A college-bound student came in yesterday with a report on his summer activities. He’d played a gig with a local college orchestra as first oboe, which was the same position he’d held throughout the past year. At this concert, though, the regular second oboist was not available, and a professional had been hired. My student had felt nervous and uncomfortable playing first chair to a player who was obviously older and more experienced, and imagined that she thought poorly of him, and kind of wished that the roles had been reversed because he felt out of place playing solos that she should rightfully have had. And this is a common misunderstanding among younger players, and a reasonable one. Of course, in a high school band, the best player will be picked to play first, and the second best will play second. Of course if the first chair player is not working hard and practicing, someone will challenge him. Of course second chair is a phone-it-in position and third chair might as