With all the competition and demands that exist within the music industry, a little lightheartedness can be a welcome change. In the spirit of this month’s spooky holiday, we’re providing you with some “frightful” scenarios. The situations below are definitely a performer’s nightmare. Many of us can already relate to them, but alas, it comes with the territory!
For the conductor:
Focused and passionate as each gesture intensifies the music toward an amazing climax, when suddenly a fabric rip is felt in the seat of your trousers. You can only hope that your undergarments are not in a contrasting color and are not now seen by the entire audience. Interestingly enough, some conductors have a small collection of busted britches!
Your orchestra has traveled to perform at an incredible competition. The stage is set, everyone is in place, and your performance begins. A few moments later you hear a loud snap from the strings and it’s your principal 2nd who looks up at you with pure shock and fear in their eyes because they have never had an instrument mishap before.
Your guest solo artist and orchestra are performing a well-known concerto and everything is running smoothly. A few minutes later, the artist suddenly enters at the wrong section and you have to think quickly on the podium to save the performance from derailment.
You’re testing out a new baton and the stage lights are feeling extra warm during your performance. Your baton slips from your hand and falls back into the audience! You only hope you haven’t injured anyone and wonder if you should turn around and look.
For the vocalist:
It’s your big moment and the music has started, yet your mind goes blank and you cannot remember the words!
Your voice cracks once but you recover. Then it cracks a second time…and you’re the soloist.
Midway through a beautiful performance you suddenly get uncontrollable hiccups.
Your singing partner messed up and sang the wrong text, making your next entrance confusing to the audience when they hear you sing the reply.
For the instrumentalist:
Your favorite reed gives out in the middle of a performance, but that’s nothing to worry about because you have more nearby. You reach for your 2nd-favorite reed, but accidentally scrape it against the edge of the music stand and ruin it. The other reeds that remain are not your favorites and you have a solo coming up in a few measures.
You’re on the world stage for an outdoor performance. The weather decides not to cooperate.
You forgot to charge the battery on your tablet and five minutes before the performance is over your tablet goes blank and you don’t have a backup. The pressure has never been more intense to test your memorization skills…and it’s Stravinsky.
And finally, for those educators who teach the youngest of performers, we thank you. For our world of music would not exist if it weren’t for your efforts to teach these beginners. Extra kudos to those of you who have endured stage bloopers with the youngsters…like when little Leah takes a bow and proceeds to exit the stage, but her skirt gets caught on a prop, causing her to accidentally flash the audience. Never fear, her parents caught it on video and years later continue to playfully tease her about showing it to her future fiancé!
Comments