Playing with orchestras as an amateur musician?

[davidjosepha]

I'd like to someday play some concertos with an orchestra but I'm not planning on majoring in music and I'm worried I won't get this opportunity. Can someone give me some more info on how possible it is to play with an orchestra without a degree? Would you be able to audition? Would you contact the director of an orchestra directly and tell him you're interested in playing a concerto if he would like? Any info would be great.

[iansinclair]

I've never done it.  That said, I have an in-law (outlaw???) who really isn't that good a pianist, to be honest, who has, successfully.  Many areas have a variety of amateur or semi-amateur orchestras who might be quite happy to have a decent pianist (as I suspect you are, from your posts!) play with them from time to time.  How would I go about it were I to give it a shot?  If I knew someone in the organisation, I might ask them for an introduction to the conductor.  If not, being older and quite accustomed by now to having folks say some variation of "no", I'd probably try to arrange a meeting with the conductor... can't hurt.

Good luck!

[davidjosepha]

Thanks! I'm not worried so much about the immediate future, but I would like to know if it's something I'd have an opportunity to do a bit later. Glad to know it'd be a possibility.

[49410enrique]

the main thing is to know your piece well. talk to the conductor, i.e network. also consider wind bands (military, community, college, even gifted high school depending on the work), there is great rep for piano and wind band including some arrangeents of standards. its how i got to perform the warsaw concerto w ensemble last fall. it was a blast (stressful so i'll want at least anotehr year or so before i even consider another large work). but it can happen again you ust have to network and make sure you show you have the ability and desire to to it.


edit;
forgot to mention amateur competitions and festivals can have those opportunities too. also for my performance i was not a music/piano major at that school nor was i one at another school at the time i was simply studying privately and approached the conductor about it.