"Low Notes, High Stakes, & No Time to Waste" - An Interview with Rainer Eudeikis, Principal Cellist of the San Francisco Symphony

What does it really take to lead a world-class cello section while raising two young kids and navigating an orchestra’s evolving culture? The Cello Sherpa Podcast Host, Joel Dallow, sits down with San Francisco Symphony principal cellist Rainer Eudeikis for a candid, witty, and deeply practical conversation about moving from Utah to Atlanta to the Bay Area, why some orchestras feel close-knit while others run purely professional, and how life stage changes your sense of community as much as geography does. Rainer opens the front-stand playbook: direct conversations with the conductor, shaping section sound in real time, and the hidden grind of bowings that can make or break a rehearsal. He explains why he once resisted pops and movie concerts, how he came to value their physical and mental reset between heavy rep, and how smart rotation preserves endurance across a demanding subscription season. His practice advice is refreshingly doable—an under-30-minute daily routine that maintains intonation, articulation, and vibrato, plus “simmering” solos weeks in advance so they peak on cue. He also shares how to turn stage time into training, using lighter programs to refine shifts, bow control, and contact. On auditions, Rainer pulls back the curtain on San Francisco’s process: resume screening, when and why tapes help, the pros and cons of recorded prelims, and the committee discipline needed to keep standards high without wasting candidates’ time or money. He describes hiring multiple young players—some initially asked to submit tapes—and what separates winners: musical identity, adaptability, and the ability to move a room in the first 30 seconds. For students and early-career musicians, his guidance is sharp and actionable: define your niche early, seek mentors who do the job you want, and build the psychology to perform under pressure without losing musical voice. If you care about orchestral life, cello leadership, audition strategy, or simply practicing smarter, this conversation is rich with takeaways you can use today. Subscribe, share with a friend who’s prepping auditions, and leave a review to tell us your biggest question about principal leadership. For more information on Rainer Eudeikis: https://www.rainereudeikis.com/ You can also find Rainer on YouTube: @Eudeikis If you are looking for in person/virtual cello lessons, or orchestral repertoire audition coachings, check out www.theCelloSherpa.com Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Threads & YouTube: @theCelloSherpa For more information on our sponsor: www.CLEAResources.com