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Real Men Don't Rehearse: Adventures in the Secret World of Professional Orchestras
 
 
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Real Men Don't Rehearse: Adventures in the Secret World of Professional Orchestras [Paperback]

Justin Locke (Author)
4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)


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Book Description

May 2005
"Real Men Don't Rehearse" is an amusing inside look at the usually hidden and secret world of professional orchestras. It is filled with dozens of humorous tales of musician antics and concert meltdowns. Outsiders are rarely allowed such access, but at last you can have your own personal tour of the mystical and magical realm of professional orchestras and the people who play in them. "Real Men Don't Rehearse" was written by Justin Locke, who spent 18 seasons as a professional freelance double bassist in Boston. He played with the Boston Symphony and the Boston Pops, as well as for ballets, operas, and Broadway shows. He is also well known in the symphonic world as the author of "Peter VS. the Wolf" and "The Phantom of the Orchestra," which are internationally acclaimed programs for orchestra family concerts. This is the perfect gift for your favorite music lover! This is a book no musical library should be without!


Product Details

  • Paperback: 194 pages
  • Publisher: Justin Locke Productions (May 2005)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0615130291
  • ISBN-13: 978-0615130293
  • Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.3 x 0.5 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
  • Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #845,919 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Justin Locke is a unique and entertaining speaker. In his humorous presentations, he shares stories from his days as a bass player with the Boston Pops, as related in his book, "Real Men Don't Rehearse." Along with being a most entertaining story teller, he also offers a first hand look into the culture of top performers . . . in the most literal sense. His presentations on management (based on his book "Principles of Applied Stupidity") explain how the best conductors got optimal results by going against the conventional wisdom.

In his 18 seasons of playing with the Boston Pops, Justin worked with many of the greatest conductors of our time, including Leonard Bernstein, Arthur Fiedler, Henry Mancini, and John Williams. He is no stranger to the limelight; the thousands of concerts he played include the 1976 Bicentennial Concert with Arthur Fiedler, which is in the Guinness Book of World Records as having the largest audience ever at a classical music concert.

Justin is also the author of two musical plays: "Peter VS the Wolf" and "The Phantom of the Orchestra." These programs for family concerts have been performed for hundreds of thousands of children on four continents, in six languages.

Justin is an active professional speaker and would love to appear at your next event. Having worked "in the trenches" of the bass sections of major orchestras, as well as exporting family concert programming around the globe, Justin brings a refreshingly down to earth, and often laugh-out-loud, look at the world of professional performance, and how the culture and lessons of that world can be used in your life and your organization. Visit his website for sample videos and more.

 

Customer Reviews

26 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
4.9 out of 5 stars (26 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Does this mean if You Rehearse, You're a Girlie Man?, December 21, 2005
By 
Arundonax (Kailua, Hawaii United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Real Men Don't Rehearse: Adventures in the Secret World of Professional Orchestras (Paperback)
As is usual for this time of year, there's more things to do than can get done; despite good intentions some things just seem to lag. One thing that I really wanted to to before Christmas was to promote a book that would just be perfect under the tree, but of course now I'm more talking about the tree in 2006 than 2005, but on the other hand, there ARE five shopping days left.

This book would be the instant classic, `Real Men Don't Rehearse' by myauditions.com blogger Justin Locke. I was checking out the blogs on this site and noticed a mention about his book, so I went to his website, justinlocke.com, read a few of the excerpts and within a few hours had gone to Amazon.com and placed an order.

This book is the best depiction of orchestra life that I've read since Harry Ellis Dickson's book, `Gentlemen, More Dolce Please', which is still a timeless description of orchestra life, funny anecdotes involving the Pops and Feidler, and most famously a summary of the stereotypes of how each instrument seems to attract similar personality types- you know, `cellists are passionate', `clarinet players are obsessed with equipment', etc. etc. (Another classic is Berlioz's `Evenings with the Orchestra')

Justin's book doesn't have that personality list (other than a description of the bass player personality), but it sure has a lot of the `inside scoop' about what it is like to play in an orchestra, professionally. Starting with the inevitable 1812 Overture anecdote (and everyone's got one! Trust Me!), going on to the intricacies of Pops Bass spinning (and what Pops concert would be complete without basses spinning, trombonists square dancing (as has happened in the HSO on occasion), timpanists with umbrellas unfurled for `Raindrops Keep Falling'- you get the picture), page turning etiquette, contract negotiation minutiae, the whole nine yards of orchestra life.

Other noteworthy (no pun intended) features to be found in Justin's book include a glossary of musical slang (notefest = a piece with a lot of notes), the rule of conductor's names (must have at least five syllables). Pops Disasters and Funny Stories, more 1812 anecdotes, a tribute to the unsung Orchestra Librarian, tour stories, opera disasters- well, you get the picture.

There's even a serious chapter that describes his youthful summers of practice and his realization that fundamentals (like scales and interval studies) are essential to mastery of the instrument. Good words of advice that I give to my students every week.

Most amazing, for me, was to realize that he and I had actually gone to the same summer program (Boston University Tanglewood Institute), the same year (1971- a lifetime ago). I thought that name was vaguely familiar!

All in all, this book is a great read and is a must for anyone who is aspiring to a career as a professional musician- both as a little taste of the flavor of professional life, and also as a cautionary tale of what you're getting yourself into. It would make a great Christmas gift for your mother! (But don't tell my Mom- her copy is in the mail! )

Check it out at justinlocke.com.

All-Right, JUSTIN! (You'll have to read the book to get this one)
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Real Men Don't Rehearse, November 23, 2005
This review is from: Real Men Don't Rehearse: Adventures in the Secret World of Professional Orchestras (Paperback)
Justin Locke shows the reader the deep dark secrets of the symphony. To those of us who actually play in a symphony orchestra as I do, much of it rings true. The section about the Boston Pops bass section having its intermission break has got to be one of the classics of the funny orchestral repetory. (Hint...malt liquor got substituted for normal beer, draw your own conclusions on how the 2nd half of the concert went.

For those who don't regularly get on the performance stage, but actually have to pay to get in the concert hall (my condolences) you will see that underneath our stuffed shirts, there are no stuffed shirts. You will find out what orchestra members really think about the absolute dictators (benevolent or otherwise) who think they own us...and how we can conspire not to get mad, but to surely get even. Justin Locke is very good at this (and so am I.) I laughed my tail off.

Jon Teske, violinist
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Fun Read, January 15, 2008
This review is from: Real Men Don't Rehearse: Adventures in the Secret World of Professional Orchestras (Paperback)
I loved this book! I myself am a musician and bought this for one of my musician friends for Christmas. I started flipping through the book and knew I had to get a copy for myself. Lots of fun stories that both musicians and non-musicians would enjoy. Gives you an "insider's look" at the world of professional musicians. The chapters are short enough that you can read one or two before bed. (Although I just wanted to keep reading!)
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Inside This Book (learn more)
First Sentence:
My bass teacher, a long time member of the Boston Symphony and the Boston Pops, swore that the following events actually took place, but he was such a loud liar we'll never know for sure. Read the first page
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Boston Pops, Fourth of July, Boston Symphony, Hatch Shell, Arthur Fiedler, The Star Spangled Banner, Holiday Pops, John Williams, Jon Vickers, Charles River, Hallelujah Chorus, Leonore Overture, Power Biggs, Climb Ev'ry Mountain, Henry Mancini
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