Pip pip

The silence of the blog over these past few weeks has nothing to do with the incapacity of the blogger; nor can it be blamed on any technical malfunction. The fact is, events so momentous have unfolded that even the most eloquent scribe would have had trouble conveying them to his public. Imagine, then, how your really terrible blogger feels. But someone has to tell you, so here goes.
About two months ago, maybe more, the driving force behind the RTO, its only ever chairman, decided to spend more time with his clarinet. Peter Stevenson had worked tirelessly to put the orchestra on the musical map and after New York in April he felt, with some justification, that he had done all he could. The musicians had reached a peak, of sorts, world fame was within their grasp and a whole legion of RTOs launched. This was thanks largely to the efforts and ambition of Peter.
But the question of ‘where do we go now?’ was for others to answer. So when the triumphant band returned from the States the race was on for a successor, preferably someone with previous experience of running an orchestra, plus tact, patience, supreme musicianship, humility, and outstanding team skills, or failing that, someone just like Peter.
It should be mentioned at this stage that the job was not advertised externally; although the RTO has a very strict policy of inclusiveness and does not discriminate on the grounds of gender, race, age, religion or talent, this only applies to the musicians in the orchestra. When it comes to appointing chairmen, the criteria are somewhat different and the selection process completely undemocratic.
That said, however, no one objected when Pippa Lockhart declared unilaterally that she was to succeed Peter in the top (executive) role. Pippa, first trumpet, music secretary, and a member of the RTO almost since the beginning, probably would have been elected unopposed if there had been a vote (which there wasn’t).
RTO leaders tend to emerge organically and Pippa has been emerging for as long as the brass section, which perhaps more than any other section (bar the violas) always makes an unforgettable impression on audiences.
Under Pippa, the players know exactly where they are – or at least they did until she started moving them around. The one thing Peter never meddled with as chairman was the orchestra. If there were fifteen flutes and no cellos he never said anything like ‘we could do with a couple more cellos and a couple less of some other instruments’.
But Pippa has wasted no time in tackling imbalances, boosting a temporarily depleted back row with a trial trumpet and a French horn, and overcoming a dearth of first violins by promoting three seconds. RTOers, you see, will do anything for their popular new chairman.
Felicitas Macfie has kindly volunteered to take over as leader of the seconds and will be delighted to copy endless piles of music for the section (and any other sections, such is her eagerness to please). In another break with tradition, she will also be holding practice sessions for the strings in her front room, on those days in the week when she is not preoccupied with the supervision of her six children.
Already, the Pippa era is shaping up to be very distinctive from the Peter era in every way, except for the actual playing. In this, RTO fans can rest assured that nothing will change.