Pit Orchestra

[II Stelmaria II]

So what musicals are at your school this year?
Who plays in the Pit Orchestra?
Who sings on the stage?


I play in the pit orchestra, the music is crazy hard but it’s so much fun. Our musical this year was the Fiddler on the Roof, today was the final showing, and I got to meet some really cool professionals. They are always fun to talk to; they always have different views and can teach you a ton. Well this is my third year in the pit, and I hope next year I will get to play again.

Anyway I was just wondering….  

[thequietwriter]

I've played in pit orchestra 3 times, for the shows Barnum, Peter Pan, and Into the Woods.

Into the Woods was kind of crazy. I had a lot of solos and stuff which I wasn't very fond of. It was a great learning experience, though.  

[ElvisLove]

I was in Pit twice. Cinderella and Into the Woods. I was shoved into the pit for Into the Woods because the other clarinetists didn't want to cover the A flat clarinet part. Cinderella was my own choice, but Holy s**t! Rogers is a sadist. In one song, the signature can change from 6 sharps to 4 flats several times.  

[thequietwriter]

ElvisLove

In one song, the signature can change from 6 sharps to 4 flats several times.

Oh my gosh. haha That sounds really intense! I would love to see the music from Cinderella.  

[starswift]

Wow, that sounds awesome! Yeah, I always found that Pit Orchestra music was challenging and interesting.

I played violin (substitute for fiddle) for my old elementary school's musical, Rangler Ranch, and lots of stuff was in 4-6 sharp key signatures, haha. I remember my friend, who was playing alto sax for the same musical, had most of his music in 6 or 7 sharp key signatures! xD

I also played for my high school's musical of Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat, and that musical had no breaks. xD There was a small inconvenience since I played alto sax/soprano sax/clarinet for it, so I constantly had to switch instruments and key signatures aha. It was so fun though, and I definitely racked up experience in transposing quickly.  

[II Stelmaria II]

I remeber this one musical that I played in called "A Funny thing happened on the way to the forum," the score was hell. (aka FTHWF as my director called it, rofl )

Ever 6 measures the keysignature would change. From 5 flats to like 7 sharps it was a pain in the but. However it was a wonderful experience I just wish it wasn't my first musical I played in the pit.