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I’m playing first violin in my high school’s orchestra and came across a phrase with really small notes compared to the previous section. I suspect that it’s just showing me what the 2nd part is playing during my rest but I’m not sure. The image below is what I’m talking about
You're correct. Those small notes are cues, letting you know what is happening in another part during your rest.
In a high-school orchestra setting, it's not unusual for the conductor to ask you to play those cues. (But only play them if specifically asked to do so.)
