Some violinists see orchestral playing as prestigious and that it affects their identity as a violinist where they play and/or how much money they recieve. Or perhaps they have truly arrived when they are sitting on the stage performing with an orchestra.

Truth of the matter is, orchestral playing is for you if it benefits and nourishes your journey as a violinist. If all you take away is stress and your personal practice for improvement is depleted because you focus only on orchestral playing…perhaps it is something for you to deeply reconsider.

Recently, I played a program including Mozart’s Eine Kleine Nachtmusik. What I have found in my violin journey is musicians and conductors underestimate the difficulty of what they perceive as “simple” music. In my opinion, anything by Mozart should NEVER be underestimated.

Musicians have so many varying ideas of how Mozart has to be played that I honestly believe it has turned into a horrific complex.

In my current orchestra musicians, were scared to death of Bartok but not one word for Mozart – not a good combination when the young guest conductor also underestimates Mozart to the point it was completely under rehearsed and was more of an after thought.

As an orchestral player, one has to realize that we are thrown in specific situations that may not be ideal but one thing we do have control over, is our personal artistry.

Over the years after working with many adult violinists online who play in orchestras, I have to say some of them (who are limited on time) would benefit not playing in an orchestra at all and take that same time to devote to personally improving their craft.

But for some, it is easier to give that time to someone else.

Devoting time to your improving your artistry as a violinist is a form of self-love and personal growth and only you can decide how orchestral playing does or does not fit into that spectrum.