What does the Concert Master do?

[loveclassics]

Can anyone tell me what the concert master does in Alice?  It must be something pretty important because he gets a credit along with the principals.

 

Linda

[John Mallinson]

It seems to be a new thing with ROH to acknowledge the leader of the orchestra as well as the conductor. I think Concert Master is an American import from their import of the German Konzertmeister. Leader seems more straightforward and descriptive.

[Petunia]

The concert master is the head violinist or leader of the strings section and also acts as a substitute for the conductor. He supervises the tuning of the instruments and sometimes he is also the spokesperson of the orchestra.

[alison]

I don't think it's that new, John - I certainly remember seeing the Concert Master or whatever they were calling him at the time credited on cast sheets years ago, and I don't think it was always in cases where he'd had a major solo or anything.

[loveclassics]

Thanks for the info folks.  Speaking for myself I'd rather see more credits for dancers.  Yesterday, for instance, Bennet Gartside was not mentioned in the cast list but turned in a scene-stealing performance as one of the Red Queen's reluctant partners in Act 3.

 

Linda

[Ellie]

The Concertmaster is the conductors right hand man/woman. I think that they deserve to be credited, but not in lieu of the dancers of course. Could it be that dancers are more likely to be injured/replaced at the last moment and as such are not always included on the cast list ? Just a thought.