Stand Partners For Life

Today we're talking concertmaster, and what it means to sit in the hot seat. What are the duties and expectations, and what makes "first chair violin" attractive or unattractive to different players? Is playing concertmaster more like being the point guard in basketball, or the quarterback in football? Remember: besides playing all those juicy solos, you have to deal with walk-outs, bowings, section concerns and principal relationships. Just know that even though the concertmaster position puts you in the spotlight, there's a price to pay for all that attention. How happy you are depends not just on the rest of orchestra but your own temperament. As Akiko says, "Let's just say it plainly. I don't like being concertmaster." But should we take her seriously? Key Points From This Episode: The position and duties associated with the title of ConcertmasterWalk-outs, hitting the right piano octave and making sure not to fall overComparing the role of the concertmaster with positions in team sportsHow