choosing soloists

[sparkling_quavers]

How does your band choose your soloists? When is it the 'right-time' for an older 100% committed principal to step down for younger blood?

[Highams]

Back in the 70's I had been sitting no.2 euphonium at Hanwell next to the great John Luckett and was itching to get the top chair.

I had already been doing stand up solos on bandstand jobs and we shared a lot of the solo parts in band numbers as well.

Then out of the blue, I turned up at a rehearsal (Barabara Stone was MD) and there he was sitting in my chair. He said I had earnt the place not only as a player but as a bandsman. I found out he had kept a private note of my attendances at rehearsals !

When I applied for the Sun Life position it was by audition only. When Lyn Baglin returned 2 years later we ALL moved down 1 chair.

www.euph9.freeserve.co.uk

[Owen]

In my band, anyone who is daft enough to volunteer can play a solo, but typically in a concert where we are not sharing the bill, we feature cornet, horn, flugel, euph, baritone and percussion (xylo).

There have been occasions where soloists have been presented with a piece to play if they have not been quick enough in making a suggestion of their own!

[Valvecap]

I asked and asked and asked to do a solo in my first band and was not allowed to do so for what felt like ages. Finally got my chance to do My Love is like a Red Red Rose with East Yorkshire Brass - just by nagging...

First performance, AMAZING

played the same piece, same venue, one week later and well... its was memorable... but not quite for the right reasons... :(

Anyone else "died" on stage when soloing? (or within a band?)

[HBB]

I was playing "Sylvia" by Roy Newsome at a local school contest and "I" wasn't the problem --------- ½ way through my piece the pianist realised she'd forgotten half of her music ----- so I had to start again!!!! :D:D:D:D :lol: :lol:!

Cheers,
Ben ;)

[geordiecolin]

I think that if the player can consistently perform well on the stage then there should be no reason for them to move down, although you could argue that if there was a new young talent, then that talent could be better nurtured with a very strong, experienced 2nd man down to offer advice and support to them.

If the player has lost their old sound and possibly confidence, then they should seriously consider stepping down as the situation wouldn't do them or the band any good at all. If a band cannot have confidense in its prinicipal cornet player then issues have to be addressed

[Boneman]

I was playing "Sylvia" by Roy Newsome at a local school contest and "I" wasn't the problem --------- ½ way through my piece the pianist realised she'd forgotten half of her music ----- so I had to start again!!!!
I remember the first time I did a solo with my current band - I practised for ages - bu twhen it came to play my music was at home on my stand - i didn't realise until the conductor was introducing me

Do you remember that Roger?

[HBB]

:lol: :lol: Thats the sort o' thing you see in those comedy sketches!!

[Owen]

Simon

I am confident that you had of course got the part committed to memory by then.......?

[PeterBale]

There appear to be two different questions here, one being who sits in what chair in the band, and secondly, who plays solos in concerts/pieces. There can obviously be problems when you have two or more players of a similar standard competing for the same part, especially if one has arrived from another band. If there is goodwill between the players concerned, they should be able to share out the work, regardless of who is actually occupying the end seat. There is no reason why a stand-up solo should not be taken by any player in the band who is capable, and I am sure the end man would be glad to be out of the spotlight once in a while.

Sometimes, of course, there are also audience considerations to be met, and if you go along to see one of the top bands, I am am sure you would be disappointed if none of the "name" players were on the programme, but that is why you should ring the changes. You also, of course, have a number of people around who are excellent front row players, but who do not want the pressure that comes with being end man, and it is interesting to note how many vacant principal cornet chairs are filled by those who have previously been playing rep.

I realise that at times banding can be somewhat of a cut-throat business, particularly if a band has shot up through the sections, and is wanting to do all it can to retain their new-found status. I just wish sometimes that more could be done to try to encourage existing players to improve, rather than importing newcomers, so that it becomes the same band in name only.

[TheMusicMan]

.. and it is interesting to note how many vacant principal cornet chairs are filled by those who have previously been playing rep.

... and one such player that I know of is the excellent Nigel Guy. He was solid on Rep for Tredegar for ages then went onto Principal for a while. He then went to Flowers but I'm not sure where he is now. Great Rep player... and excellent Principal Ct player....

John

[BoozyBTrom]

its pretty much shared out in our band. Mostly A player will get on thier feet and do a solo spot and the next item is a trio or section feture. where they are all on thier feet.

Although Im sick of the nuns outfit for i will follow him now.

[cornetgirl]

Now I'm sure Shakespeare had something to say on this.... what was it...oh yes!

Some are born soloists, some achieve solos and others have solos thrust upon them!

Or maybe I misquoted that! :)

Rach x

[Boneman]

I am confident that you had of course got the part committed to memory by then.......?
Owen,

I did my best to play the solo from Memory - Roger Thorne, a regular contributor to this site was conducting - he kept wispering the notes to me to help me along!!


Thats the sort o' thing you see in those comedy sketches!!

The best part was that half of my family had turned up to see me - I could see them gradually disappearing into their seats in embaressment

[You wanna blow my what?]

I got to do my first solo with a band (EVER!) in November.....I think he let me do it cos he likes to give everyone a chance :)

[Sarahjo]

In our concert programme the old faithful solists appear like Cornet, Trom, Horn, Flug etc, but our conductor also likes to give the up and coming stars of LHMBB the chance to shine (whatever instrument), and boy do they shine!!!!!! :D :lol:

[Hornblower RN]

...
and one such player that I know of is the excellent Nigel Guy. He was solid on Rep for Tredegar for ages then went onto Principal for a while. He then went to Flowers but I'm not sure where he is now. Great Rep player... and excellent Principal Ct player....John[/quote]
Nigel is playing repiano for BAYV.........been there since Bob Childs took over

[Valvecap]

Once saw a trombonist stand up to play a riff in a piece - very amusing - he stood up, blew the first note....

Then swore really quite loudly as he had the slide safety still on - slide didnt budge.

Band and Audience clapped politely......

[one_careful_owner]

When I was playing with the school band we had a slow melody contest. I was playing Stardust and I remember, near the end, I had seven bars rest during which I discovered that my nose had decided to turn into a blood fountain and leak all over my face and trombone. Lovely.

Cue oco offering the shallowest bow ever seen before sprinting off stage.

Never liked solo's since funnily enough.....

[Aidan]

Once saw a trombonist stand up to play a riff in a piece - very amusing - he stood up, blew the first note....

Then swore really quite loudly as he had the slide safety still on - slide didnt budge.

Band and Audience clapped politely......

I don't suppose it was a concert at Blackrod Conservative Club was it?? ;) ;)

Cos I did a scratch band there where exactley the same thing happened...
The solo trom (Steven Breen, now at Pem) was playing some Scandinavian solo (cant remember which offhand..) and the conductor announced him as the world famous Norwiegan soloist "Sven Breen" who didnt speak a word of english, he stood up, played the 1st note (which was in closed position :)) then tried to move the slide, but his safety catch was on!!! he then stated "the F word" quite loudly, and in the awkward silence that followed, you could hear an old lady remarking how quickly he had picked up the language!!! absolutely hilarious!!!

[sudcornet]

I always think the best people to play solos are those who want to do it.
I've played solos for too long to mention now and still get a buzz from doing it...how else can you regularly pull seventy-five year old women who are bound to come up after the gig to tell you how good you were (I think they just love the feedback they get from their hearing aids) On the subject of dying during a solo...I once played a solo on flugel at an entertainments contest (Misty or something like that) with a cork missing from the main water key....sounded like I was playing through a wet sock...strangely enough only won the sympathy prize!!
Back to who should play the solos....If you're sat in the seat, then it's part of the job! Otherwise it may be time to step down.
(I must like it, I've sat on Solo Horn, Flugel, Sop and Principal Cornet..what they call a b****r for punishment!)
Nigel.

[Boneman]

The solo trom (Steven Breen, now at Pem) was playing some Scandinavian solo (cant remember which offhand..) and the conductor announced him as the world famous Norwiegan soloist "Sven Breen" who didnt speak a word of english, he stood up, played the 1st note (which was in closed position ) then tried to move the slide, but his safety catch was on!!! he then stated "the F word" quite loudly, and in the awkward silence that followed, you could hear an old lady remarking how quickly he had picked up the language!!! absolutely hilarious!!!

Excellent story!! - why does this sort of thing happen to Trombone players?

I remember doing Hootenanny as a kid and at the bit where the trombones stand up I stood up - however I had my legs tucked under the chair so I tipped my chair up, in trying to grab my chair I let go of my slide and it shot off under the baritones to a startled looking conductor!!

That said I have seen one of this countrys very top solo cornet players doing a solo outdoors when a gust of breeze blow his stand over and his music away - good to see that this sort of thing happens to even the very best.

[neiltwist]

Have you ever tried to play when the rather large Eb player is playing bassin the ballroom dressed as a ballerina?

believe me, there are easier things in life.

[HBB]

Now there's an Idea for our Conductor!!!! :idea: :idea: :idea:


that'd get some audience participation (throwing rubbish I mean!! :P)

[You wanna blow my what?]

An old band of mine wanted to do "I will Follow Him" with the trombonists dressed as nuns :D :D hehehe :D

[Aidan]

we've done that ;)
and frosty the snowman complete with snowman outfit

[Tuba Girl]

I did Tuba Smarties dressed as a tube of smarties. The costume was made bt the euph player at the time and the hat contained smarties boxes. I still have the costume and the photos and the Muisc Man can confirm this.

[ted]

What about a "Rocky Horror" theme?
Anyone done that one?

Ted