The lights have dimmed, and the baton is suspended in mid-air. A single gulp of silence, and the pit orchestra dives into the overture of Franklin’s production of “The Little Mermaid,” presenting the audience with an auditory preview of what’s to come. Two hours later, exit music soars through the hall, and the cast and crew take their bows. For most of the audience, who played the music and where it emanated from remain a mystery.
A pit orchestra is a type of ensemble that accompanies performers in musicals, operas, and ballets, usually out of sight from the audience. Each year at Franklin, the pit orchestra accompanies the Franklin performers while secluded in the underground chamber known as the “orchestra pit.” Ranging from pop groups — like last year’s production of “Mamma Mia” — to small-scale orchestras, pit orchestras can vary dramatically in size as well as in the scope of music played. Having been a pit musician for three years in a row, I am excited to share with you a glimpse behind the scenes. What goes into making a pit orchestra is more than what meets the ear.
The second week of September, I was handed 250 pages of sheet music to learn. With roughly 30 songs to learn and a scheduled sitzprobe — rehearsal with the singers — just six weeks away, some simple — and frightening — math showed me that I had to learn around five songs per week. The massive workload is a defining characteristic of being in a pit orchestra.
“I think the biggest difference between being a pit orchestra musician and being a musician in other high school settings is the level of commitment and the level of variability,” says Leo Edwards, a Franklin senior and pit orchestra keyboard player. “It takes up so much time, and it’s all you think about 24/7.”
Indeed, the amount of practice that goes into the music for the musical is extremely time-consuming. The keyboard section, including Evan Samson, a sophomore; Edwards; and I, would be practicing in the pit at 7:30 a.m. on most school days. Having all been pit musicians in last year’s production of “Mamma Mia,” we had already established a habit of coming in early to practice and getting excused from class to practice more during the day. Outside of the Sunday rehearsals, every pit musician was practicing for hours and hours to learn all 30+ songs.
Leading up to opening night, practicing peaks in its intensity. “Once we got to around the week before show week, things really took off. Morning practice with the keyboards expanded to morning practice with many different members of the pit, as well as after-school practice,” recounts Edwards. “On top of this, we had rehearsals most days after school with the cast for 2+ hours.”
The stressful time crunch creates a sense of comradery with fellow pit musicians, and makes the process a team hurdle. The best memories from pit orchestra are usually the ones of team bonding. For Paul Zupan, a Franklin senior and pit orchestra musician, a memorable moment was during “one rehearsal where other pit musicians and [Zupan] went to the food carts on Division and got a family shawarma plate.” After the rehearsal, “it got devoured in five or so minutes. It was quite a sight.” The pit orchestra is like a musical family. From sharing family shawarma plates to 7:30 a.m. practice sessions, it is comradery that makes the pit orchestra experience extra special.
Music for musicals has a tendency to sound easy to perform but be unexpectedly complicated to put together. “The Little Mermaid” score was no exception. Navigating between a wide range of musical styles, matching the phrasing and dynamics of the vocal performers, and transitioning seamlessly through cuts in the music, all require an acute musical sensitivity.
This year, many of the pit musicians were multi-instrumentalists, switching between instruments mid-show. Zea Althoff expertly switched between flute and piccolo, Nic Putnam played both trumpet and flugelhorn, and I primarily played keyboard, with the occasional cello part thrown into the mix. Zupan not only played multiple instruments, but also transposed an entire score.
“Since I was tasked with playing the oboe parts on soprano sax — two instruments which are in different keys — I had to rewrite the entire score of the musical in a different key, which was an incredibly tedious and time-consuming process. It really paid off in the end though. Without it I would have had to transpose everything on the spot, which would have been even more difficult,” recounts Zupan.
“The Little Mermaid” required flexibility among musicians as well as musical prowess. “I primarily play drum kit, but for ‘The Little Mermaid,’ I was playing just about every percussion instrument except drum kit, so I was a little out of my comfort zone,” reflects Alejandro McKamey-González, a senior and pit orchestra percussionist. “The strike was also a challenge because I didn’t have access to my instruments to practice. I could work out parts on my keyboard, but I didn’t have a way to practice things like instrument switches and fast timpani tuning.”
Along with learning new instruments on the spot, musicians often covered for missing members. Nelson Feidelson, a senior who played clarinet and bass clarinet, nonchalantly and spontaneously covered Zupan’s part during a matinee show when Zupan was absent.
Witnessing the musicians’ dedication in the pit reveals both teamwork and personal growth. With adult musician mentors like Tim Ribner — one of our professional pianists who saved the day on multiple occasions; Colton Byers, who worked with the trumpet section; and Kim Heron, who played French horn alongside Amara Capellan, a sophomore pit orchestra musician; it was very much a team effort. With the dedicated conducting of Jason Owens, Franklin’s musical director, the pit orchestra successfully tackled one of Franklin’s most challenging scores.
During closing night, the end of the journey is in sight. After three years in the pit, it is hard to believe this is the end. I feel lucky to have gotten to experience this unique opportunity at Franklin. “To any aspiring pit orchestra musicians, or even musicians in general, this is never an easy process. You’re going to struggle, no matter how good you are. It’s just a different kind of gig,” says Zupan. Indeed, the pit orchestra experience is humbling. To take on a musical challenge and put everything you have into it is not only rewarding but also a reminder to always keep striving for your goals.
