Orchestra

I would like to start the new year with a new project. At least it's something new for me. Although of course there are already many similar projects here on CHYOA.

What is it about? I'm deliberately starting a public story to which everyone can contribute. Here's what I've come up with:

• The initial situation is that a women's orchestra is getting a new conductor. I hope that this will lead to some complications.
• It would be nice if different storylines developed for many different instruments. I have attached an orchestra layout for information.
• A category for the storylines is not specified (hence: Miscellaneous); however, I recommend indicating the intended category in the title of the first chapter so that readers can prepare themselves for what to expect.
• The project will start simultaneously in English and German (https://chyoa.com/story/Orchester.59094). If someone wants to write in only one language, I ask for general permission to translate the chapters into the other language.
• Otherwise, the only limits are the CHYOA rules and your imagination.

Have fun!

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John Wagner parked his car in front of the concert hall. Last year, he had been here before, as a guest conductor during a festival. So he still knew his way around to some extent and headed straight for the artists' entrance. He pressed the bell button and a buzzer indicated that the door was been unlocked.

Some people called him the new star in the concert sky and he was happy to bask in this compliment. Unfortunately, his incipient fame had not yet translated into lucrative engagements. So he didn't hesitate for long when his agent called to say that a conductor was needed for a young orchestra at short notice. The previous conductor had had an accident and was out of action for at least a few weeks, if not longer. However, a concert tour was already planned and the musicians were in the middle of rehearsals.

Of course, it was not an easy task to lead a young troupe, which was probably not yet perfectly attuned, off the cuff, with only minimal influence on the repertoire. But John loved a challenge.

He arrived at the rehearsal room and strode confidently towards the conductor's podium. His gaze wandered over the musicians, some of whom were tuning their instruments, others standing together in small groups and chatting. Hm, discipline would be one of the first things he would have to practise with the orchestra.

Only at second glance did it dawn on him what he hadn't noticed at first: it was an all-female orchestra. Apart from himself, not a single man was present. Well, he had no prejudices. For him, it was only the ability of the musicians that mattered, not their gender.

As courtesy dictated, he first approached the chair at the very front of the first row of violins, where the concertmaster traditionally sat. As usual he was to greet her, first. The blonde sitting there stood up and took a few steps towards him. She had long, curly hair and a body and demeanor more suited to a cheerleader than a violinist.

"Hello, my name is Martina Myers. I assume you are Mr. Wagner?"

"Nice to meet you, Mrs. Myers. Yes, I'm John Wagner and from today I'll be your conductor. Shall we start with the first rehearsal so that I can get an impression?"

"Yes, I'd love to."

She clapped her hands to get everyone's attention and he stepped up to the podium.