The Page Turns For Page Turners

Page turners are a special breed of musician. Yes, they have the opportunity to observe a musician at very close hand. However, their role is perhaps a thankless one – destined to be the bridesmaid and never the bride, they are to be discreet and possessed of impeccable timing. They leave the stage unobtrusively as the soloist basks in applause. The page turner’s role is critical – turn the page too early, too late, rip the page or drop the score – and the whole performance can crumble. 

The finely strung relationship between the page turner and soloist was even the topic of a 2006 French film La Tourneuse de pages (The Page Turner).

Now iPads and Google glasses threaten to make page turning a skill of the past.

Read the feature in The Independent.