Here’s a secret that most conservatories don’t teach you: the majority of substitute and extra work in professional orchestras doesn’t come from auditions. It comes from relationships. The sub list at most regional and major orchestras operates primarily on personal recommendations and word-of-mouth. If nobody in the orchestra knows you exist, you’re invisible\u2014no matter how well you play.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I built my early career almost entirely on sub and extra work, and it opened doors to permanent positions, chamber music opportunities, and teaching connections that I still benefit from today. Here’s the playbook I wish someone had given me when I was starting out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Don’t make the mistake of only targeting major orchestras. Regional, community, and semi-professional orchestras are your entry point into the professional network. These ensembles frequently need subs, they’re more accessible, and the players in them often also play in larger organizations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Research every orchestra within a two-hour drive of your location. Find out who the personnel manager is, who the section principals are, and what their season schedule looks like. Many regional orchestras have their personnel manager’s contact information on their website. Send a brief, professional email introducing yourself, listing your relevant experience, and asking to be considered for the sub list. Attach a one-page musical resume\u2014not your full CV, just the highlights relevant to orchestral playing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The email should be three paragraphs maximum. Something like: “Dear [Name], I’m a violinist based in [city] with experience in [relevant orchestras\/programs]. I’m interested in being considered for your substitute list for the upcoming season. I’ve attached my orchestral resume and would be happy to provide references or a recording if helpful. Thank you for your time.” Short, professional, no fluff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Attend concerts of the orchestras you want to sub with. This sounds obvious, but almost nobody does it. Go to performances, and afterwards, introduce yourself to musicians you know or have been connected with. Be genuine\u2014comment on something specific about the performance. “The Shostakovich 5 finale was incredible tonight\u2014your section’s intensity in the coda was electric” is infinitely better than “Great concert!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Attend local music events, chamber music concerts, and new music performances. The professional music world in any city is surprisingly small. The cellist you chat with at a contemporary music concert might be the assistant principal of the regional symphony, and when they need a sub violinist next month, your name will come to mind because you had a genuine conversation about Ligeti’s cello sonata.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Getting your first sub call is the hardest part. Once you’re in the door, your behavior determines whether you get called again. Here are the unwritten rules that separate one-time subs from regulars:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Arrive absurdly early.<\/strong> Be at the venue 30 minutes before the first rehearsal. Know where to park, where the stage entrance is, and where the musician lounge is. Nothing makes a worse first impression than walking in late because you couldn’t find the building.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Come over-prepared.<\/strong> Study the entire program, not just your part. Mark your bowings in pencil (never pen) before the first rehearsal. If you can get bowings from the section in advance, even better. Know the tricky spots, the tempo changes, the exposed passages. The goal is to be completely invisible\u2014to play so well that nobody notices you’re a sub.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Be socially appropriate.<\/strong> Be friendly and collegial, but don’t try too hard. Don’t dominate conversations in the green room. Don’t offer unsolicited opinions about the conductor or the repertoire. Listen more than you talk. Remember names. Thank the personnel manager and your stand partner at the end of the week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Follow up professionally.<\/strong> After your first sub week, send a brief thank-you email to the personnel manager expressing your appreciation for the opportunity and your availability for future calls. Don’t be pushy\u2014just plant the seed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The musicians who get the most sub work aren’t necessarily the best players\u2014they’re the most reliable, pleasant, and well-connected ones who play at a professional level. Reliability means saying yes when you can and giving as much notice as possible when you can’t. It means never canceling a commitment except for genuine emergencies. In a world where personnel managers are often scrambling to fill seats at the last minute, being the person who always says yes and always shows up prepared is worth its weight in gold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Invest in genuine relationships with your colleagues. Remember details about their lives. Congratulate them on their successes. Recommend other good players when you’re unavailable for a gig\u2014this builds enormous goodwill and expands your network simultaneously. The sub world runs on reciprocity: the more you give, the more you receive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Building a sub career takes time\u2014typically 2-3 years of consistent effort before you’re getting regular calls. Be patient, stay professional, and keep improving your playing. The opportunities will come, and when they do, you’ll be ready.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Join 31,000+ string players leveling up their orchestral career.<\/p>\nGet the Free Guide<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n Ethan Kim is the founder of Orchestra Kingdom<\/a>, helping string players win auditions and move up in their sections. Follow him on Instagram<\/a>, TikTok<\/a>, and YouTube<\/a> for daily tips.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A practical guide to landing substitute and extra musician work with professional orchestras through strategic networking and preparation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-64","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-career-development"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.orchestrakingdom.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/64","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.orchestrakingdom.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.orchestrakingdom.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.orchestrakingdom.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.orchestrakingdom.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=64"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blog.orchestrakingdom.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/64\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":74,"href":"https:\/\/blog.orchestrakingdom.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/64\/revisions\/74"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.orchestrakingdom.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=64"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.orchestrakingdom.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=64"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.orchestrakingdom.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=64"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Building Relationships That Last<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Free Guide: 5 Audition Mistakes You’re Probably Making<\/h3>\n