cowiekun t1_it838uy wrote
You may have heard of an artist named Yanni. I’ve always wondered this but don’t know where to ask: in his concerts, almost every song (except the ones where he solo piano), he’d give a chance for some artists to have some solo moments, does he write every single note of these solos? Also, why some shows have a conductor and some don’t? What is really the point of having him there if band members can get by just fine in other shows?
sandiegoopera OP t1_it85ayo wrote
These are all good questions! Often times, when solos are given in these kinds of creative contexts, the soloists can make up music on the spot. There's an understanding between the lead musician (here, Yanni) and the invited soloist that whatever they make up would still be stylistically appropriate while they are exercising a certain amount of creative freedom. So, while it's possible that Yanni is writing down every single note of the solo and the player is just playing that, I would guess that it's more likely they are improvising.
As for choosing to use the conductor -- That will depend on not just the piece of music (is it complex?), but also whether the players have enough rehearsal time to do it without the help of the conductor. Sometimes, the conductor is the lead personality, so it's going to start with that person and even if the music is not super complex or needs the conductor to keep everything together, the vision is the conductor's, so the ensemble will feature that person. It just all kind of depends.
Good questions.
SaltineFiend t1_it9w9oz wrote
> I would guess that it's more likely they are improvising.
A tradition that began with the Baroque, that is to say, as old as orchestral performances. Virtuosity is rarefied air and a wonderful thing to experience.
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