Posted by Sticking together... on December 19, 2002 at 16:00:43:
In Reply to: finding a quintet posted by Mary Ann on December 19, 2002 at 11:04:18:
The problem IMOHO is not finding members for a quintet, it's getting the quintet to stick together and work as a group. You'll be dealing with people with different tastes, egos and opinions in a venture that essentially requires all of that to be set aside to make music as a tight-knit group.
You'll discover that trumpet players aren't at all like horn players (or trombone players or tuba players) and about the friction that can arise because of this.
At the outset, at least set some solid objectives for the group, such as:
Why are we doing this? (possible answers: to have fun, to improve musically as individuals, to perform regularly, to kill some time on a Friday evening).
What kind and difficulty level of music will we be playing? How will we decide to select music and who will provide it? Who will be the librarian?
Who will lead us and are we able to set aside our own egos to allow leadership?
How often shall we meet and what is to be done in case of scheduling conflicts? (e.g., if one can't make rehearsal, do we meet anyway, with the absent member providing a sub for the rehearsal?).
How much outside of rehearsal will individual members practice? (not at all, a couple of hours per day, etc.)
Who will book gigs? What kind of gigs will we play and what kind will we not play? (e.g., paying, non-paying, church services, dinners, etc.)
Where and when will we meet?
Be prepared to go through a fair number of participants in the first two or three years before you finally settle down with a group that can work together. Realize that after 5 years, you may well be the only original member remaining. Don't let the frustration dissuade you and don't give up. And keep communication flowing. If a member wants to drop out, don't argue with him/her. You need commitment.
Quintet's a great way to develop musically and to play some wonderful stuff and to have lots of fun. I find it extremely rewarding, even with all of the side issues.