| If you're a young musician wanting to break into | | | | 4. Does the fixer know you? West End theatre |
| the world of the West End theatre orchestras, | | | | musicians are ALWAYS employed by an |
| where do you start? | | | | MU-approved orchestral fixer. It isn't possible to |
| It is impossible to walk into a West End pit job (or | | | | work as a musician in a West End show |
| "hold a chair") with no previous experience. | | | | otherwise (in fact, it's illegal). Therefore you have |
| Therefore, your first task is to deputise for the | | | | to be known not only to the player but to the |
| existing players in a show. | | | | fixer as well. Check out the list of fixers (the |
| It may come as a surprise that players who hold | | | | Musicians' Union can give you a list), and contact |
| a chair would need a deputy. You might expect a | | | | them too. If the fixer hears about you from |
| chair holder to play at all performances, but there | | | | different sources (personal approach or |
| is an unwritten rule that says that players can | | | | recommendation by another player), you're more |
| take some shows off. It might be because they | | | | likely to get a foot onto the dep ladder. In my |
| have other commitments, taken on before being | | | | own case as a pianist, things were slightly |
| offered the show. I first depped in the West End | | | | different in that I got my name around without a |
| because the keyboard player in the show Me and | | | | fixer as a solo and rehearsal pianist - but once I |
| My Girl was also the assistant musical director, | | | | got onto two fixers' books, I was in work for six |
| and needed to conduct at least one show a | | | | years without playing for anyone else. |
| week. | | | | 5. Do you know the show, the style, the feel of |
| If you want to deputise as a musical theatre pit | | | | the music? It's not only competitive, the jobs are |
| musician, put yourself in the mindset of the | | | | RARE! Do anything you can to know more than |
| orchestral player you want to work for. If a | | | | the other potential deputies. Take every |
| musical theater orchestral player needs a dep | | | | opportunity can to see the shows you are |
| (and they do, quite frequently), there are at least | | | | interested in (and those you're not), get to know |
| seven things they look for in a musician. | | | | the music, the style, the players. When I first |
| 1. Can you do the job? The West End is the | | | | worked on Les Miserables, I was asked back |
| highest arena for orchestral pit playing in musical | | | | because I'd spent time learning the show before I |
| theatre. The players are, without exception, | | | | arrived on the first day, and I knew it better than |
| extremely good at what they do. Are you up to | | | | any other dep they'd had before. |
| the standard of everyone else? When you hit the | | | | 6. What is your playing like? The sponsoring |
| West End, everyone expects you to be able to | | | | musician needs to know your playing. You're up |
| play the notes in time, in tune and in style - that's | | | | against other potential deps who have probably |
| a given. You need to demonstrate that you can | | | | been taught by the chair holders themselves. The |
| play the instruments, play the music and fit in with | | | | chair holder already has knowledge of their playing |
| the existing ensemble with the minimum of fuss. | | | | ability and their personality. Rather than taking |
| 2. Will you get on with the other players? Bear in | | | | your instrument in to a show and asking someone |
| mind that the musician you're depping for will not | | | | to hear you, booking a lesson from the resident |
| be there when you work in the pit. If in your first | | | | player might be a good move. A coaching session |
| performance as a dep, you annoy the people | | | | or two on pieces, techniques and (maybe) |
| around you, you won't be asked again. Getting on | | | | pit-playing advice would give the player a chance |
| with your colleagues is as vital as getting on with | | | | to hear and work with you (and be paid for it). |
| your sponsoring musician. Will you fit into the social | | | | 7. It's essential that you play a range of |
| structure? The job is as important in the off-duty | | | | instruments. Almost all woodwind pit parts are for |
| moments as the playing moments. If you can | | | | doubling and trebling, and if you can do flute, picc, |
| show that to the musician you're depping for, | | | | sax AND clarinet, you've got a headstart. Even |
| you're half way there. | | | | with the traditional musicals like Oklahoma, the |
| 3. Can you sightread superbly? You'll probably be | | | | wind parts are for treblers (usually clarinet/sax |
| sightreading or reading music at very short notice | | | | flute, but occasionally for clarinet/bassoon or even |
| - make sure you can do this (and count the bars | | | | flute/oboe). |
| rest of course). Most budding deputies in the | | | | And finally, expect to do some touring before |
| West End begin by sitting next to the sponsoring | | | | working on a West End show. It's a fairly tricky |
| musician in the pit once or twice. They then dep | | | | career to break into. I had been touring the UK |
| the following day, or later that week, or | | | | and Europe for some time gaining experience as a |
| occasionally a month later. When you're sitting in | | | | pit performer before I received regular invitations |
| the pit next to your sponsoring musician, notice | | | | to play in a West End show. |
| the difficult or exposed entries or the solos. Your | | | | If you are determined, dedication and focus can |
| playing will be judged on those later! | | | | help you get where you want to be. |