Orchestras Are Awful, card game
Because only violins should be high-strung. Seriously, you should be practicing right now. Whatever. Let’s play cards.
A question-answer card game for orchestra students, directors, fans and musicians.
You really should be practicing right now
Dead strings. Bridge collapse. Suzuki Book 3. Not enough rosin. There are so many orchestral annoyances that make this otherwise awesome activity absolutely awful.
But it's OK, because you can vent about them all with your friends while playing Orchestras Are Awful, and then get back to playing Nimrod or Hoedown whatever your favorite piece is at the moment.
Game play is simple
Each round the "judge" will read a question card like:
"I was going to practice, but I was distracted by _____" or "This song should express a sense of _____ "
Each player selects their best answer from their hand. Then judge reads them aloud and picks the winner. The next round starts and the judge changes to the next player. The game can be quick with a few hands or last for hours!
Who should play it?
Orchestras Are Awful was written by orchestra musicians and is appropriate for middle and high school orchestra students. It’s a great way to break the ice, get to know each other and have some fun! The game can be played with large groups or small, for hours on a tour bus or just a few hands between classes.
The game will be enjoyed even more by orchestra directors who find themselves looking for musical adventure at a conference (it pairs extremely well with adult beverages).
Examples
Question Cards
The orchestra pit is filled with _____.
_____ makes my director shake uncontrollably.
A group of violas is a lot like _____.
I am a violinist so I need lots of _____.
Only a true orch dork can appreciate _____.
Answer cards
dead strings
untimely peg slippage
conductor hair
pretending you enjoy Schoenberg
Kreutzer Etude No. 12
Game Details & Specifications
396 high quality, 300 gsm, glossy question and answer cards
contained in a sturdy, 2-piece box
3 unique cards - Blind Hand, Don't React, and Lucky Card
6 blank cards you may personalize however you want
game dimensions: 8” x 4” x 2”, 29 oz
contains no profanity or sexually explicit descriptions. That said, phrases like “G strings” and “F holes” are native to orchestra speakers, so interpretation is up to you
appropriate for ages 14 and up
