Technique or Character? Which Really Matters?

At a recent rehearsal, our conductor told my section to “pizz like a provocateur.”

Instantly, my mind jumped to the spy novel on my nightstand—shadowy alleyways, whispered secrets, a flicker of danger.

And just like that, our pizzicatos transformed. They became stealthy, charged, and full of character—something completely different from what we would have produced if he’d simply said, “softer.”

That moment is a perfect reminder of one of the most overlooked skills in excerpt preparation:

Character.

Most players focus on perfection—intonation, rhythm, precision. Are these important? Absolutely.

But what wins auditions and makes listeners pay attention is the ability to tell a story, to infuse every single pizzicato with intention, color, and imagination.

The good news? This is a skill you can train.