If you come to training College for many years as a pianist, you can it is difficult to achieve. Of course, you can use the advanced search for concerts, or a room. But it is an area quite unknown labour, both satisfying and fun to do.

I worked nearly 20 years in London’s West End as a rehearsal pianist, and this article focuses on the sample, which is a pianist, and how.

A pianist plays dress rehearsal for samples of the West End or the Tour shows, in the coming weeks, production, before the band arrives. All show that music live, it is necessary to create a space test pianist, but the most famous examples are the major musicals. I worked in Les Miserables, Phantom of the Opera, Miss Saigon, Me and My Girl, Carmen Jones, and a variety of productions, both in the West End and on tour.

The contract is usually for four to six weeks, from 10 to 5pm five or six days a week. While techniques week (the week before the opening of the night or in the first realized that if all games and costumes are added), hours and can be very much - sometimes I work 12 hours or 13 days

As a pianist repetition you have been very patient, observe and appreciate the creative process of performance. They must also play at a high standard, and be able to repeat the musical numbers consistently. And as you work with actors! They may or may not on a scale, and from time to time, you have the task of training singers or games for dance request.

Most productions have a minimum of two samples per week. Under certain circumstances, you will be prompted to familiarise themselves with production during the flight, especially if there is no pianist in the orchestra.

How are you before working as a pianist production?

When I was in London at the end of 80 years, I wrote 750 letters asking for a targeted manner for employment. Although most production companies no longer exist, the methods of contact person, I’ve always valid.

Remember that early research on companies or organizations, events, musicals, plays with music or films courts, which should be a musician.

In the UK, instead start the British music book, edited by Rhine gold and usually in a good local library.

If you have exhausted BMY, then “contacts”, published by the Spot Light, a good Up-to-date list Repertory Theatre.

I also wrote the film production and businesses (with emphasis on production) with my services and they want to keep my data on file, when they need a film pianist.

It could examine how some Pineapple Studios in Covent Garden, are still hosting samples. They are not to offer employment, but they also have many enterprises have ceased production of their space activities, that perhaps in a position to assume in contact with people must be your brand of skills. It may be worthwhile, approximates all other samples in the environment.

Another alternative, often forgotten, is to familiarize themselves with the West End Orchestral fixer. An orchestra fixer, the connection with the producer to book music for the musicians during the show. They are sometimes employ or recommend pianists dress rehearsal for the period, even if it is not reserved for benefits.

Once, I was on the scene, I received a large part of my job from a fixer’s West End, on either knew or participated in numerous productions. I did not necessarily play in the production itself, but was leased for the period dress rehearsal and overlap between bandcalls (in the last week of the dress rehearsal) and the opening of the night. It is an exclusive list of approved fixers orchestra musicians to book the West End - if you have trouble with the finding - with the musician European Union.

In a few words, to think out of the box. I have contracts with a written request to as many people as I thought, had the budget to pay me. A mailout all my years, all the results? Of the 750 letters I received 49 responses, and an interview for a job in the West End of the lasted a full 8 months and led to a long 20 years in and around London’s Theatre Land.