Orchestral playing is its own craft, due to the nature of the repertoire and the setting itself.
The orchestral setting involves situations that require specific solutions. Some examples include repeated patterns, extreme dynamic ranges (particularly soft playing), rests, tremolo, playing sitting down, sitting on the left or right, and responding to conductors, just to name a few. With expert one-on-one guidance, the tools of the Till Approach can be applied to problem passages of any variety, providing practical solutions that can be used immediately in the orchestral setting.
The Till Approach has given me a new insight into playing with ease and freedom. Gaining an awareness of how the body works most naturally with the instrument has opened my eyes to a way of playing that is simple, natural and stress-free.
-Kate Richardson, Principal 2nd Violin, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic
Orchestral Playing Q&A
Below is a sampling of issues raised by members of various international ensembles that represent common concerns of orchestral players.
• How can fatigue and tension be avoided in extended passages involving extreme dynamics, both very soft and very loud?
• We can sometimes feel a certain loss of musical and technical control when playing in orchestra, since it requires aligning external cues and group momentum with our own individual musical impulse. How do we move away from the sterile precision of playing ‘together’ and retrieve our musical autonomy in a group setting?
• Even the practical aspects of playing in a large group can be very complex: seemingly simple things like sitting comfortably, selecting a chair, sharing a desk, sightlines, and listening across large distances can present significant challenges. How can all these factors feel reliable and comfortable each time we sit down to rehearse?
• Unlike in solo or chamber music, where active listening informs our technique quite directly, acute listening is sometimes neglected in a larger ensemble. How can we move past mere "damage control" listening to a form of aural awareness that informs, inspires, and organizes all the elements we need to play with confidence, timing, tone and phrasing?
As in the other branches, the Till Approach addresses these concerns through a combination of precise physical knowledge and practical wisdom, providing players with a toolbox to solve these issues in all manner of situations. The videos below offer solutions to some of the problems that arise in this setting.
Rests and Silence, Part 1
Rests and Silence, Part 2
Rests and Silence, Part 3
Rests and Silence, Part 4
Sitting and Playing