Section Principal
A Section Principal is a leadership position in a professional orchestra, similar to a department head in a company. This person is the lead player of their instrument section (like violins, cellos, flutes, etc.) and is responsible for both playing and managing their group. They make key decisions about how their section should play, guide other musicians, and often perform solo parts. Think of them as both a team leader and top performer - they need to be excellent musicians themselves while also having strong leadership abilities to guide others.
Examples in Resumes
Served as Section Principal for the viola section in Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra
Led woodwind section as Principal Flautist and Section Principal
Promoted to Section Principal of brass section after 5 years as section member
Typical job title: "Section Principals"
Also try searching for:
Where to Find Section Principals
Professional Organizations
Job Boards
Professional Networks
Example Interview Questions
Senior Level Questions
Q: How do you handle artistic disagreements within your section?
Expected Answer: Should demonstrate strong leadership and conflict resolution skills, explaining how they balance maintaining section harmony while achieving artistic excellence.
Q: How do you approach training new section members?
Expected Answer: Should show mentoring abilities and a systematic approach to developing talent while maintaining section standards.
Mid Level Questions
Q: How do you prepare your section for a new piece?
Expected Answer: Should explain their process for studying scores, planning rehearsals, and communicating interpretative decisions to section members.
Q: How do you balance your solo playing with section leadership?
Expected Answer: Should demonstrate understanding of both technical playing excellence and leadership responsibilities.
Junior Level Questions
Q: What experience do you have leading smaller ensembles?
Expected Answer: Should show basic leadership experience and understanding of section coordination.
Q: How do you maintain consistent playing standards?
Expected Answer: Should demonstrate understanding of practice routines and professional standards.
Experience Level Indicators
Junior (5-8 years orchestral experience)
- Strong instrumental proficiency
- Basic leadership experience
- Good sight-reading abilities
- Understanding of orchestral repertoire
Mid (8-12 years orchestral experience)
- Advanced solo performance abilities
- Section management experience
- Strong interpersonal skills
- Deep repertoire knowledge
Senior (12+ years orchestral experience)
- Expert-level performance abilities
- Proven leadership experience
- Teaching and mentoring capabilities
- Advanced artistic decision-making
Red Flags to Watch For
- Limited solo performance experience
- Lack of leadership or teaching experience
- Poor communication skills
- Limited knowledge of standard orchestral repertoire
- No experience in professional orchestras
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