Just wondering, how many of you have done your grades and can play to a resonable standard, but have or haven't played in an orchestra, or ensemble of some kind, along the way? Is it essential to have gained some experience in an orchestra, in order to have a 'good' knowledge of your instrument?

I have more fun at orchestra than I do at my lessons, or just playing for fun in my spare time. I may not play very technically demanding stuff, or play it very well since everyone else can cover up for my random moments, but I love it and it also sounds a lot better than just me playing by myself! To be honest, if it wasn't for orchestra, I would have quit a long time ago.

I've so far done Grades 1-7, doing 8 in December, and I have been involved in various musical ensembles, ranging from school to county level. I really enjoy it, I love music making with other people. It isn't essential but it is great fun, and develops various musical skills

Yeah, I would just love to be able to sit around with some friends and play until we're all 'jammed out', but I just don't have that oppurtunity, as I don't have many friends who play and there are hardly any ensemble groups here. It must be a great experience though.

i really enjoy playing in my school orchestra, and don't really enjoy my actual lessons, because the music in orchestra is more interesting, not as hard, although still challenging, so its not as if i'm just sitting around...but i love the friendliness of the groups - orchestra - symphonic wind band...swing band etc tht we have at school. i think, although u might become technically good at your instrument, there are so many other things you learn from orchestras - counting (as a brass player, i know this!) and other things about playing together and group dynamics that you can't learn from playing alone xxx

Meh, I played in an orchestra for a while, but the conductor was a bit of a dragon and they were all younger and better at it than me, and I felt stupid so I left. Haven't played clarinet regularly in another big ensemble since...

You shouldn't feel stupid Moo.

Yeah, I think this is what I am missing with my musical experience. I am trying to persuade my friend to take up violin properly so we can have a little duo going - might sound quite nice It's the whole experience that counts really I suppose.

Of course, you could always take part in the ensembles at a forums concert or two....

I very, very strongly recommend making music in bands/orchestras/other ensembles - it is so much fun!

While I'm on this thread, I'll second katyjay's forum concert idea.

I know It's just it would be nice to have a continious thing going, where I can meet with others etc, on a regular basis. I just wanted to see how many people have just done grades, and lessons but not really done much ensemble work. But it seems as if most people have some experience of playing with others!

Ensemble playing is a really good way of accelerating your technical progress, as long as you start at the right entry level for your current abilty, i.e. aren't immediately out of your depth. There are also by definition ensemble skills to acquire, which cannot be acquired except by doing. So go for it...

I have been in loads of ensembles and it really helps my playing and I love it because I get to meet new people. I've been in clarinet choirs, county junior orchestras (a long time ago), school orchestra, school senior woodwind groups and many others. We play in lots of smaller groups like quartets and sextets and school clarinet choirs for concerts and often through groups together for GCSE and A level pracs. I've also sang in loads of choirs and sand in the Alberts hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Festival hall, Llangollen Eisteddfod with them.

Whereabouts are you studying, joyjoy?

pianists are probably most likely to miss out on the ensemble experience I'd have thought

Yeah

Yeah your right, although there are certain ensembles such as some Jazz bands where Pianists can play. However, there aren't a lot of opportunities for pianists to play in ensembles.

I'm getting on to about grade 5, but I'm only in the school band because I really don't have time to be in a proper ensemble unfortunately. I do think it would be very good experience and really help to develop your skills however.

Quite right - that's why I never regretted taking up the clarinet and I really enjoyed playing in numerous bands and orchestras.
My only regret is I didn't have time in uni to sit for my Grade 8 Clarinet...

I agree... and that is an disadvantage and i feel really bad that i don't play in a band or an orchestra as piano is the only instrument i play currently..
Hopefully i will start cello next year and then i may be able to play with ensembles...

Hi joyjoy, I play in an orchestra and a quartet (though the quartet is for fun only not public performance). It is the most wonderful thing about playing the violin to do this, especially the quartet. I guess I am approaching (fast) grade 5 now, but I must have been only grade 2-3 when I started in the orchestra and quartet.

Even now in the orchestra I think I am by far the worst player they have, (hey someone has to be the worst it might as well be me!) but they are all so supportive and they know I am having lessons and improving so they maybe see me as an investement for the future. In any case I know when I can play out confidently and when I have to fake it (which I am quite good at ) so hopefully I don't embarrass them in concerts.

Of course in quartet you just have to keep going, and no faking allowed (although I have been known to improvise on occasions in bits I just can't play) but this has been the single most useful thing to get me to be a confident sight reader, and playing string quartets is the reason I wanted to play violin.

Where are you geographically? (PM me if you want) you would be welcome to join our ensemble if you can get here (even if only on an occasional basis).

I've played in brass bands, windbands and ensembles. Not only are they great fun but the experience has improved my sight-reading.

Sadly for me, not many ensemble opportunities for classical guitar...*Waits for the day somebody lets her do a guitar concerto*

They can start small, with piano duets. There's a huge repertoire of those from music for almost complete beginners to serious recital stuff (one or two pianos). It's true that a lot of the chamber music repertoire that includes piano is very difficult, but there are some easier things and I think there have been some efforts in recent years to provide more relatively simple chamber music that includes piano. There's also the possibility of accompanying players of other instruments, and not all accompaniments are very technically demanding. In fact there are some that mainly involve going "chug chug chug" or "oom-cha oom-cha" in a musical and sensitive fashion on a few simple chords while the soloist shows off.

Yeh..I have more fun at band aswell! I love band!

In my not-very-humble opinion, playing in any type of ensemble no matter how large/small/good/bad is one of the most fun things that one can do with music. Any chance you get, go for it - it is a LOT of fun

I play in a sax quartet with hubby and 2 friends which is great fun - no pressure just a laugh. Our teachers have a monthly session with all their wind students (all adults) usually about 14/16 of us at different levels from grades 1 to 7 which is also great fun and really helps with listening to the other parts and also learning what the conductor is doing.

I'd love to join a concert or wind orchestra and may get around tot it one day.

I play in several small bands and my school orchestra, it's great fun! Everyone is really friendly, and we joke about any mistakes we make. Have a go!

I have been playing for almost 4 years, but joined the school string ensemble after two years of playing.

Since I have joined two orchestras (been playing in them for a year) and my playing has improved dramatically.

Joining ensembles (especially orchestras) is great fun! Not only does it improve sight-reading, skill as a player and confidence, it teaches you how to play in ensembles, an essential skill!

One of the great things I have found is that you meet so many like minded people!!

From what you have all said - it sounds like the ensemble experience is really good for improving sight reading and most of all having a laugh.

joined an orchestra last year, at grade 5. to begin with i thought 'hahaha this is sooo easy' and our conductor's like 'this is a really hard piece of music', but after a while you sort of get why it's so hard - a combination of a rubbish string section and the whole playing as a group thing. there was nothing in any of the parts that were beyond the players, it's just the playing as a group that's hard.

along with that, it definately helped my sight-reading and intonation no end - now i'm just bad at sight reading instead of awful!

I believe to play in an orchestra does require some co.ordination with other members. The music is not particularly difficult, but working as a team is. So personally I think it will be a good experience to play in an orchestra, doesn't matter if you have done grades or not, it will always be benetifical.