Ahead of Welsh National Opera’s Czech Mates concert at St David’s Hall this month, we caught up with members of WNO Orchestra to find out more about their pre-concert rituals.
Preparation ahead of a concert varies a lot within the Orchestra, and largely depends on which instrument they play and what each individual player needs in order to get in the concert zone.
WNO’s Principal Oboe, Lucie Sprague tells us that ‘in the time leading up to a WNO performance, there are lots of things I do to prepare. As well as preparing the repertoire thoroughly, as an oboist I have to make my own reeds. This is lengthy process, that involves gouging, shaping and scraping pieces of bamboo. Although I make each reed using the same process, I tailor each specific reed to suit the repertoire in each performance.’ Lucie also has the very important responsibility of tuning the Orchestra ahead of a performance. ‘This happens at the beginning of the performance, after the interval and occasionally between pieces. At WNO I sound an individual ‘A’ three times; one for the woodwind and brass, one for the lower strings and one for the upper strings to tune to.’
Essential for many instrumentalists is appropriately fuelling up before a concert, as eating high-energy food will sustain a player through a performance and ensure that they play at their best. WNO Co-Principal Horn, Edward Griffiths, makes sure to eat a larger lunch on performance day and explains that avoiding any foods and drinks that can affect musical playing is key. As a wind player in particular, ‘it’s best to avoid anything that would give you heartburn, and definitely nothing spicy or any fizzy drinks.’ so your instrument (and you) will be in a fit state to perform.
Arriving in plenty of time ahead of a concert or an opera performance is also very important: ‘We are all in the pit, ready to go, at least 20 minutes before the beginning of a performance. This is an opportunity to look at anything coming up in the piece that requires more attention, and to do any physical warmups in preparation for the concert’.
Many members of the Orchestra have their own ways of making a performance feel like a special event. Róisín Walters, Principal Second Violin at WNO, explains that before a performance ‘I mainly want to make sure that I have enough time to make sure I have my makeup and hair sorted and have changed into something suitable (preferably glittery) before heading into the pit or onto the stage. It gets me in the concert spirit and although we do it almost every day it still makes you feel like you’re dressing up for something special.’
WNO Orchestra returns to St David’s Hall as part of the Cardiff Classical Series on Friday 4 November at 7.30pm and Sunday 29 January at 3pm.