The fundamental basics, as Mr. Hire likes to call it, 'Music 101' or 'Rehearsal Etiquette 101', not only includes of active participation, respect, and discipline, but it also includes knowing what the repertoire is all about.
If it's in the style of Mozart, we all can expect it is going to be light and sweet, so practice it that way to get an idea of this particular baroque style of music. When there are staccato markings on notes in the style of Mozart, it is meant to be light and sort of brushed along the string with the bow to create this, breathing articulation. Now if it is Beethoven, it will be done otherwise, in an appropriate fashion as for many handfuls of phrases and parts of his famous symphonies are heavy, dark, and sometimes in a way, conflicting, building tension as in an example of the end of Beethoven's 5th Symphony of Movement 1. With two different styles of music, it is very explicit to the ear to distinguish on which era the piece of music had come from of the four main, commonly practiced music: baroque, classical, romantic and contemporary.
Now, hopefully you get the gist. Knowing and being able to tell differences not only helps you know what is to be expected but also helps everyone in the section know how to approach the repertoire that is given. By practicing beforehand, is like preparing yourselves for a lecture or an assessment. Know the contents, know the vocabulary, and certainly know how it applies to you and the task. Following, just like in any class, if there is some sort of confusion with you and a specific spot of the piece, chances are, others may have the same question as well, even if members are from different sections of the orchestra because, well as we know, some parts do align together in particular repertoires.
All of this leading to a certainty that cannot be avoided: music checks.
Think of music checks as quizzes given by the instructor to visualize if the class or group is keeping up with the content or not. Mr. Hire may check a particular section that he knows, for example, the violas are having trouble with, or a section where he knows that the 1st trumpet will, without a doubt, have to hit a high note almost beyond the trumpet's range, so it is best to know the repertoire beforehand and get used to circumstances that are particularly difficult for the section from as hard as it can get, to a simple articulation.
Now, if you have a question during sectionals about the repertoire, ask the section leader if they can help you and everyone else on it because that is where most of the work is done, through sectionals. If by chance the section leader cannot give a straightforward answer, it is okay. It can be addressed with Mr. Hire and he will do his best to work with everyone to make sure everything is well for the concert or contest. Once given the answer, apply it to self-practice at home or practice room and work your way through the repertoire to better prepare yourself for any challenges that may arise.
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