ilikethetrumpet

Manny,
The School of Music where I am is celebrating its 100th anniversary, and so on every concert, we are playing at least one commission with the large groups. In fact, the next concert I'm playing on two commissions, one of which (for orchestra) has all sorts of alleatoric elements as well as shakes, smears, stuff like that.

I am curious: when you recieve a "new work" with Minnesota, what is your process for learning it? How much communication do you seek out with the conductor prior to the first rehearsal? How do you prepare for the possibility that you have interpreted your part differently than the conductor has? And finally, in a top-tier group like yours, how far in advance do you typically see a new work?

Thanks!

Manny Laureano

Dear ILTT,

At work we typically have the music we're going to play anywhere from two weeks to a month before the show. I don't approach playing or practicing new music any differently from any other type of music. Learn the notes, the rhythms, know what style you are reponsible to play. That's prety much it. I only ask the conductor a question if there's a discrepancy in the part I don't understand. I generally don't ask the conductors a lot of question because after 25 years, I've seen a lot and there isn't a whole lot that's new to me intermas of what's on the page. Perhaps for new solo works there's a bit more to work out but for orchestral stuff not much that I haven't already seen comes across the plate.

ML