I showed you my pianist pls respond
March 28, 2022 9:51 AM Subscribe
How come the Chicago Symphony Orchestra doesn't credit their pianist?
Ok so this has bothered me for years. There is absolutely definitely a guy who plays the piano for the CSO, and even though I sit up in the nosebleeds I'm pretty sure it's the same guy each time, so you would think he'd be a named musician in the program.
For instance, I was at the CSO last night and there was a piano being played on the orchestra stage. And yet, if you look at the program for last night's performance: no piano. You can pull up the program book for every single CSO performance since at least 2018 (when I first noticed) and it'll be the same--everyone named down to the folks who move the chairs around, but no pianist.
I've asked the ushers about this, I've even called the CSO Patron Services line to ask and get the same confused reply: that's strange, piano should be there, etc.
Lest you think this is an unfortunate printing error that's been repeated, you can also look at the CSO Musicians page on their website and see for yourself: NO PIANO.
So then I thought maybe it was something about orchestras that I don't understand, not being a Music Person myself. Like maybe the piano isn't properly considered part of an orchestra and so it's left out due to technicality?
So I looked at the big 5:
NY Philharmonic, BOOM, piano is right there.
BSO, no piano!?
Philly, yes piano!!
Cleveland, we got a blanket "keyboard instruments" musician
Three credit a pianist, Chicago and Boston do not. London also does not. So maybe it's something about the piano specifically?
Anyway this has bothered me for years, and I'm eager for anyone who knows more about the world of fancy music than I do to give any insight.
Ok so this has bothered me for years. There is absolutely definitely a guy who plays the piano for the CSO, and even though I sit up in the nosebleeds I'm pretty sure it's the same guy each time, so you would think he'd be a named musician in the program.
For instance, I was at the CSO last night and there was a piano being played on the orchestra stage. And yet, if you look at the program for last night's performance: no piano. You can pull up the program book for every single CSO performance since at least 2018 (when I first noticed) and it'll be the same--everyone named down to the folks who move the chairs around, but no pianist.
I've asked the ushers about this, I've even called the CSO Patron Services line to ask and get the same confused reply: that's strange, piano should be there, etc.
Lest you think this is an unfortunate printing error that's been repeated, you can also look at the CSO Musicians page on their website and see for yourself: NO PIANO.
So then I thought maybe it was something about orchestras that I don't understand, not being a Music Person myself. Like maybe the piano isn't properly considered part of an orchestra and so it's left out due to technicality?
So I looked at the big 5:
NY Philharmonic, BOOM, piano is right there.
BSO, no piano!?
Philly, yes piano!!
Cleveland, we got a blanket "keyboard instruments" musician
Three credit a pianist, Chicago and Boston do not. London also does not. So maybe it's something about the piano specifically?
Anyway this has bothered me for years, and I'm eager for anyone who knows more about the world of fancy music than I do to give any insight.
Came in to say what eugenen pointed out. I imagine it would depend on the program specifically, and if it was a small part intended to fill in for another instrument. Often harp, but I do see a harpist credited in the program you linked.
posted by Juniper Toast at 10:06 AM on March 28, 2022
posted by Juniper Toast at 10:06 AM on March 28, 2022
Response by poster: I think the piano is technically a percussion instrument. Is he one of the musicians listed under "percussion"?
He is not.
Same with Boston.
Unless everyone is keeping their world class piano expertise tightly under wraps, piano isn't listed on anyone's bio.
posted by phunniemee at 10:09 AM on March 28, 2022
He is not.
Same with Boston.
Unless everyone is keeping their world class piano expertise tightly under wraps, piano isn't listed on anyone's bio.
posted by phunniemee at 10:09 AM on March 28, 2022
Best answer: The piano isn't a regular instrument in orchestral music, so even though the person you see is consistent, he's probably not an actual member of the orchestra, and is only brought in as needed. (the Buffalo Philharmonic also does not list a piano player as a member)
posted by jonathanhughes at 10:30 AM on March 28, 2022 [6 favorites]
posted by jonathanhughes at 10:30 AM on March 28, 2022 [6 favorites]
Best answer: Yeah, the pianists are presumably not regular salaried members of the orchestra. In fact, at most concerts the pianist surely isn't the only person you see on stage who's not credited - there are often extra contractors on stage and they don't get their names in the program unless maybe they're featured (or, obviously, if they're soloists). Like, there was a Boston Symphony Orchestra concert this season where I recognized one of the bassists and one of the percussionists but they weren't listed in the program - they're not BSO staff, they're contract performers.
Likewise I performed in the chorus in a lot of the Boston Pops holiday concerts this past season - the names of the orchestra members listed in the program stayed the same even though the actual orchestra on stage was a mixture of members of the Boston Pops Orchestra and contractors and exactly who was playing changed day to day, since they do like 15 shows a week. The Pops, unlike the BSO, do have a pianist as a credited member of the orchestra! But he only played maybe half the Symphony Hall shows I sang at, and the guys who played the other shows didn't get their names in the program. There was only one harpist listed in the program, but I sang with at least three different harpists.
Part of the issue is that, since they're not actually regular members of the ensemble and are hired on a per-gig basis, the orchestra might not know for sure who is going to be playing (e.g.) the piano, or who's going to be the fifth percussionist for a concert at the time the program is printed.
posted by mskyle at 10:54 AM on March 28, 2022 [12 favorites]
Likewise I performed in the chorus in a lot of the Boston Pops holiday concerts this past season - the names of the orchestra members listed in the program stayed the same even though the actual orchestra on stage was a mixture of members of the Boston Pops Orchestra and contractors and exactly who was playing changed day to day, since they do like 15 shows a week. The Pops, unlike the BSO, do have a pianist as a credited member of the orchestra! But he only played maybe half the Symphony Hall shows I sang at, and the guys who played the other shows didn't get their names in the program. There was only one harpist listed in the program, but I sang with at least three different harpists.
Part of the issue is that, since they're not actually regular members of the ensemble and are hired on a per-gig basis, the orchestra might not know for sure who is going to be playing (e.g.) the piano, or who's going to be the fifth percussionist for a concert at the time the program is printed.
posted by mskyle at 10:54 AM on March 28, 2022 [12 favorites]
Came in to say the same - contract musician.
Also, is your pianist by any chance one of these three? 1 2 3
posted by flug at 11:31 PM on March 28, 2022
Also, is your pianist by any chance one of these three? 1 2 3
posted by flug at 11:31 PM on March 28, 2022
Huge +1 for thread title.
posted by a non mouse, a cow herd at 1:20 PM on April 4, 2022
posted by a non mouse, a cow herd at 1:20 PM on April 4, 2022
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by eugenen at 10:02 AM on March 28, 2022 [4 favorites]