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recruiting amatuer players for a community orchestra



 
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matthes93401
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PostPosted: Thu Dec 28, 2017 1:05 pm    Post subject: recruiting amatuer players for a community orchestra Reply with quote

Dear TH:

Please help me find the correct forum for his request.

I'm seeking advise on recruiting trumpet and trombone players to a volunteer community orchestra located in the Greater Sacramento CA area (Rancho Cordova). Where do I find these players to talk to?

Orchestra brass players are different crowd. They need to be tolerant of long periods of rest and confident in cold entrances. Transposition is regularly needed, though help is available. Orchestra makes up for these inconveniences in that every part is important, and the music is very beautiful. Perhaps you're a serious amateur sitting in a large community band's trumpet or trombone section, and you're ready to try a new challenge? Or perhaps you enjoyed playing in high school or college orchestra.

Please move this thread to the correct forum. PM me if you know of Sacramento area players who might be interested. Again, this is for a volunteer, unpaid group. However, we are very well organized and the group on the rise artistically. We have an informal audition process where the prospective trumpeter or trombonist plays in a few full rehearsals. Rehearsals for the next set start Feb. 1, 2018. We specialize in the lighter orchestral works. That is, we don't tackle the Mahler, Richard Strauss, or Shostakovich symphony.

-Ethan

note: the 93401 in my username is from my school days when I joined TH. I'm based in Rancho Cordova now.
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amzi
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PostPosted: Thu Dec 28, 2017 1:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wish I was closer, but I'm an hour and a half away, but I'll spread the word in my area. Are you looking for 2 or 3 trumpets, and are all the parts open?
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y-o-y
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PostPosted: Thu Dec 28, 2017 1:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

amzi wrote:
Wish I was closer, but I'm an hour and a half away, but I'll spread the word in my area. Are you looking for 2 or 3 trumpets, and are all the parts open?


Me too but even farther away in Long Beach

Good luck finding musicians for your orchestra.

Be sure to post to the Sacramento Criagslist musicians community...I just did a quick search for "trumpet" and didn't see anything, so get on it!
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Richard III
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PostPosted: Thu Dec 28, 2017 1:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

There’s a bunch of trumpet players and very few trombone players. Put it out when you plan on meeting for rehearsals.
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matthes93401
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PostPosted: Thu Dec 28, 2017 2:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

amzi wrote:
Wish I was closer, but I'm an hour and a half away, but I'll spread the word in my area. Are you looking for 2 or 3 trumpets, and are all the parts open?


Thanks for your prompt reply!

We're seeking 1-2 trumpets. Our section leader is dropping out; His 90 min drive to Rancho Cordova became too much. Our policy has generally been to spread out some 1st parts with the section leader deciding. It'd be a negotiation until a new section leader is determined.

We're seeking 2 trombones, and 1 bass trombone.

I concur with another poster that trombone players seem to be fewer in the Sacramento area. Unsure why this is the case. When I lived Portland, trumpeters and trombonists were plentiful, while French Horn players were rare. In Sacramento, there are more French Horn players.

Thanks for spreading the word!

-Ethan
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Craig Swartz
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PostPosted: Thu Dec 28, 2017 3:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I go back and forth between Des Moines, IA and Bemidji, MN for most of the seasons. Probably a little far for me.

I'd be quite worried about putting out a general call for players like this unless it's for an audition. With volunteers, you may not get the quality or talent you need and it can be tough to just dump someone who has put in the effprt tp play the gig even if he/she/it doesn't have the ability. Personally, I'd be more inclined to use word-of-mouth suggestions from those already in the group and who have skin in the game, so to speak. Good luck, though, perhaps it'll work out.
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Andy Del
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PostPosted: Sun Dec 31, 2017 12:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Volunteer community orchestra. I've been directing one for the past 20 years, and the hardest thing to do is get the right number of the right instruments all the time.

If you don't have them, or a bit of a waiting list, you need t put the word out locally, on the orchestra's web page (it does have one, right) and on social media. Get members involved, talk to past members (especially why they are no longer playing in the orchestra). When we are short, we will hire players to fill the gaps. Now our members realise what this means to our bottom line, they are (at times) less inclined to bail on a performance.

To keep them? That's another story altogether...

cheers

Andy
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Tpt_Guy
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 02, 2018 11:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

What orchestra is this?

Is it the one Pete Nowlen is conducting?
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matthes93401
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 03, 2018 6:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes. The orchestra, RCCLO, is one of the groups Pete conducts.
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matthes93401
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 06, 2018 2:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The Rancho Cordova Civic Light Orchestra (RCCLO), a volunteer orchestra in Northern California, is holding its next open rehearsal on Thursday, April 12th. We are seeking additional brass players. While we were able to recruit a strong trumpeter since my last posting, we still need trombones and tuba.

Minimum age of 18. I know there are some on TH with a hang-up about not having a formal audition (the open rehearsal and the following week's practice, are the audition). I'd be happy to listen to you play major scales and a short tune you can play by memory, if that helps.

Please private message me if you'd like to learn more. Thanks for considering.

http://rcclo.org/Join-Us
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Andy Del
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 07, 2018 10:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'd be hitting the trombone forums if you are after trombone players. Weird, but it may help...

Good luck. Having the right people in the right seats is the biggest challenge of a community orchestra, right after making those bows move in the same direction (at the same time / day of the week) and keeping everyone happy.

Or pay a wage. Then you can be a miserable so and so, and no one can do a damn thing about it...

cheers

Andy
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Richard III
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 07, 2018 1:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

matthes93401 wrote:
The Rancho Cordova Civic Light Orchestra (RCCLO), a volunteer orchestra in Northern California, is holding its next open rehearsal on Thursday, April 12th. We are seeking additional brass players. While we were able to recruit a strong trumpeter since my last posting, we still need trombones and tuba.

Minimum age of 18. I know there are some on TH with a hang-up about not having a formal audition (the open rehearsal and the following week's practice, are the audition). I'd be happy to listen to you play major scales and a short tune you can play by memory, if that helps.

Please private message me if you'd like to learn more. Thanks for considering.

http://rcclo.org/Join-Us


Just curious, how many horns do you have?
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matthes93401
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 16, 2018 4:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi. We presently have 4 French horns. Sorry for the tardy reply.

Good opportunity for trombone or tuba players right now.

If the group continues to grow, then hopefully we can add a regular third player in the trumpets and fifth player in the horns in the future. The brass is generally good about sharing 1st parts when section players are interested.
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ltkije1966
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 20, 2018 12:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

We got a bunch of quality applicants on FaceBook. I'm not sure where it was advertised. Probably on our Orchestra's FaceBook page and a few others, also.

Chicago has a ChicagoLand Brass Players page. Maybe your area has something like that.

We try and stay away from college students. Their schedules tend to be volatile and they generally don't play for more than one season.

Good luck.
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