One time I would like to do like they do in figure skating. I want the audience to applaud every time I nail a difficult passage.

-Orli Shaham

Believe me, I understand that desire! At the same time, I don’t want people to actually do it. Just think it, please! I do get to see my colleagues do the “leg pat” thing or the foot shuffling (which is sometimes too noisy) when I do nail a solo. That’s nice, except that when i don’t nail it I don’t get that and of course then I think, “FAIL!” I used to play shows up in SF and the contractor would give me a thumbs up after every “sewer solo” I played. Except when it wasn’t quite “on”. I had to stop looking his direction (and he sat in front of me!) after the solo so I could avoid that deflating feeling when I knew it wasn’t just quite right. (And believe me, we know when we aren’t quite right. We don’t need a thumbs down or anything. Duh.)

I am bothered even at jazz shows when someone applauds a soloist because frequently it means I don’t hear the next person’s start of a solo.

And do note that she says “one time” …

Here’s a bit of Orli Shaham playing with her brother Gil:

… and here she is, comparing oboe to beef. Well. Sort of. 😉