Ask Aaron February/March Mailbag
ASK AARON MAILBAG
Submit your question to Ask Aaron, the new online column featured in our monthly newsletter. This interactive column is no holds barred! Simply email your question(s) with your name and town to askaaron@spacecoastsymphony.org.
From: Lyle B., Rockledge
Hi Aaron! Do your arms get tired when you conduct?
Lyle! They do at times, especially after a long 8 hour day of conducting. But conducting is more of a mental release than one of physical nature. Conducting requires extreme focus and concentration more than physical strength. I suppose my brain hurts a bit more than my arms. I do tend to get a little too boisterous on the podium and that is an area which I am trying to improve. I am sure my energy at the end of a concert would be much higher if I was a little more restrained and not so banshee-like. However, it's hard not to get carried away by the music.
From: Diana W., Mims
Why do waiters and musicians both wear tuxedos at work? Aside from award shows, you don't often see men in a tuxedo. Is it necessary?
Hi Diana. What's wrong with our digs? Of course it would be nice to perform in a t-shirt, shorts, and a pair of flip flops. Back in the day, musicians were essentially servants. A friend told me a story that Joseph Haydn (house composer for the rich & powerful Esterhazy family in Hungary) made a remark in a letter that musicians "were of a social status slightly above the cooks but below the valets". Apparently, the servants, staff, and musicians all ate in the "Servants" kitchen. Fast forward to today, where orchestras around the world are still holding on to this tradition. I love the tux (sometimes I sleep in it) and it really makes a man look sharp. During our Summer Series, we lose the jackets!
From: Pippin R., Boston, MA
I noticed that at some concerts, the musicians playing in the woodwind & brass sections change seats after playing a work or after intermission. How do you decide who will sit in which chair for each work? Is this normal?
Hey Pippin... Love the name. The Space Coast Symphony employs a rotation system in our winds & brass. We don't have Principal players in the winds. All of the musicians in our wind section are extraordinary players and do a bang up job, no matter what part they play. Some musicians have specialties that we do take advantage of (For example: all flute players don't play piccolo). It makes the orchestra a little more democratic and it dramatically lessens the in-orchestra murder rate.
From: Howard P., Satellite Beach
How do you get "in the zone" before a concert? We notice you don't use music.
Hello Howard. I eat half of a blueberry muffin, slam a Mountain Dew, and stare at my wallet photo of Celine Dion. Kidding aside, I am generally out in the audience prior to the concert, but try to save 10 minutes to just focus. If you ask any of our volunteers/ushers, they will tell you that I pace around the building maybe 10 to 15 times. I usually get a good 1/2 mile in prior to each concert.
