Strategies for a successful start for your chamber music group

Among the most rewarding and memorable experiences any musician can have is to perform as a member of a small group—a group that plays chamber music. If you’ve been a member of a band or orchestra, you know what’s expected of you: practice to have a good sound, rhythm, articulation, and intonation; prepare your part; and follow the conductor. But if you’re just getting started as a chamber ensemble, it’s sometimes hard to know where to begin. It can even be scary and overwhelming. Here are some strategies you can use for a successful start for your chamber music group.

Who are you?

One of the first questions to ask yourself is, who are we as a group? Perhaps your teacher or administrator assigned you to a group to perform at the end of the semester. Maybe you will perform for a judge or a chamber music coach. Or maybe you and some friends have decided to get together to play some music to just have fun. If you are a college or conservatory student, you might be looking for a group that wants to stay together for a long time.

One good strategy is to sit down with your group and have a frank, wide-open discussion about what kind of group you are—and what kind of group you want to become. How much do you want to rehearse? Are you looking for one good performance, without any thought to anything after that? How hard are you willing to work to achieve a common goal? What kind of music do you want to play? How good do you want to be? Answering these questions gets you on the road to a successful start for your chamber group.

Get real

It will be good to be realistic about your true ability to commit to the group. What other time commitments will be competing with time to be together with your group? Do you have a job or other time commitments that limit your availability? Do all your members live close together, or do you live in different areas, separated by large distances? Is it easy to get to rehearsals, or do you have transportation issues? Will committing to this group impinge upon other commitments you’ve made with your instrument, such as personal practice time or rehearsals with a band or orchestra?

Often, a few members of your group are driven by ambition, while others are not so sure. How will you decide where and when to rehearse? Where, when, and for whom to perform? If you are creating your own program, how does that get decided? How will you reconcile the differences in your visions for the group?

Becoming who you want to be

It’s not easy to find your success as a chamber musician. Possibilities and uncertainties always confront a newly formed chamber ensemble. Creating your new musical entity can be a life-changing opportunity for personal growth. Because each of us is human, with real needs, feelings, strengths, and weaknesses, a new chamber music venture can also be a test of our humanity. Valuing each member, treating your colleague with respect, and acknowledging and honoring your differences, can help to make a successful start for your chamber group.