Here's a theme and variations, with apologies to Benjamin Britten. The
theme is a rondo, which will keep recurring: an orchestral musician must
primarily develop the ability to listen to and respond to what the other
instrument sections are doing. This is more important than all the rest, tuning,
dynamics, timing, etc. It doesn't mean that these aren't important, but the
player who is hearing what their role is in relation to the whole orchestra will
almost automatically play in tune, in time and at the right dynamic. It is a
fact that if you were to audition for a professional orchestra, it is not the
individuals with the highest technical ability that would necessarily get the
job, but the ones who can play as a part of the
orchestra.
