Orpheus Chamber Orchestra stands as one of the few full
orchestras to perform chamber music the way it was traditionally
conceived ““ without a conductor. But the lack of a visible
conductor does not make it a “leader-less” orchestra,
as many would believe.
“(Orpheus) is, essentially, an orchestra of many
leaders,” said violinist and managing director Ronnie Bauch.
“Everybody knows at every moment who is the most important
voice, and that person will lead. It actually gives us quite a bit
of freedom.”
Although several ensembles have imitated Orpheus’
conductor-less format since its inception in 1975, few orchestras
have dared to follow the group’s “core system” of
rotating its lineup of principal players for every new piece or
concert. Tonight, the innovative orchestra will perform at Royce
Hall along with guest violinist Joshua Bell.
Before each performance, Orpheus musicians select a team of
leaders, usually consisting of the principal players, who meet
prior to the orchestra’s rehearsals and put together a
strategy as well as an artistic interpretation for making a piece
performance-ready.
“That process greatly improves the efficiency of our
system, and it also empowers groups of people to lead and spearhead
a particular piece,” said Bauch.
Another unique aspect of Orpheus is its democratic approach to
the organization as a whole. Musicians lead and participate in
every aspect of the organization; its own members serve as program
coordinators, artistic directors and fund-raising and finance
chairs. Conflicts or differences in creative approach are brought
to the musicians for a vote.
Orpheus Chamber Orchestra has recorded over 70 albums, one of
which won a Grammy Award in 2001. Its annual concert series at
Carnegie Hall is perpetually well-reviewed and attended. The
orchestra’s style has resulted in universally appealing
music, both to audiences and to the musicians themselves.
Orpheus’ distinctive approach attracts some of the best
musicians in New York, many of whom are also soloists and are
involved with multiple ensembles.
“That’s something that we encourage, because when
people go and have positive experiences in different formats, and
meet new players and artists, it just brings more ideas,”
said Bauch. “That keeps Orpheus very fresh and
vital.”
Orpheus’ impressive networking connections have resulted
in collaborations with some of the premier musicians in the United
States, including Bell.
Bell first debuted as a 14-year-old soloist with Riccardo Muti
and the Philadelphia Orchestra, but gained widespread acclaim over
a decade later for his performance on the Academy-award winning
score for the 1999 film “The Red Violin.”
Surprisingly enough, Bell first met one of Orpheus’
members at a summer camp when he was only 11 years old. In addition
to the friendships he has with Orpheus musicians, Bell was also
drawn to the group’s conductor-less format and core system of
leadership.
“When it comes to projects, I just look for things that
are exciting for me and are something I’m going to learn
from,” said Bell. “One of the things I like about
Orpheus is that they play without a conductor, which gives it much
more of a chamber music feeling, where we’re all just
listening and playing and not following somebody’s stick.
It’s really a dream, playing with this level of
musicians.”
As a soloist, Bell feels directly part of Orpheus’
collaborative process.
“I don’t approach playing solo differently (than
playing in an ensemble),” said Bell. “I don’t
approach playing like I’ll just play and let everybody follow
what I’m doing. It always feels like a collaborative
thing.”
Bell and the musicians of Orpheus share an activist philosophy
outside the concert hall as well. The orchestra has developed an
extensive outreach program with New York public schools, inviting
many children and their parents to Carnegie Hall for the first time
and even going directly to the schools to offer instrumental
coaching. Bell and Orpheus invited over 50 students to one of their
rehearsals before the beginning of their tour.
Above all else, Bell and the orchestra convey their great love
of music and performing to their audiences.
“Performing in front of an audience really drives
me,” said Bell. “It’s almost like a drug; I love
performing so much. That’s the part of the experience
that’s incredibly rewarding.”