r/orchestra

I am not professional, so don’t judge pls.

I’ve been playing piano for years, and I really love it, but I’ve recently started feeling kind of invisible in uni orchestra (just a club in uni) . We play mainly contemporary music. I play synth btw. At concerts I sit in the back with the rest of rhythm section. There are no lights on us, so in photos I basically don’t show up at all. Even when photographers come, they rarely capture me unless it’s random luck

On rehearsals, I don’t play all the time as other sections do because pianists rotate, so sometimes I play only once and that’s it on a 2hour rehearsal. Because of this, I sometimes feel like I’m not really part of the orchestra in the same way, or even like I’m wasting my time. I’ve started thinking about leaving and just going fully solo instead. However, what stops me is the community. I found my community in orchestra and I enjoy being part of the concert preparation. During usual uni days I feel lonely, so orchestra the only way for me to deal with loneliness

Hello! I’m an adult who originally learned bass clarinet because my high school band needed someone to play it and I was curious if there were any instruments (that don’t involve breath work like woodwinds do) that community orchestras and/or bands are often lacking? I thought it would be fun to learn a new instrument with the eventual goal of playing in a band and/or orchestra. Thank you!

I'm curious to know what accessories musicians use for their instruments!

Hi all,

I’m Andrew, a medical student at UBC in Canada, and I’m in the early stages of helping form a Canadian Doctors Orchestra.

The idea is a national orchestra bringing together physicians and medical trainees across provinces who still play seriously but do not have many structured opportunities to perform together.

Before moving this further, I would really appreciate advice from anyone who has experience with:

• organizing multi city or national orchestras
• volunteer musical ensembles
• long distance rehearsal planning and concert logistics

I am especially interested in what tends to make these kinds of projects last beyond the initial excitement phase and become sustainable over time.

I am not looking to recruit anyone here. I am just trying to learn from people who have experience with similar kinds of organizations.

Thanks a lot in advance.

Andrew

I am going to see the Montreal symphony orchestra tomorrow and it's my first time going to a performance of that standard. What should I wear to fit in with the average person?

There has always been something worth paying attention to in the space between people — the moment a story is shared, a craft is witnessed, a stranger becomes familiar. wetalk2people exists inside that space.

wetalk2people is a multimedia publication centered around platforming local and global creatives—striving to be more conscious of human work in the age of generative technology. We work with the belief that works with the belief that every craft and creation has a touch of the human soul and therefore reflects the creator's unique human experience. This blog seeks to explore the unexplored human connections that we miss out on everyday—intentionally searching and staying curious about strangers in our daily lives. Rather than looking for followers, we are looking for collaborators who can share their perspectives, speak on their experiences and stay curious about humanity. Through interviews, events, and creative gatherings, we sow the threads of connection between people who might otherwise never find each other—and let what happens next speak for itself. Publishing work from all around the world, we aim to create a global network of creatives and operate on the belief that the most interesting communities are the ones still in the process of becoming.

TLDR: This blog will be a way for people to have a peek inside the curtain, see the real effort that is put into creation and platform creatives, culture, and community builders. I'm looking for people who would like to share their experiences behind the scenes and as an enthusiast to share for the sake of sharing about the craft and community to the average joe.

Comment any topics you would like to touch on or see featured and I'd love to collaborate :) To preface, this is a passion project so unfortunately it will be unpaid—whether or not my cause resonates—that's up to you.

I’ve officially given up on the exterior at this point 💀I’m way more invested in the concert hall interior and acoustics anyway.

The concept is basically a mix between the Berlin Philharmonie and the National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts (Weiwuying) concert hall.

Exterior

https://preview.redd.it/92mqctuq9q0h1.png?width=1920&format=png&auto=webp&s=40eb016f40ba95754773804cc347290884bf89e5

https://preview.redd.it/1tppiruq9q0h1.png?width=1920&format=png&auto=webp&s=52e12f2d3648cd60f97abcbd232b135b798a8c7a

https://preview.redd.it/ba2exruq9q0h1.png?width=1920&format=png&auto=webp&s=52b8fe2b7129e2b238f0b1db621f69e1e41fbb3c

View from Stage

https://preview.redd.it/gk0plvuq9q0h1.png?width=1920&format=png&auto=webp&s=5be5e872c560df48d748c67d7baa0a8a867b9b62

View from Conductor

Organ

View from Backstage

Backstage

Backstage Public lounge

Audio&Video Studio

These are simulated XLR / SDI I/O ports

Ceiling Catwalk

Backstage lounge

Backstage lounge

Backstage lounge

Box Office

2nd Floor

VIP lounge

So, I know this is not an orchestra thread, but as a former band hall rat who just survived year 1 of teaching orchestra (first job that opened up to me), I’m in the process of shutting it down for the year. I was wondering what all I need to be looking for when it comes to instrument repairs (how to find open seams, cracks in instruments to flag them for repair. That sort of thing) and resources on this.

Does anybody have good sites to find decent instruments at decent prices? I'm willing to invest in them, so if something is really worth it, I dont mind too much. I really miss playing and Im searching for something to pull me out of my lows. Orchestra used to always do that for me in my teens but after getting out, I no longer had access to play. So I'm wanting to get back in and start getting the instruments again. What are some things to look out for both red and green flags for websites or brick and mortar shops? Maybe brands that are well made.

I’m a complete beginner in orchestral music, and honestly, I’ve searched a lot about it online, but I still feel like I haven’t found the right explanation of how people actually start writing orchestral music. Most tutorials either jump too fast into advanced concepts or only talk about music theory without explaining the real process of composing.

I already know a little bit of music theory and basic music production, but my main confusion is:

How do beginners actually start writing orchestral music?

Like:

How do you begin a piece?

Which instruments should you start with first?

How do you make strings, brass, and other sections work together?

How do you turn a simple melody into a full orchestral arrangement?

What should a beginner practice daily to improve orchestration?

I’m not looking for extremely advanced theory right now. I just want to understand the practical starting point for orchestral composition in a simple and beginner-friendly way.

If anyone here learned orchestral writing from scratch, I’d really appreciate advice, resources, or your personal workflow for getting started.

Hey, not sure if this is the right place to post this but I am going to Star Wars: A new hope in concert at the symphony tomorrow and have never been to see live music before. I get occasional tinnitus and am kinda paranoid about hearing loss so I was wondering if anybody knew how loud these types of movies in concert are and if it’s in a safe exposure level. I assume it’s not as loud as some concerts since it’s a symphony performance but would love to know if anybody has insight into this. Thank you.