Life in the Pit

There is always the problem of pit orchestras being threatened with being replaced by canned music. I think that probably most ballet orchestras have been threatened with this at some point in their histories. Pittsburgh and Atlanta are perfect examples. I believe that one of the ways to avoid this scenario is educating management, the board of directors, and the public.

I think that because we are in the pit and for the most part out of sight, the orchestra goes unnoticed. Since half of the orchestra was invisible in our pit because of the overhang, no one ever saw the brass, woodwinds, percussion and timpani unless they made a special trip to the edge of the pit and looked down. We have been very disconnected with the audience. Now that we are no longer buried, I think that the orchestra is more a part of the production, and I think that the audience feels our presence more. Our sound is definitely getting out more, and we are not having to work so hard in that aspect.

The musicians understand that the dancers and singers are the stars of the show, but we also know that without us their performances would certainly not be as exciting. Half of the performance would be missing. We know that the board of directors enjoy meeting the stars. We also know that with symphony orchestras there is a direct connection between the musicians and the board. I see with my pit orchestras that there is no tie between musicians and the board. I think that if there were a connection, the board would be more educated about the importance of the orchestra to the production.

For a while the ballet orchestra had a program called Pit Pals. We mailed a newsletter to kids, educating them about the orchestra. We had puzzles directly focusing on instruments and musical terms. We always featured a musician or a section in the orchestra. The kids loved it. They brought their parents to the edge of the pit, and we passed out Pit Pal stickers at the intermissions. The audience saw faces with what they heard, but we did not dominate the show. I think that the musicians have to be our own ambassadors. I think it’s very important to talk to the audience when leaving the theater and to thank them for coming to the performance. The audience loves rubbing elbows with the people in the show. They always appreciate being asked about what they saw and heard. I think they remember that encounter. They see that the musicians are real people who are happy to be a part of the production.

Support of music in the schools is also very important to our future. It’s certainly obvious that when our school music programs diminish, our future is bleak. Children must be educated about the orchestra. If they are not, then it will become easier to replace us. An audience that is taught that the orchestra is vitally important to an opera or ballet will be the catalyst that prevents us from being replaced.