Librarians: In their own words

Fortunately, I’ve never been yelled at by any conductor. Once, years ago, a problem came up during rehearsal where it became apparent that the rental score didn’t match the orchestra parts. This was back in the days when fax machines were fairly new and luckily I was able to get the proper pages faxed in from the publisher at lunchtime. I remember it feeling like a miracle at the time because in the days before fax machines we would have had to write everything out by hand and this time, rather than being yelled at by the anxious conductor, I seemed like a hero for knowing how to fix the problem so quickly thanks to “modern” technology. (These days, most things are available instantly from a colleague or a publisher via an e-mailed PDF file.)
Another time, an inexperienced guest conductor tried to blame me for a problem with an obscure piece he’d chosen, but a brave member of the orchestra quickly set him straight that the librarian was not the cause of the problem. Things do come up from time to time that need to be fixed before the next rehearsal, but in my experience everyone is always very professional about it because they know I’ll fix it right away and that I didn’t do it wrong on purpose. There can definitely be tense moments when the clock is ticking, but I’ve never felt threatened.
Musicians assume the librarian is at fault if they are missing a part in their folders during rehearsal. Now this might seem a bit cruel, but one of my favorite moments is when I can walk over to their stand, go “flip, flip, flip” through the parts and pull out the “missing part.” Yesss!!! Score one point for the librarian! I will always remember how difficult those New Music Festivals were in Winnipeg each year with so many new works to prepare all at once. At the end of each Festival the conductor* would call all of the people who had helped make the Festival a success out onto the stage, and I always received a solo bow in front of the audience and a huge ovation from the orchestra. I always appreciated that gesture because most of what we do goes unseen and unmentioned by anyone. Normally you’re only noticed when something goes wrong, so it’s nice to be equally recognized when things go right. It makes you feel a sense of accomplishment for all the hard work and long hours during the season.
* The conductor who gave me the bows was Bramwell Tovey, currently the MD in Vancouver. He and I became very close friends over the years. It’s good when you can forge a great relationship with a conductor. Then, instead of them berating you because they have no respect for you, you actually get to a stage where they’ll say, “can you please do this – or whatever is easiest.”