PLAYING WITH ORCHESTRA - Solo

I just returned from performing Robert Schumann’s Piano Concerto with Johnson City Symphony Orchestra in Tennessee.

Playing with orchestra is an absolute joy! It is intense, exposed, and super exciting. It feels amazing to be supported by the live sound of an orchestra.

The Schumann Concerto is infamous for its demands on the pianist. The soloist has almost no breaks throughout the piece, and the second and third movements are connected, which means even less time to come up for air. What a breathtaking challenge!

Read about the two ways of playing with orchestra

This is the hall on the morning of the dress rehearsal. The piano is usually placed closest to the audience. Behind the piano is the conductor and the orchestra, and you can see my score in the piano for easy reference during the rehearsal.

Rob and I met the day before the concert for a pianist/conductor rehearsal to talk through tempi before meeting with the whole group.

Orchestra musicians work on a tight schedule and time is limited. Most concertos feature a cadenza, a stretch of solo playing without orchestra, where the soloist has a chance to present their skill. The first rehearsal typically omits cadenzas to save time, and that’s what we did.

The dress rehearsal on the concert day was a play through of the whole program including the solo cadenza. This was a short rehearsal, because there’s no need to stop and work at things, and I got to rest afterwards and to get ready for the evening show.

The most exciting moment for me is always hearing the orchestra tune right before playing. This is the moment before walking on to play. Once the piece is underway, it feels like being in a very special zone of concentration and creativity.

And here we are after performing the Schumann, both still brimming with joy and excitement. So much fun, I can’t wait for my next concerto!