The Mind of a Soloist

In the history of classical music, in and throughout the processes of the development of this art- from the writing and composition of a work to the forging and playing of these, the role of the "soloist" has always inspired the greatest composers and in doing so, it has created a musical pedestal of enigmatic proportions that only a bundle of specialists are able to understand, embody and guide. Within this particular topic itself, as a musician of almost twenty years, I can say with certainty that this role is much deeper and intricate than we think. There are soloists and then there are soloists; the practice of music playing as a soloist requires a great deal of musical stamina, it requires a relaxed mind and a collaborative spirit that only the greatest of all time have fully mastered- we dive into this today.

A soloist is a specialist

A soloist is a specialist- the specialist is ever preoccupied and working toward expanding the knowledge, understanding and practice of his or her craft. Like any other specialist in their own field, the soloist spends most of the time under the counsel of a mentor or teacher, practicing and perfecting a concept down to the most particular regard. The soloist works on perfecting not just the technical requirements any piece may require, but the soloist also works on the mental and emotional aspects of music playing. The soloist works on building the confidence to express raw emotions through a controlled and highly technical passage, the soloist works on polishing the rough edges to present an interpretation with no imperfection. The soloist is educated on the life, the pieces, the style, the intention and purpose behind a composer and their piece and the soloist works to bring their own take and interpretation to the mix. The job of the soloist implicates that of the conductor and the orchestra.

A protagonist that carries the vision, the story

Concerts carry messages, they carry reflections and representations of ideas from the composer. The malleable variable in this field is that interpretation of these compositions is often up to the soloist and the music director in congruence with the style and intent of the composer in order to protect the originality of the work. Often, the interpretation may entail many different things including technical aspects, hand-me down information and suggestions coming from the composer itself through the years after the fact.

There is pressure to endure as a soloist. The soloist has to perform with authenticity and at the same time remain loyal and respectful to the canonical form and margins of the piece.

A relationship with conductor

Any great soloist understands that the task of carrying an entire concert is distributed to three torchbearers- the orchestra, which is greatly dependent on the conductor, the conductor, and the soloist. Not one completes its work to the best of their ability without the other collaborating. A relationship with a conductor is essential- this relationship will consist of communication in which both parties lay down their thoughts and ideas concerning a piece.

Differing thoughts and sentiments about a piece may exist, but at the end of the day, the soloist has all of the right to follow their own convictions and ideas about a piece. A clear overall understanding however, is always the best option to go with even with differing ideas about interpretation.

A sense of disconnect will make itself evident when communication is lacking and although this is not necessarily unfortunate, it does impact the way the piece is perceived and understood by the audience. Ultimately you have two scenarios that will present themselves, you either have an orchestra playing and supporting a soloist along with their conductor, or you have an orchestra, a soloist and a conductor all working in conjunction to express something that is dynamic, and alive.

The Soloist may Conduct

The soloist may conduct the orchestra in the absence of a conductor. The risk at hand is that the soloist can lose influence and power of direction trying to do both things at once. There may be key moments of direction lost, highlight remarks and key melodic sentences. This is not to discredit the orchestra, an orchestra can play itself if need be, but the job of direction lies in the conductor and is also reactive to the role of the soloist.

Big responsibility

The responsibility of the soloist depends on the extent to which the soloist will push himself or herself in the musical journey of a piece of ensemble music. The responsibility may be taken in two different forms, two different pills- the red pill or the blue pill.

If you take the blue pill, you go into the hall in a mentality where only you occupy the field and it is your right to express yourself, and then walk back out on your own having accomplished your feat.

If you take the red pill, you sign a contract with not just yourself, but also with the conductor and the orchestra. you pledge to work a dynamic that brings something collaborative to the table, that accomplishes the purpose of the work, a job between three components and you bring forth not just your ideas and interpretations but you also react and cause a wave of reactions to and from the conductor and the orchestra.