Life in the Pit

Ask the Music Director part 3

We continue to answer the questions that several of you asked for music directors, and I got several across the country to answer.  We have music directors representing schools, community theatre, touring shows, and Broadway productions in this series, representing NYC, Chicago, Boston, DC, Cleveland, Kansas City, Greensboro, and Tennessee.

The questions answered in this part are:

“What are some sacrifices you've made or have to continually make, and what discipline do they come from (pit, scene change, vocals, cues, etc)?“

“How much negotiating power and pull does an MD have in a production to affect the course of the show? How about with the board of the organization(s)?”

“When listening to auditions for actors, do you prefer hearing music close to the character and/or style of the show being auditioned for... or music that can show a range and different techniques?”

If you have a question to ask, or happen to be a music director who would like to participate in future questions, please contact me through the contact page at www.davidlanemusic.com/podcast 

Thank you for your support in 2020!  You can follow on Instagram or Twitter @LifeInThePitPod.  Please share and offer us a rating and review.

Ask the Music Director part 2

Several of you asked questions for music directors, and I got several across the country to answer.  We have music directors representing schools, community theatre, touring shows, and Broadway productions in this series, representing NYC, Chicago, Boston, DC, Cleveland, Kansas City, Greensboro, and Tennessee.

The questions answered in this part are:

“I see the music director as a mediator, keeping checks on the musicians, the cast, the stage hands, and production team.  How do you go about making everyone happy?”

“What do you prioritize and what kinds of skills have you gained to make each show that had totally different groups and dynamics, as successful as possible?”

“What kinds of crazy or unique things have you done to get your cast members to really SING or break out of their shell?”

“How do you unwind and de-stress during the long process of music directing a show?”

If you have a question to ask, or happen to be a music director who would like to participate in future questions, please contact me through the contact page at www.davidlanemusic.com/podcast 

Thank you for your support in 2020!  You can follow on Instagram or Twitter @LifeInThePitPod.  Please share and offer us a rating and review.

Ask the Music Director part 1

Several of you asked questions for music directors, and I got several across the country to answer.  We have music directors representing schools, community theatre, touring shows, and Broadway productions in this series, representing NYC, Chicago, Boston, DC, Cleveland, Kansas City, Greensboro, and Tennessee.

The questions answered in this part are:

“Why do music directors often replace the indication of a VAMP with a fixed number of repeats for the pit musicians?”

“As someone who plays in a band, I find it almost impossible to keep four musicians in a group on the same page.  How do you manage groups of people that are three, four and five times as large?”

“What is more important: Chops or character?”

From a drummer, but could be any pit musician: “What can I do to make your job easier?”

If you have a question to ask, or happen to be a music director who would like to participate in future questions, please contact me through the contact page at davidlanemusic.com/podcast

Thank you for your support in 2020!  You can follow on Instagram or Twitter @LifeInThePitPod.  Please share and offer us a rating and review.

30. "Performer and Spectator" - Taiki Azuma: Saxophone, Reeds

Taiki Azuma is in the midst of pursuing his DMA in saxophone performance.  He plays all the reeds but, like many things he does, it's because it aligns with his goal of becoming a professor.  We talk about some of his academic activities and goals, but of course...we also talk about his experiences in the pit!

You can follow the podcast at Instagram or Twitter @LifeInThePitPod.  Please leave a rating and review on your podcast app.

29. The Brass Section in Theatre - Harlan Feinstein: trumpet, French horn, trombone, tuba

Brass players tend to focus on a section.  They might play French horn.  They might play trombone, and possibly be fluent on tenor and bass versions, in addition to euphonium.  They might play trumpet, and be comfortable with flugelhorn, cornet, piccolo trumpet, and other similar instruments.  Then there's tuba which might pair with trombone or euphonium.  But Harlan Feinstein plays all of them.  He is a brass generalist.  We talk about the pros and cons of such an approach, with one of the big advantages being the wide array of choices he has a performer.  With as many as 11 shows in a week and 21 productions in a year, it has been a good choice!  We also talk about the theatre gigs that are available in the DC, Boston, and Seattle areas - all places Harlan has lived.  Check out the world of the brass!

Follow the podcast on Instagram or Twitter @LifeInThePitPod.  Visit www.davidlanemusic.com/podcast for more info or to send feedback regarding the podcast.  Please leave a rating and a review.  Thank you for listening.

28. Theatre in Chicago - Valerie Maze: music director, keyboardist

Valerie Maze has an extensive amount of experience with regional theatre houses, opera companies, and in the academic world.  Not long ago, she was the staff theatre music director for Elon University.  Much of her work has been in her current residence of Chicago.  We talk about the opportunities within the arts scene of the Windy City, along with the world of theatre and opera, the benefits of a collaborative piano degree, and her experiences in succeeding as a woman conductor.

You can follow the podcast on Instagram or Twitter @LifeInThePitPod.  Please share this episode if you enjoyed it, and please leave a rating and review.  Thank you for listening.

27. "There's always more you can do." - Doug Rowe: percussion, drums

Doug Rowe is a young percussionist, drummer, and a passionate educator.  We talk about his experience with music, teaching, and his personal health journey.

Doug is an active performer in many professional groups. He has served as a percussion section member of the Union Symphony Orchestra for the past 8 years. He serves as a substitute percussionist with the Salisbury Symphony, Hendersonville Symphony and North Carolina Brass Band. Doug has also been featured several times in a professional steel drum band called Panjive. In addition, he is a founding member of his jazz combo Real Deal Jazz.

Doug currently resides in Monroe, NC where he is teaching music at Union and Marshville Elementary School. He was recently appointed Professor of Percussion at Catawba College in Salisbury, NC. In addition, Doug is the Instructor of Percussion at East Lincoln High School. He is a proud artist of Salyers Percussion sticks and mallets and member of the Black Swamp Percussion Educator Network.

You can follow this podcast @lifeinthepitpod at Twitter or Instagram.  Visit www.davidlanemusic.com/podcast to find all episodes or to leave feedback.

Reflections on CTG's Wizard of Oz

This is a follow-up to Episode 26, where I talked to Al Stephens about his work on the enormous annual production of The Wizard of Oz, as presented by The Community Theatre of Greensboro in NC.  This episode features reflections from other players in keeping the machine going.  Jennifer Blevins has been the stage manager for many years, keeping a cast of 100 in the right place at the right time.  Andy Mock has played several productions as the rehearsal accompanist and keyboard 1 player.  Kira Arrington is a young professional actress who played Dorothy as a teenager in the 20th annual production in addition to helping backstage with other productions.  Mitchel Sommers is the former Executive Director who has been the Artistic Director for every single production in addition to sometimes playing the Wizard himself.  Please enjoy this behind-the-scenes look of this huge production!

You can follow the podcast at Instagram or Twitter @LifeInThePitPod and reach out through the contact form at www.davidlanemusic.com/podcast .

26. "Organized Chaos" - Al Stephens: conductor, music director

The Community Theatre of Greensboro has, prior to this year, presented a huge production with a cast of 100 of The Wizard of Oz every year since 1995.  Just under half of those productions have been music directed by Al Stephens, owner of Moore Music in Greensboro and an established regional conductor.  We talk about his life, but also what it's like to deal with a production that is way larger than your average production, as well as doing the same show every year with a different cast.

You can follow the podcast on Instagram or Twitter @LifeInThePitPod.

25. "The Pit is my happy place!" - Virginia Masius, bassist

Virginia Masius is a versatile bassist who plays with the Greensboro and Salisbury Symphony orchestras, loves to play jazz, and plays funky blues with The Ladies Auxillary, and it is her love of versatility that makes the Pit her happy place!

Please share this episode with your friends, and please offer a rating and review for the podcast.  Thank you!

You can follow the podcast at Instagram or Twitter @LifeInThePitPod and reach out through the contact form at www.davidlanemusic.com/podcast .