--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There's not an orchestra in the world…" description: "\"There's not an orchestra in the world that doesn't have weaknesses. None of us can play everything well. The repertoire is just too big.\" — Leonard Sla..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b06/leonard-slatkin-21110_bigs_there-s-not-an-orchestra-in-the-world-th_1225079.jpg" --- # There's not an orchestra in the world that doesn't have… ![“There's not an orchestra in the world that doesn't have weaknesses. None of us can play everything well. The repertoire is just too big.” quote by Leonard Slatkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b06/leonard-slatkin-21110_bigs_there-s-not-an-orchestra-in-the-world-th_1225079.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b06/leonard-slatkin-21110_bigs_there-s-not-an-orchestra-in-the-world-th_1225079.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b06/leonard-slatkin-21110_bigs_there-s-not-an-orchestra-in-the-world-th_1225079.jpg) > “There's not an orchestra in the world that doesn't have weaknesses. None of us can play everything well. The repertoire is just too big.” [Leonard Slatkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-slatkin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. No one can master every instrument; the vast repertoire forces specialization and collaboration. **In simple terms:** Everyone has limits; teamwork is essential. Key Takeaway Focus on strengths, collaborate on weaknesses. Themes music collaboration specialization Mood analytical inspirational Type professional musical When to use this quote - orchestra planning - musical education - project management Key Concepts artistic limits teamwork skill distribution Questions to Reflect On - How do you decide what to master? - What role does collaboration play in your field? A Different Perspective Specialization can lead to siloed expertise. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bigs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigs/) [Orchestra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/orchestra/) [Orchestra World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/orchestra-world-521273/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Play Repertoire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play-repertoire-3767017/) [Repertoire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/repertoire/) [Repertoire Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/repertoire-just-3767018/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Weakness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weakness/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [The Chicago Symphony is considered the greatest orchestra in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-byrne/the-chicago-symphony-is-considered-the-greatest-orchestra-in-the-world/) [Jane Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-byrne/) > [Duke Ellington's career traces the entire history of jazz. The repertoire associated with him contains the most important elements in the music and provides…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-taylor/duke-ellington-s-career-traces-the-entire-history-of-jazz-the/) [Billy Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-taylor/) > [An orchestra knows during the first two minutes of the first rehearsal whether or not they are going to enjoy the person on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-slatkin/an-orchestra-knows-during-the-first-two-minutes-of-the-first/) [Leonard Slatkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-slatkin/) > [Over the years it has been my privilege to lead performances with Saint Louis, the National Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra and so many other wonderful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-slatkin/over-the-years-it-has-been-my-privilege-to-lead-performances-with/) [Leonard Slatkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-slatkin/) > [The role of an orchestra in the 21st century isn't just playing, it's about developing future audiences and performers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-slatkin/the-role-of-an-orchestra-in-the-21st-century-isn-t-just-playing-it-s/) [Leonard Slatkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-slatkin/) > [I think it's important to widen my artistic repertoire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/son-ye-jin/i-think-it-s-important-to-widen-my-artistic-repertoire/) [Son Ye-jin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/son-ye-jin/) > [When the truth is that there would be no great Western music, and certainly no decent choral repertoire, without the Catholic faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-morris/when-the-truth-is-that-there-would-be-no-great-western-music-and/) [Richard Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-morris/) > [Even if you're playing the most well-known repertoire under the sun, I still believe you have a responsibility as an artist to tell the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-hazlewood/even-if-you-re-playing-the-most-well-known-repertoire-under-the-sun-i/) [Charles Hazlewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-hazlewood/) > [I have never actually abandoned singing. I have sung at lots of friends' weddings and family events to keep up my classical repertoire, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-armstrong/i-have-never-actually-abandoned-singing-i-have-sung-at-lots-of/) [Alexander Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-armstrong/) > [The nice thing about the violin repertoire is that it's small enough that you can plan on learning everything at some point - whereas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-hahn/the-nice-thing-about-the-violin-repertoire-is-that-it-s-small-enough/) [Hilary Hahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-hahn/) > [I take a lot of favorite moves from great players and add them to my repertoire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-carter/i-take-a-lot-of-favorite-moves-from-great-players-and-add-them-to-my/) [Vince Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-carter/) > [I really enjoy getting to go and play on other people's shows for an episode or two. It adds such variety to my repertoire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-zea/i-really-enjoy-getting-to-go-and-play-on-other-people-s-shows-for-an/) [Natalie Zea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-zea/) > [There have been low moments before, but Christianity is an incredibly adaptable organism, using different parts of its repertoire to mutate into new ecological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-spufford/there-have-been-low-moments-before-but-christianity-is-an-incredibly/) [Francis Spufford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-spufford/) > [If I can do concert recitals, adapting the repertoire to my needs, then no problem, that's good enough. But with operas, unless the right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-carreras/if-i-can-do-concert-recitals-adapting-the-repertoire-to-my-needs-then/) [Jose Carreras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-carreras/) > [Acquiring a repertoire in these days, when the vocal literature is so immense, so overwhelming, that the student with sense will devote all his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alma-gluck/acquiring-a-repertoire-in-these-days-when-the-vocal-literature-is-so/) [Alma Gluck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alma-gluck/) ## More by Leonard Slatkin > [We need music to restore the human spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-slatkin/we-need-music-to-restore-the-human-spirit/) [Leonard Slatkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-slatkin/) > [I don't really think about retiring. I will retire just before people start saying, 'I knew Leonard Slatkin when he conducted well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-slatkin/i-don-t-really-think-about-retiring-i-will-retire-just-before-people/) [Leonard Slatkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-slatkin/) > [The convergence of the Rhone and Saone. Paul Bocuse. The birthplace of cinema. Chateauneuf-du-Pape just a few miles down the road. It does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-slatkin/the-convergence-of-the-rhone-and-saone-paul-bocuse-the-birthplace-of/) [Leonard Slatkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-slatkin/) > [People know Detroit for the cars, but the suburban areas of the city are really beautiful. It's much more inhabitable than people think. Many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-slatkin/people-know-detroit-for-the-cars-but-the-suburban-areas-of-the-city/) [Leonard Slatkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-slatkin/) > [I knew I could never match my father as a violinist, and there were already four generations of outstanding cellists in the family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-slatkin/i-knew-i-could-never-match-my-father-as-a-violinist-and-there-were/) [Leonard Slatkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-slatkin/) > [The role of an orchestra in the 21st century isn't just playing, it's about developing future audiences and performers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-slatkin/the-role-of-an-orchestra-in-the-21st-century-isn-t-just-playing-it-s/) [Leonard Slatkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-slatkin/) > [We are a global society, and one does not have to be from Germany to give a great performance of Beethoven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-slatkin/we-are-a-global-society-and-one-does-not-have-to-be-from-germany-to/) [Leonard Slatkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-slatkin/) > [Over the years it has been my privilege to lead performances with Saint Louis, the National Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra and so many other wonderful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-slatkin/over-the-years-it-has-been-my-privilege-to-lead-performances-with/) [Leonard Slatkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-slatkin/) > [There is no 'perfect' in music. If I ever came off the stage and felt it could not be better, it would then be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-slatkin/there-is-no-perfect-in-music-if-i-ever-came-off-the-stage-and-felt-it/) [Leonard Slatkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-slatkin/) > [My first strong musical memory is of the Villa-Lobos Sixth Quartet which my parents were rehearsing. I remember that it reminded me of big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-slatkin/my-first-strong-musical-memory-is-of-the-villa-lobos-sixth-quartet/) [Leonard Slatkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-slatkin/) > [To my mind and ear, there is simply nothing that compares to the musical sophistication of a late Beethoven, Bartok, Schubert or Brahms work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-slatkin/to-my-mind-and-ear-there-is-simply-nothing-that-compares-to-the/) [Leonard Slatkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-slatkin/) > [The life of any musician really doesn't fall into a normal schedule at all. Every week there are different rehearsals, different days and nights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-slatkin/the-life-of-any-musician-really-doesn-t-fall-into-a-normal-schedule/) [Leonard Slatkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-slatkin/) > [Growing up in Hollywood, like I did, I have a passion and a love for the movies, so I go to the cinema all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-slatkin/growing-up-in-hollywood-like-i-did-i-have-a-passion-and-a-love-for/) [Leonard Slatkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-slatkin/) > [On the corner of 57th and 7th Avenue sits the most famous concert hall in the world. No less a figure than when Tchaikovsky…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-slatkin/on-the-corner-of-57th-and-7th-avenue-sits-the-most-famous-concert/) [Leonard Slatkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-slatkin/) > [I have been long associated with British music. I have favoured it as my alternate music next to American.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-slatkin/i-have-been-long-associated-with-british-music-i-have-favoured-it-as/) [Leonard Slatkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-slatkin/) [Explore all 29 Leonard Slatkin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-slatkin/) ## More Bigs quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [It is said that history turns on small hinges. A human career, too, results from an accumulating series of decisions about large and small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/it-is-said-that-history-turns-on-small-hinges-a-human-career-too/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [I'm a true believer in prayer, a big believer in prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-jackson/i-m-a-true-believer-in-prayer-a-big-believer-in-prayer/) [Janet Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-jackson/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [The only regret I have in my career, is my managers wanted a big payday, and I wanted four or five more fights before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-cooney/the-only-regret-i-have-in-my-career-is-my-managers-wanted-a-big/) [Gerry Cooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-cooney/) > [It goes to show you how we in the press so often miss the big stories that are right under our noses. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-goes-to-show-you-how-we-in-the-press-so-often-miss-the-big-stories/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [Okay, so I'll admit I'm curious. Big deal. We both know what that leads to. Dead cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/okay-so-i-ll-admit-i-m-curious-big-deal-we-both-know-what-that-leads/) [Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/) > [I don't want this to be a distraction. This has been distracting enough. I'm not going to rehash this going forward. I'm sure other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-werth/i-don-t-want-this-to-be-a-distraction-this-has-been-distracting/) [Jayson Werth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-werth/) > [I didn't get how big it was until I went home, turned on the television and saw it on all the news, and later…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/i-didn-t-get-how-big-it-was-until-i-went-home-turned-on-the/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [It’s a small thing to help one animal, but to that one animal it’s a big thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-baur/it-s-a-small-thing-to-help-one-animal-but-to-that-one-animal-it-s-a/) [Gene Baur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-baur/) > [Since I was a little child, my nose - I think it's too big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-dion/since-i-was-a-little-child-my-nose-i-think-it-s-too-big/) [Celine Dion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-dion/) > [People forget that there is a big difference between coercion and persuasion. The idea that evangelism is coercive is nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/people-forget-that-there-is-a-big-difference-between-coercion-and/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [I turn a lot of stuff down - big, big movies, the kind I wouldn't want to go to the cinema to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-fox/i-turn-a-lot-of-stuff-down-big-big-movies-the-kind-i-wouldn-t-want-to/) [Matthew Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-fox/) > [I got in trouble my whole life for having a big mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-tyler/i-got-in-trouble-my-whole-life-for-having-a-big-mouth/) [Steven Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-tyler/) [Browse all 15,539 Bigs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigs/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There's not an orchestra in the world that doesn't have weaknesses. None of us can play everything well. The repertoire is just too big.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Leonard Slatkin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-slatkin/there-s-not-an-orchestra-in-the-world-that-doesn-t-have-weaknesses/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bigs" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-slatkin/there-s-not-an-orchestra-in-the-world-that-doesn-t-have-weaknesses/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b06/leonard-slatkin-21110_bigs_there-s-not-an-orchestra-in-the-world-th_1225079.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b06/leonard-slatkin-21110_bigs_there-s-not-an-orchestra-in-the-world-th_1225079.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b06/leonard-slatkin-21110_bigs_there-s-not-an-orchestra-in-the-world-th_1225079.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There's not an orchestra in the world that doesn't have weaknesses. None of us can play everything well. The…” — Leonard Slatkin", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Leonard Slatkin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-slatkin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There's not an orchestra in the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-slatkin/there-s-not-an-orchestra-in-the-world-that-doesn-t-have-weaknesses/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-slatkin/there-s-not-an-orchestra-in-the-world-that-doesn-t-have-weaknesses/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```