In the recent interview article with Bruce Richards [on Horn Matters] he had a quote from our common teacher David Wakefield which reminded me of my first rehearsal in as Third Horn in the Nashville Symphony as a young professional. The advice Richards recalled was,

“BEFORE YOUR FIRST SOLO ENTRANCE LOOK THE CONDUCTOR IN THE EYE. THIS WILL GIVE HIM CONFIDENCE THAT YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING AND ARE READY FOR YOUR ENTRANCE. DO YOUR BEST TO MAKE THAT FIRST SOLO ENTRANCE AS GOOD AS YOU CAN MAKE IT BECAUSE THAT WILL MAKE THE CONDUCTOR FEEL CONFIDENT IN YOU, AND AS A CONSEQUENCE THIS MAY MAKE HIM LEAVE YOU ALONE FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK. CONDUCTORS ARE ALWAYS NERVOUS ABOUT THE HORN SECTION, SO BY MAKING HIM FEEL CONFIDENT FROM THE FIRST NOTE YOU ARE GOING TO MAKE YOUR LIFE A LOT EASIER.”

The first work on rehearsed at the first rehearsal I played in Nashville was Weber, Der Freischutz overture. An important opera excerpt that is played often in a symphonic context, it opens with a third and fourth horn soli passage. Advice such as the above is what you need to fall back on at times like these. I was new in town, was in a new rehearsal space and group, etc. The Shop Steward introduced himself, I confirmed I had joined the Musicians Union local, and I got down to the business of warming up before rehearsal began. I am sure I made a point of eyeballing the conductor. The solo went fine, and it was the beginning of six seasons with the orchestra.

The work was also the opening work on the first concert we played that season. A coincidence? Putting the new guy on the spot? You decide.