Innovation Reigns in the Concert Hall Workplace

Stop! Even if you aren't a musician I know you have a soft spot for real innovation.

My good friend, Eric the Swede and his concert cohorts from the Philadelphia Orchestra are dazzling the eardrums of European classical music aficionados as I write.

But not without innovating along the way.

I received the following smug humble email from His LowBrassness:

"Steve: So here is the conundrum Blair and I faced:

A low C# with Harmon mute for me.
A low D with Harmon mute for him.
Both of us were required to go from covered to open and back.
Normally one covers the mute with one's left hand, but both of our notes required us to operate the valves with our left hands.
My note is way out in 6th position. (Ed. Note: that is about 300 yards from one's shoulder).

The parts for this piece came to us from another major orchestra, and had penciled notes from the trombonists there claiming that these notes were not possible with Harmon mute.  I can't believe they didn't see the obvious solution:"

(L): Sartorial Swede Eric Carlson wearing the light gray socks and rubber-soled shoes with formal attire, but innovatively nailing the heretofore "unplayable" notes.
(R): Brassy Blair Bollinger, clearly appalled at his partner's choice of pedi-wear but feeling good about their contribution to Brassdom.

Second editor's note: As a proud (and now even prouder) native Philadelphian, I must point out that the penciled-in "this can't be done" notations came from an orchestra headquartered on Michigan Avenue in a windy Midwestern city. This has all the makings of a white-tie-and-tails Reality TV Wagnerian smackdown.

Producers may contact me here at All Things Workplace to arrange a booking...

Comments

[Mile High Pixie]

Baahaha! Achieving 6th position with his foot! The band nerd in me is loving this, Steve. As a drummer, our realm in the back of the band room used a great deal of duct tape in order to hold things in place so that we could play certain notes or on certain percussion accessories when there was no one there to hold it. Music is a great place to learn to improvise and innovate.

[Becky]

Eric is a god. Well, so is Blair for that matter, so they can put Chicago to shame. I think the real question is...where are the flippers? Or rollerskates?

[Steve Roesler]

MHP:

Your life experiences never cease to amaze me.

Duct Tape and WD-40 are both instrumental in the pursuit of instrumentation. I'm thinking that someone should compose Opus Duct-40...

[Steve Roesler]

Becky,

While I understand your affinity for Eric and his innovation, offering up god status could be a dangerous move. It could cause him to smile, communicate, relate, and other behaviors that would ruin the persona that he spent so long creating.

Blair, on the other hand, has always exhibited behavior that falls within the realm of normalcy on most standardized psychological tests. As a result, the status you have accorded him will, I believe, be received and acted out in a healthy way.

Thank you for adding to this important conversation.