First off, I moved this from the Bull Pit to Classical Music where it should be.
I started back playing about 10 years ago and gradually worked up to going into an Orchestra. I had in the past played about everything you can imagine back in NYC in my 20 years there but I was much younger then.
I did a dress rehearsal last night and the run through was not perfect. There were a few stops along the way in both the pieces we were playing. Rarely to we go through the entire piece without a stop at the Dress. We save that for the Concert where anything can happen.
Being a Professional Orchestra on the smaller scale (converted from an older Community Orch.) we only get 3 rehearsals in total and then the Concert. We get the music about a month in advance. Many have played the music before and some have their own parts saved or in books so it's not totally new to everyone.
Last night we missed an entrance, the entire, ENTIRE Bass section for about 10 bars or so when we heard something we have to play, we finally came in. It sounded so beautiful while we counted our numerous bars of rest that when the Cellos came in, it was so sweet, our brains collectively just listened. I didn't realize until later when we went back over that section at the run-through and realized that WE come in WITH the Cellos there. I turned to my section and said "I know I can miss something or anyone else here but all 4 of us asleep at the wheel at the same time? How did that happen??" It was a big laugh and from that moment on, everyone counted every rest. Don't depend on anyone else to come in or count correctly, ever!
We do 3 hour rehearsals (7-10pm) and on a Friday night, most of us are tired by 8 or 9pm. Right now, I am about to get dressed and ready to go down to the venue and warm up so I will possibly report back here and tell how it went after mentioning how well it didn't go last night!
First though, I have to take my Bass back to the Office and switch it with my Italian as it might ring better for the last minute invite I got last night to do a Jazz Duo with the Piano soloist as his final Encore ending the first half. It's a tune I know but playing with no amp and with an Orchestra set-up on the bass, I need the easiest to play and loudest sound bass I have.