Josh Jones explores the role of a principal percussionist in an orchestra, highlighting that while core duties like assigning music and hiring substitutes seem simple, they involve complex responsibilities requiring skills in organization, management, and communication. Jones shares his experiences in developing effective systems to streamline these tasks, noting that many music education programs do not adequately prepare graduates for these real-world challenges. He aims to equip aspiring principals with strategies for success in their roles

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For many percussionists, higher education is a necessity to their growth as professionals. Consistent private lessons, ensemble experience, and classroom courses such as theory and music business are just some examples of what many colleges offer. However, the majority of graduates often find themselves in situations that were not covered in their respective programs, leaving them feeling unprepared. Courses on how to do taxes as a freelancer or resume building may not be available, even though the majority of professionals would deem them as essential skills. One such topic that is rarely covered thoroughly in percussion education is the role of a principal percussionist.

At first glance, the core duties of a principal percussionist look quite simple: assign music, hire subs, rent instruments, and create a setup chart. However, there are other tangential duties that are often assumed or not explicitly defined within them, requiring several different skill sets.

Organization, management, problem solving, and communication are examples of skills that are essential to a principal’s success. Many of these skills may be covered separately among several courses, but employing them all within the structure of organizing a single orchestra program, let alone an entire season, may seem like a daunting task. In order to minimize that sensation, the principal must have a strategy that is effective and efficient in completing all the duties. This is achieved by developing and implementing systems and processes that can be utilized in any situation, with any orchestra they happen to perform with.

Before I began my tenure as principal of the Calgary Philharmonic, I sought guidance from several principal players on how they approached the role and what they wished they knew in the beginning of their respective careers. They all at some point said the following: every principal basically does the same thing, but every orchestra is unique. Several would say some version of, “You’ll find out what else you need to do as you go along,” and they were correct. 

The core duties at Calgary were apparent and I quickly was made aware of the tangential duties assigned to me. For example, I was asked to assign solely based on the order of the sub list, so that the “more important” parts would be given to the substitutes higher on the list. For me, this was a departure from what was recommended to me by principals I talked to, “but every orchestra is unique.”

While this particular example is objectively small, depending on who you ask, idiosyncrasies like that and other variables can affect several aspects of a principal’s duties. How soon substitutes are hired may affect how soon assignments are completed. At what point you are able to receive music from the librarian affects your ability to do assignments, hire subs, rent instruments, and draw the setup chart. You can see how much of a domino effect one delay in any point of the process creates. 

Dealing with unexpected events, be they trivial or “catastrophic,” is something that every principal, percussion or otherwise, has to learn to navigate within their role, and this is made easier the more streamlined their system is. If a principal does not have an effective way of communicating with the library, then anything having to do with the sheet music will become more difficult. If a principal does not have an efficient way of getting information to the personnel manager, then hiring substitutes becomes more difficult.

How do principals communicate with the multiple parties involved? How do they organize and distribute the vast amount of information needed for themselves and for others? Some stick solely to pen and paper for drawing setup charts while others use software to create models of the stage and the instruments. Some use Microsoft Word to write assignments down, while others use Excel. The differences in methods that you will see often are attributed to two things: how the principal receives information, and how a specific party received information. If a principal works best with using a pen and paper, but the personnel manager works best with email, then the principal will first do everything on paper, and either transfer it directly to email or, if their handwriting is clear enough, scan it. Knowing how everyone communicates is extremely important in ensuring a seamless process.

Throughout my time in Calgary I went from having multiple email threads for each individual duty, to developing an Excel sheet that contained the majority of information in those emails. This helped me have a clearer view of what was happening on a broader scale, and it gave some of my colleagues another avenue of communication. These adjustments were gradual, collaborative, and the final iteration, along with the process itself, was a major factor in being awarded tenure. 

I continued using this system in my subsequent orchestra positions, Grant Park being the most recent, and its efficacy and efficiency still holds up. Had I started my first job using this system, I certainly would have avoided many unnecessary emails, headaches and moments of feeling overwhelmed. 

It’s my sincere hope that by presenting the system itself and informing aspiring principals of what to look out for at this year’s PASIC, they will have a better experience and be best set up for success.