Out of curiosity, for those of you who play in ensembles, what is your main reason for joining a band/orchestra etc.? Is it the playing music with others? To be 'pushed' harder in your playing? To gain experience on certain 'desks'? To improve your sightreading? or what????

There is a reason behind this question, I'd just rather not say on here.

Definitely the playing music with others, definitely to stretch myself (clarinet wise at least), and it always helps with the sightreading. But of all those, it's the playing with others that I consider the most important thing here.

The buzz of the 'group effort' and sight reading in the main though also gets me playing different pieces. Have to confess I also experiment more in a group, e.g. playing same note on a different string. If I screw it up I don't get sussed!

Oh yes, and help the kids, when they're not helping me that is

Definatley all of the above. And because I don't have lessons in the flute, to make me practice, give me a goal to work towards. Oh and for me, most importantly, because I love it.

Playing with others and learning ensemble and rehearsal skills.
I also like learning bits about what other instruments can do and how the instruments work together.
Being pushed harder in my playing is not really something I'm looking for here. I'd rather let my progress be looked after in lessons. I don't really feel that I want to be playing music in orchestra that I need to spend a lot of time on at home. For me that would get in the way of what I'm working on in lessons.

I like the playing with others. I love chamber music but there's nothing quite like being a small part of a huge orchestral sound...

W

I like the social aspect and the opportunity to play different pieces. It does help with sight reading and the fact you have to keep going even if you make a mistake.

Music making is a social activity and there is pleasure to be had in that. There is the enjoyment of being able to perform music. By being challenged to play - probably stuff you wouldn't otherwise do - you're bound to improve.

And it's fun.

That's why I've joined an orchestra so soon after re-starting to play after so many years away from the cello. Also, the experience I've had with the viol. The tenor is a consort instrument - it is not a solo instrument and there is no solo repertoire for it. Unfortunately in my area there are not many viol players and the only chance I get to play in consorts is when I go on weekends or viol playing holidays, which is a tadge expensive!

I've recently been on two chamber music days and I've found a teacher who is setting up tutored quartets - first session on 28th

It's always been about playing with others - I think there's something special about playing in an ensemble (including with only one other person) that just isn't there when playing solo. I have derived all of the other benefits that one gets from ensemble playing, but they've never been the main motivation.

It is actually the ensemble playing that I like (when it comes together that is) rather than the social aspect of it. That's nice to have, but I can live without it.

To make friends/be with other people in a social situation. I am a very shy person in real life, music gives me an easier way to meet nice people. Also I find making music in ensemble incredibly satisfying and enjoyable. I don't care if there's an audience or not.

It's the reason I started playing the Oboe While learning theory and studying Orchestral works with the OU (A214) I really wanted to be part of and play with an orchestra, bit difficult on the piano
so after a bit of thought, I am now juggling piano and oboe and loving it.

That's exactly it for me too.

However, I do spend a bit of time on it at home on ensemble work when there's something particularly difficult or a solo. On the whole I find playing in our local wind ensemble fun and relaxing. It doesn't stretch me as much as the lessons do, though I do learn new skills through ensemble playing (tuning, blending sounds with others, etc).

It 's different for me playing regularly in our local wind ensemble, which is very friendly, than in a summer-course type of situation where it's more intense - especially if working towards an end-of-week public concert - and one doesn't necessarily have the same relationship of trust with others, not knowing them so well.

Thanks for the replies. It's interesting to find out why people have joined groups and while I won't go into details on here, the replies are helping me to work through something.

Joining an ensemble of some sort seems the logical thing to do. What else would I do with my instrument apart from play it on my own at home?

yes -for me too. The first time I started to learn the oboe I didn't play anywhere, which made the whole thing feel a bit pointless in the end. Why spend all that time and money learning to play an instrumnet if you are never actually going to play it! Once my lessons finished I had nothing to encourage me to keep playing. one of the conditions I set myself when I restarted oboe lessons was that I had to find somewhere to play.

I think there is something special about making music with other people - something is created that is greater than the sum of its parts and it is magical to be part of it. This probably explains why more eloquently than I can!

That's it exactly for me. The magic for me is when I know I am playing "with" someone - taking note of how they are doing something and trying to fit in and imitate their style, or provide a phrase that is "the answer" to the last one they did. I was in a wind sextet in university and we played together for three years - by the end of that, we just "got" each other. Sorry, I think I'm making a complete hash trying to describe something in words that just doesn't go very well into words. If you've ever been in the right ensemble and that magical moment of communication just happens, you know what I mean..

If I didn't play with others I don't think I'd play at all.

I could turn the question round and ask "Why do you spend hours practising on your own?" and the answer would be "So that I'm good enough to play in xyz ensemble"

That does depend on the group you are playing with.
Sometimes the best I can do is to try to make sure that I'm playing correctly.
There are times when you don't want to match too closely the others in the group yet they aren't going to aim to match you as they don't have the listening or playing skills.

True. My answer is coloured by the fact that most of my ensemble playing is currently done as an accompanist.

The first time I played in a wind band was a revelation. I'd joined for most of the reasons given by other people, ie wanting to socialise with other musically inclined people, to improve sight reading, to push myself etc. What I wasn't prepared for, was the sheer buzz of suddenly being surrounded by a wall of sound, and feeling like an organic part of the music, rather than tootlong around by myself. What a joy.

I agree with the comment about the buzz. Playing in a sax group with 20 other saxophones or in a wind band gives a great feeling when it all comes together.

I also find it makes me practice - if you have lessons then you have other reasons to practice but for me I need that slight sense of panic that I must look at a difficult patch to make me do some practice.

1. I absolutely love the sound of an orchestra.
2. I love the feeling of being surrounded by all that lovely sound, all the energy and vibrating air and everything.
3. As others have said, I love the buzz when you pull off a piece really well.
4. It opens up reams of new repertoire and helps you discover more music to get obsessed with, which you might never have known even existed!
5. You learn so much about composers, their music, the way a piece is put together.
6. Playing alongside other musicians (many who are vastly experienced and/or accomplished) inspires me to work hard and brings out the best in my playing.
7. I'm a shy show-off. As in, I love to perform, but I would never play on my own in front of 500 people for 2 hours; surround me with 80-100 other musicians, on the other hand, and I'm happy as larry!

I really want to join because I want to play with others for the enjoyment of being part of something bigger. I'm very nervous at the prospect though.

I play in both orchestras and chamber ensembles to experience some of the best music from the inside.

Have a good look around to see what you can find MrsB. Shortly after Grade 3 I found a local music centre which has ensembles of all sorts of standards and ages. A year or so later a friend introduced me to a local amateur ensemble. In both cases the number of each instrument isn't "standard", so in orchestra for instance we may have 2 first and 2 second oboes which gives a bit of moral support. Then again of course if you are the only one to turn up one week Yes it feels hard and a bit frightening for a while (and indeed there are still always passages I struggle with or simply can't play at all) but it is a great way of improving both your playing and confidence. It is especially valuable to be able to play along with someone better than you are, it really brings you on.

I have rather a lot of orchestral experience from my youth on a different instrument.

So knowing how enjoyable it could be I couldn't wait to be proficient enough on viola to join the local orchestra. Also I LOVE playing and just want ANY opportunity to play so it seemed ideal.

However I no longer go Might be easier to list the pros and cons ... just for my personal circumstances though:

Pros:
*It really does push your playing and I learned all sorts of little aspects of technique that didn't come up in my other pieces.
*I found it fascinating to visit orchestral music from a different perspective - the string section! It's an entirely different philosophy... as a clarinettist I was a 'soloist' because it was usually one player to a part so therefore exposure was high, in the strings we are a group to each part and almost completely anonymous.
*I honestly get chills up my spine being part of group harmony playing music with others.

Cons:
*Without getting personal several people in the orchestra removed all aspects of 'fun' from the experience, especially those with visible egos In that I think I was unlucky and it may not happen in every group.
*The orchestra met in the evenings with quite a late start and rehearsal often went on for up to 30mins longer than scheduled - it was too late and too tiring for me on top of a longish drive.. a nightmare in winter. I would LOVE a group that rehearsed in daylight!!!
*The choice of music was never moot and therefore always the taste of one person.


So it didn't work out. But I would LOVE to find a friendly group because at the moment my music is a lonely experience.

Ah - sorry to hear that Lottie.

I have a lot of experience, musical and non-musical, of being involved in running things and I know how easily this sort of thing can happen if people aren't alert to it. It's usually a sign of a stale organisation/committee. If you want things to improve, it might be worth putting your reasons in writing to the secretary or sympathetic committee member.

Groups may be amateur but they need to be run professionally - keep to time, prompt starts and finishes. They MUST be welcoming to new members. I went to a group (a camera club) with a view to joining. It was a cold wet night in Janaury (2010 - remember how nasty that was?) and a 15 mile drive each way. They were indifferent to me - more-or-less ignored and left to get on with it. Never went back. I never cease to be amazed how slack groups can be over this sort of thing - it's important!

The hard one is avoiding cliqueishness - above a certain size you're bound to break into sub-groups but the committee must work to ensure that this is not exclusive in nature. In the choral society, we make a point of welcoming new/prospective members and regularly remind members to speak to new members.

Repertoire selection is a tricky one - the MD usually more-or-less controls that, although the committee may have a say in it. A good organisation is open to suggestions and welcomes them.

My two choirs are 7.30 - 9.30pm and 8.00 to 10.00pm. If you want people who work to join, you're pretty limited about that. I would suggest that for most people a 7.30pm start is about as late as you want to go. My chamber choir is 8pm but that's as much to do with the MD as anything (he's a professor of medicine and we fit around that).

I suspect your location doesn't help? I'm used to having to travel 15/20/25 miles each way to get to things - I suspect it's worse for you? Do have a good root around the internet for groups - there may be something else. Hope you find a solution.

I've been trying to think when I last wasn't in a band/orchestra.....I think it was probably the summer of 1983 when I moved from primary to middle school.

I get much more satisfaction from playing with other people than on my own so seek out as many opportunities as I can to do so.

I used to absolutely love playing in both bands and orchestras but now I'm more and more into orchestral music and have no desire to join a wind band as a player (conductor, a different matter). Only problem being my chosen orchestral instrument it is almost impossible to get an orchestral seat! (Clarinet)

If I had the time, I would have carried on with learning the viola that I started learning and would now be in a couple of orchestras but I didn't have the time then and now my time is dedicated to the piano, which I adore playing "in ensemble" as an accompanist.

So, I doubt that I'll ever get to play in an orchestra again and that is rather sad. Unless, when I'm older I do manage to have the time to take up a string instrument again, which I would love to do for I did love the viola and I also love the violin, funnily enough much more so than I love the clarinet...

Somehow, I can't really see that happening though as I have pupils, piano, cars, sax, writing fiction and other things.

Clarinet, I have a bit of a love / hate relationship with. I love it because I can play it well without an awful lot of effort but if I had to choose between my clarinet or my piano,I know which one would win despite the piano taking me a lot of effort (or a lot more effort for me) to play well.

It sounds like we are almost mirror images with 'second' instruments gaining precedence.
Though I wouldn't say it was a love/hate thing with the piano I'm becoming more aware that if there had to bew a choice right now the clarinet would win.

My conflict is slightly different. I enjoy playing the viol in consort music. Like string quartets this is played one to a part. Consort music is available in just about every combination of treble/tenor/bass for 3, 4, 5, and 6 instruments.

The challenge is it depends where you live in the UK as to the likelihood of there a)being other players nearby, and b)players willing to let a newbie in. Regarding (a) there are not that many in this area. This is probably due to in part to the limited number of tutors. There are three tutors that I know of: one that I go to, one Manchester based, and one in south Lakes. This probably explains the thinness of the population. The second point is probably something I have limited ability to influence, although my tutor is going to ask around the people he knows.

Until now, just about the only opportunity I get is to sign up to weekend courses or summer schools, which is a very expensive option

This in part explains why after 35 years I have returned to the cello - something I didn't think I'd do. I realise it's an economy of scale thing, but it's proven to be so much easier to get playing with others. I've got straight into a community orchestra which is giving me lots of experience. I've been to a couple of chamber music days. If I can sell the Merc I'll be able to go on a summer school somewhere! I've already been asked if I would like to join a couple of other orchestras (surprising really as I don't think I'm that good yet). There's a local teacher (OK - 25 miles away - this is Shropshire ) who's advertising setting up tutored string quartets and I've got my first session in a couple of weeks.

With the amount of playing I'm getting, I'm probably already technically better on the cello than the tenor viol.

With singing, it's been similar. Once I started having lessons (in my 30s), after about 6 months my music teacher started me off in his chamber choir. The rest as they say is history. I can't imagine not singing in a choir now. And for those who assiduosly read the ravings that I post, you'll realise that I inevitably end up on the committee and organising things! Although if Plan A comes off in September, I'll step down from chairing my chamber choir and I'll actually not be responsible for running anything for the first time since 1995.

Differently from most who've posted, I think I'm probably still really a soloist at heart - for the bizarre reason that I fear letting others down, and want to be able to take responsibility for what I'm doing musically. But, and it's a big but, I do get a buzz from a well presented bit of ensemble playing, because even a soloist needs to be able to play with accompaniment. I've become aware of just how important that accompaniment is - I'm not proficient enough or inspirational enough to be able to soar past lacklustre or hesitant playing, and if I get a fabby accompanist they enable me to pull musicality out of my hat which I didn't know was there.

So oddly enough, I joined an ensemble because I needed the ensemble skills in order to become a better soloist .

I play in a "Youth" (ahem...) Orchestra and Concert Band, one of the reasons being is to keep up playing my clarinet! Since leaving college nearly 7 years ago (that seems ages!) I have not had a clarinet lesson and kept going to mainly help out as numbers in Music Centres are declining rapidly and apart from a year or so break I have kept going! Thing is, nowadays, since taking up the flute, I've realised how important regular practice is! I struggle to play competently some of the pieces in the Orchestra/Concert Band, whereas before they seemed straight forward! Strange to think I could play Grade 7 pieces when I was at college but would probably struggle with Grade 6 now!

Anyway, that's gone off subject! Apart from that, I really enjoy playing with others and seeing how well we've accomplished things - pieces that seemed a disaster when sight reading sound amazing in concert! Is it really sad that I like the rehearsal after a concert to see what the new pieces are and to see how well I can sight read them?!