As the largest body of an orchestra, it’s always great to have a string sectional to unify style, articulation, and even phrasing. If you are not a string player yourself, what are the mistakes to avoid when leading a string sectional?

Instead of:

• Get stuck in bowing discussions
• Not knowing your terms
• Give instructions on bowing or fingering 

Do this:

• Always have a set of bowings marked in the part before distributing them 
• Describe the sounds you want
• Let the principals / concertmaster adjust things as they see fit
• Get help, be over-prepared, and bring an open mind to see what they are offering you!