Standing in Front of an Orchestra for the First Time

Depending on the status of your career, sooner or later every composer working professionally in the film or media music business at one time will have his or her first moment working with a real orchestra. Standing in front of an orchestra or working with it for the very first time can be a horribly intimidating moment, especially when you are still young and insecure about how the things you write will turn out.

Fortunately the days are mostly over where often musicians treated every new face with contempt until he or she has proven to be “worthy”. Most professional orchestras are aware about the economical pressure in the field and will do their very best to perform your music as good as possible as after all, every new composer working with them might be coming back again if they liked the experience.

Humour is always a good ice breaker. Say a few words when you introduce yourself and let them feel that you don’t take yourself too seriously. There’s no shame in telling them that this is the first time you do this.

You should know that the musicians will be nervous as well, not sure what to expect, anxious whether you have written overly complicated music which they can’t pull off etc.

It is easier said than done but in the end just try to enjoy this rare opportunity that you have been given to work with an orchestra and let them feel that. If you have done your homework properly there are only few chances that things might go horribly wrong.