One of the most fascinating experiences I've ever had in my tenure as arts & entertainment guy at the Brattleboro Reformer was watching a rehearsal at the Marlboro Music Festival a couple of summers ago.
Marlboro is known for putting ensembles together that feature a top highly experienced musicians with other, younger, musicians. That dynamic, and the mutual learning that goes on, is one of Marlboro's hallmarks.
The model at Marlboro is one of colleagues working together. The senior members are not there to teach, and they are not authoritarian — although they are clearly admired and respected. Still, the senior musicians apply a gentle touch and are open to the ideas and input of the younger ones. As acclaimed cellist Marcy Rosen told me yesterday when I was up there keeping an eye on the place, "It's not my job to say 'it goes like this.'"
I saw that in action at the rehearsal I watched. Without exception, it was the younger musicians who were the toughest critics of themselves, and the senior member was a calming, guiding force. Later on, it was one of the younger musicians who suggested an approach to a difficult passage, and it turned out to be the best solution, adopted readily by all, including the senior musicians.
In all, it was so interesting to watch the rehearsal process in action and to hear a difficult piece of music improve over the course of the hour the group was working on it.
That's an opportunity you have too. Marlboro Music welcomes the public to attend a certain number of its rehearsals free during the week at Persons Auditorium at the festival's Marlboro College home. If you're interested, you are asked to call 802-254-2394 at the beginning of the week to find out what's open and when. Once you're there, your job is to be respectful and quiet and to sit back, enjoy the music and enjoy the process, too.