Comments on: Interview: Ben Cohn, First Keyboardist and Assistant Conductor for Wicked on Broadway

By: Tales From the Pit: Interview with a Broadway pit pianist « Music Directing the School Musical

Sat, 02 Oct 2010 10:10:36 +0000

[...] Tales From the Pit: Interview with a Broadway pit pianist October 2, 2010 Another great interview with a pit musician, this time it’s Ben Cohn, 1st keyboard and Assistant Conductor for Wicked [...]

By: Christa Rose

Christa Rose — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 10:30:23 +0000

This was very good to read. Hey Ben, meeting you was so amazing and insightful. You really got me thinking about the career field I want to get into, and understanding more about it. Great thanks for that. I just wanted to say thanks again, we were kind of in a rush at the clinic yesterday but still, very good!

Christa Rose

By: Cam McIntyre

Cam McIntyre — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 23:30:05 +0000

Great interview/post!

I want to start doing something like this for the Chicago scene. I have heard stories from some of the players [namely people I have studied with], but haven’t done actual interviews.

By: John M. Cohn

John M. Cohn — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 23:02:43 +0000

Great interview! Of course, as Ben’s dad, I am a little prejudiced. It’s been just wonderful seeing his career take off. Sitting with Ben in the pit was an incredible thrill.

By: Stuart Glass

Stuart Glass — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 21:51:41 +0000

Great interview!!! Enjoying seeing nice stuff about you guys in print.
U B

By: David J. Hahn

David J. Hahn — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 21:45:27 +0000

Hi Alexa –

Yes, that is a problem in the Broadway scene, but less of a problem in NYC. The AFM has done a great job of advocating live music for Broadway shows in town. It seems the most effective thing they’ve done is letting people know when they aren’t getting a full orchestra for a full ticket price. Audiences want a full pit for $120 a ticket!

The roster shows 24 musicians in the pit for Wicked. Conductor, 3 keys, 3 guitars, bass, drums, string quartet, brass and winds. There are lists of how many musicians there are in each pit at this article:

Broadway show closings liquidate 150 musician jobs

By: David Rose

David Rose — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 21:37:13 +0000

Great interview. It’s always great to hear how the music business works behind the scenes. The network of fellow musicians is so important!

By: Andrea

Andrea — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 18:34:12 +0000

That was a great interview with interesting information. It’s nice to know such a talented person.

By: Alexa Weber Morales

Alexa Weber Morales — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 18:13:45 +0000

Wow, so interesting. Whenever I see a show, I always try to catch a glimpse of what’s going on in the pit. The only point he did not address was the issue of full orchestras vs. synthesizers. A friend comped me tix to see The Phantom of the Opera in San Francisco and when I came forward at the end of the show for the postlude I was surprised at how few musicians were in the pit, despite the sound of full string and horn sections. I asked one a trombonist if there was synth reinforcement and he said yes. Indeed, when I looked at the program three keyboard players were listed. Apparently there is a minimum number of live musicians they must use according to the union. In NYC is it required that it be a full orchestra, or does this also happen?

By: Lillian

Lillian — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 15:17:52 +0000

Hey Ben,

Congratulations and it sure sounds like a complicated system in the Broadway Orchestra pits but I’m guessing you can handle it!

Lillian