We have to be prepared, we have to know the music better than they do so we can make the jump. I also oftentimes describe a Pianist-an Accompanist-as another musician’s secret service detail, meaning that if they make a mistake, or jump the beat, or miscount, we have to take that bullet.
If it’s chamber music, it’s to create the best texture and to let the musicians that we’re accompanying play with whatever kind of sound, texture, and dynamic they want, giving them as much leeway, within reason, to do whatever they need. Whenever I’m coaching or teaching a young Pianist about this, the way I describe it is that it is our job to frame the person we’re accompanying. Ray Wong (The Juilliard School, Manhattan School of Music, Harvard University)
In ensembles of all sizes, collaborative Pianists can serve in both a support role and as an integral part of the group. Today, Accompanists who play the piano generally prefer to be called a “Collaborative Pianist” or “Collaborative Keyboardist,” since they will often perform as part of a group, for example in an orchestra or a chamber ensemble. In modern contemporary popular styles, including jazz, Accompanists might be musicians playing other instruments like drums and bass in a rhythm section or as a backup band for a Singer. While most Accompanists play the piano, there are also Accompanists who play other instruments, such as guitar or harp. Accompanists play music for and with Singers and instrumentalists in lessons, rehearsals, juries, recitals, concerts, and on recordings.