Page 298 - Liverpool Philharmonic 22-23 Season Coverage Book

colleague for a well-performing solo; a waggled foot to indicate a mistake; the
phenomenon of the “clang”, where players imitate a bell ringing when someone
brazenly name-drops: all are titbits of non-verbal dialogue that help foster camaraderie.

Sophie Kauer as chosen cellist Olga Metkina. Photograph: Courtesy of Focus Features

For freelancers, deputising for missing players, filling in vacancies or simply there as
“extras” for particular pieces, constantly adjusting to these social idiosyncrasies
becomes yet another layer in an exhausting and insecure profession. “I’m always
conscious that there’s always someone watching how you’re behaving and listening to
how you’re playing,” says one orchestral brass player in the north of England, who adds
that the mental toil of fitting in can escalate to apprehension about the tiniest of
actions: “the politics of where to sit on the bus for out-of-town dates”, or “where to put
your bags in rehearsals”.

Absolute power, misconduct and decline: the classical music pieces that unlock Tár