correctly for the whole group to sound beautiful. Finally, when the music is learned, there is a strong sense of accomplishment and community which is a strong motivator for future practice.

I could spend quite a bit of time on all the reasons for orchestra (or band, or choir...), but instead I would like to address some of the common reasons I’ve heard why students or their parents don’t feel orchestra is needed.

1. This student doesn’t like classical music, so they won’t play in orchestra ever again.

A. We learn skills that are useful for things outside of orchestra. No matter what genre of music, all musicians must have, at minimum, a sense of pulse, be able to play in the key, be able to play in tune, understand how their part or instrument fits in, and have an ear for balance. We learn all of these and more in orchestra, and you can apply them to whatever you’re playing.

Examples of excellent musicians who have chosen alternate styles include the duo Black Violin, David Garrett, and Tracy Silverman, as well as many others.

2. This student doesn’t want to play with others, so it doesn’t matter.

A. String instruments are meant to be played in a group, so refusing to ever play with anyone will severely limit a student’s prospects. For a student who never (never is a long time!) wants to play with anyone else, I would recommend to switching to piano. There is a great deal more piano music for one person, and a relatively higher level can be achieved playing alone. There are very few pieces for only one string instrument. The few that do exist are at a very high difficulty level, unlikely to be reached without some group experience.

In conclusion, I do realize group practices are an inconvenience and added burden to parents and I do make an effort to minimize the trips required. In the end, it’s worth the extra bother. Even if a student has no interest in pursuing music as a profession, group music can be a source of community and a stress-relieving hobby for the rest of their lives. And it will teach both musical and life skills that will apply to wide range of situations throughout their lives.

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5.14.21