So we performed our spring concert yesterday. Our venue was the Lebanon Opera House, a beautiful space opposite the park from the music school. A step up for us! It was fun to play in a "real" concert hall--as opposed to high school auditoriums.

I think the concert went quite well; we certainly played certain passages better than ever.

The conductor stopped us a minute into the 2nd movement of the Bach which was a mystery at first because it was sounding pretty good. He wasn't happy with one of the flute's eighth notes; we were trying to go for the baroque method of slightly-long, slightly-short (there's a French term for it which I can't remember it). Anyway, he felt her eights sounded too much like triplets. It was just a brief pause and we restarted.

All else went quite well, IMO. Like I said, we played much of it better than ever before.

It was recorded! And if you are curious the recordings are here: UVCO Spring Concert 2019

If you do have a listen, keep in mind we are a community orchestra with most of us holding full-time jobs and a good share of us with gray hairs. We had twelve weeks of rehearsals but missed a few due to weather so we probably had 10 rehearsals in all.

That is so cool Bernard. I will listen to this later today.

P.S. "Andrews, Ice.mp3" and "JCB Sinfonia D maj.mp3" are performed by the youth orchestra made up of about a dozen performers. "Ice" was written by one of the violin players, 12 year old Andrews. He wrote it about the situation at the US/Mexican border last summer.

Something to look forward to listening to later this afternoon! It's going to be nice and warm and I plan to sit in our three season room and watch the grass get green while I listen to some tunes.

That’s wonderful, Bernard! Making music with other people is so rewarding. I’ve always liked it more than playing alone.

Oh cool! I am listening now while doing my lesson prep! Just getting started but the sound quality is great, as is the playing!!
Thanks for sharing this with us!!

Ok, I've only listened to the first one (Symphony 2-1) so far, but it is wonderful!!! It must be so fun to play in this orchestra!!! I will listen to the rest over the next few days, what a lovely gift!!!

I am so proud of you.

quote:

Originally posted by ShiroKuro:
Oh cool! I am listening now while doing my lesson prep! Just getting started but the sound quality is great, as is the playing!!
Thanks for sharing this with us!!

We had someone who has done sound before, and the LOH let him tap into their overhead microphones. The LOH staff was really nice to have around; they managed the stage, lighting, and all. A luxury for us! There is talk that it will become our new performance space. It makes so much sense because it is literally directly across from the school. The big thing is $, of course, but I hear there is some serious discussions going on. Hope so.

Listening now.

Very Nice!

Impressed I am.
Thanks.

quote:

Originally posted by ShiroKuro:
Ok, I've only listened to the first one (Symphony 2-1) so far, but it is wonderful!!! It must be so fun to play in this orchestra!!! I will listen to the rest over the next few days, what a lovely gift!!!

It is wonderful. Playing a stringed instrument with a whole group of strings is very special indeed. We are very fortunate to have Mark as our new conductor. He is brilliant and encyclopedic (small wonder: He has a B.A. from Yale, and Ed.M. from Harvard, and a Ph.D. from Princeton.)

That's sooo cool!!!!!

Remind me how long you've been playing cello?

quote:

Originally posted by ShiroKuro:
That's sooo cool!!!!!

Remind me how long you've been playing cello?

8 years, and I can't believe it! When I started, I committed myself to 6 months which turned into a year ...

Congrats, Bernard!

Please tell me more about Alexander Borodin?