Cellists are sort of the oddballs of the orchestra (if we aren't counting violists, that is). No one outside of our section really makes much of an effort to get to know us. Cellists stick with cellists, making us a little mysterious to other sections. It's about time you learn a little bit about us.
1. We really do care:
Something everyone knows to be true of cellists it that we are always late. Honestly, I was probably a little bit late to every orchestra concert this year. We don't mean to be late, and it doesn't mean that our orchestra is unimportant to us, in fact, we care a whole lot about our orchestra. Have you seen how many items we need to gather in order to play? Generally, our lateness is due to trying to find all of our materials, and failing to find all of them at first, so panicking, then finally finding everything like 10 minutes before we need to be on stage. We love our group and mean no disrespect.
2. We love solos:
A cellists ego is bigger than their instrument. Who can blame us? The cello is such a beautiful instrument, with such a unique, rich sound. This isn't much of a secret, but we absolutely love cello solos and solis. In fact, we are slightly offended if a piece doesn't have a moderately groovy cello melody. Sometimes when we get really complicated solos we pretend that it is such an inconvenience and that we are upset, but that's all for show. We love solos, especially the hard ones because they make us feel really hardcore.
3. We are sleepy:
Have you ever put your forehead in that perfect little forehead nook on the back of the scroll? It is the most satisfying feeling in the world because it cradles your forehead in the most lovely way. We take naps there, sometimes, when the conductor is working with another section. The naps are lovely.
4. We are competitive...sort of:
A stereotype about cellists is that we aren't very competitive, and that is mostly true. Not many cellists compete as soloists in actual competitions. That doesn't mean we aren't competitive, though. Next time your cello section is practicing before rehearsal, watch them. Generally, we aren't playing our orchestra piece, but we are practicing the hardest solos we know to show off to the rest of the section. If another cellist knows the piece, they will sometimes join in and attempt to outdo the original cellist. From the outside, it's pretty funny to watch, but from the perspective of a cellist, this practice is a brutal battle.
5. We all know that one cellist...:
Almost every orchestra has that one cellist who plays very loud no matter the dynamic of the piece. While we appreciate their enthusiasm, we want them to quiet down just as much as the rest of you do. Our section leader has probably told them a thousand times to play quieter, but that never works. We apologize on their behalf, we are trying our best.
I hope now you understand us a little bit better. If not, go start a conversation with your orchestra's cello section. We want your attention.
