So my interview was with the most wonderful David Holcenberg, the conductor of the Broadway musical Matilda. This was my favorite part of the trip not only because I got a tour of the infamous Schubert theatre, or because I got to meet the cast and crew of Matilda, or because I got to check out some of the equipment they use in the pit, but because I got to pick the brain of a amazingly kind and genuine person who is doing the job that I would like to do one day. Not only was Mr. Holcenberg open to any questions but he asked me questions about myself and made sure that I was as comfortable as I possibly could be. I interviewed him in the pit, which is actually a closet pit, a nickname given to a pit that is completely closed off to the stage. It is often underneath the stage and was given the nickname because the first pits that were closet pits were actually in closets. But I assure you, this wasn't a closet, it was a big room. There were separate rooms divided by windows for the drummer and brass so that they didn't overpower the strings and woodwinds. Each musician had a mixer so that they could mix the sound of all the instruments to what they wanted in their earpiece. Finally there were tv monitors everywhere and a video camera pointed directly at the conductors podium so that the actors and actresses could see the conductor when the show was running. The way that they do this is by placing tv monitors on the balcony's front with a feed of the conductor conducting. This way the actors and actresses don't always have to look down to be looking at the conductor. In this case, it is so the actors and actresses can actually see the conductor at all times since he is actually conducting directly below the pit.
So, what did I learn? Be a good musician. When I say good. I mean good. Know everything, every part, every vocal line, every inflection, and make sure you understand what everything means. That is what it takes to be a Broadway conductor. The job isn't exactly technically challenging, at least in terms of artful conducting. All you have to do is be completely clear when giving cues and whatnot. But you need to know them 100% of the time, or you could lose your job. If you are an instrumentalist's substitute you have to be able to sound exactly what the player that actually has the job sounds like, or play exactly what the recording sounds like. The point is, is that Broadway shows are a polished product and the producers can't afford to deal with musicians who could lose them ticket sales, because that is what drives the show. Matilda could run for 10 years or 10 days according to ticket sales. They were in previews and they were doing pretty well, but who knows?
Anyway. I want to become a Broadway conductor. How do I do that? There are two routes. One way is to Music Direct your way to Broadway. What that means is that you would start in New York as a music director for smaller shows and work your way up. Another way to do this is to become a Music Director for a touring show. The second way is by subbing. Each musician in the pit has three to five substitutes which they call upon when they have another gig. If you get on one of those lists, you could work your way to a permanent gig. So what traits do you need? We already went over be a good musician, second, don't be afraid to take risks or do jobs that you might not like. There are a ton of opportunities for pianists to play for in New York. You're probably not going to get onto Broadway right away, but if you start small you can become big. Mr. Holcenberg networked his way into the business by going directly up to a conductor and asking her if she needed any piano players. He was a good musician and had a great attitude and worked his way to the gig he has now. Lastly, and most importantly, be a human being and a humble one at that. The Broadway community is small, everyone knows each other because they go out after the shows with each other 7 days a week. If bad word gets out about your musicianship or your attitude, no one will want to hire you.
I learned all of this in 45 minutes. Simply Amazing. Thank you to everyone who put this trip together. A HUGE thank you to Mitra for letting me go off and do this.
This interview was wonderful, and Now You Know.
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