Playing as a professional musician in an orchestra can be exhilarating and extremely rewarding; it is arguably a vocation rather than a job as musicians with very high standards of performance in their chosen instrument get paid for following their passion.

Competition for positions in reputable orchestras can be intense and advanced musicianship must be demonstrated at auditions. As with any career becoming familiar with the audition/interview process is advantageous, with candidates benefiting from performing in public as much as possible to gain both confidence and experience.

British orchestras often use a trial system and candidates are paid for their contribution during this period. This is the time to prove openness, friendliness and punctuality. The schedule for musicians can be demanding with long hours and short periods of time to learn difficult pieces of new music. This necessitates a disciplined and self-motivated character with great perseverance and stamina.

However the rewards are plentiful in both musical and social terms as equally passionate people with a shared interest surround musicians. The opportunity for travel and touring is also a possible advantage to the job.