MCYO | Conductors’ Musings From Jorge Orozco, Conductor of Preparatory Strings and Chamber Strings After a wonderful joint concert at the Georgetown Visitation School in Washington DC on February 1st, Prep Strings and Chamber Strings started getting ready for their March concerts. Both orchestras are showing a high level of musicianship and preparation during rehearsals and performances. The March 17 concert will give PS and CS the opportunity to showcase new music in their repertoire. Composers will include Handel, Bartok, and John Williams. Many thanks to our orchestra managers, Mrs. Peterson and Mrs. Fong, and to all the volunteer parents that worked so hard in preparation and during the Georgetown Visitation concert. The MCYO master string quartet performed in this concert; more to come in March 17!
Concert at Georgetown Visitation School
From David Levin,
Conductor of Chamber Orchestra
Having taken over the conducting duties of the Chamber Orchestra since December, I have really enjoyed getting to know a new group of musicians. I imagine it must be challenging for the students in that they must learn to adapt to the different teaching approach and conducting styles of another person on the podium. As a conductor, my challenges are to familiarize myself with the personalities and abilities of the musicians and the orchestra as quickly as possible in order to make rehearsals run smoothly and progress rapidly towards a successful concert. As the
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Tempo Newsletter
Wednesdays pass by, we seem to be adapting to the challenges and are pressing forward with the music as our principal focus. The repertoire for the March concert includes a well known opera overture by Gioachino Rossini, a multi-movement work by Robert Schumann, a composer from nearly the same time period as Rossini, and a very different Spanish work by the more contemporary composer, Emmanuel Chabrier. The orchestra is also working on a surprise selection that will be inserted into the program...you will have to be at the concert to learn more about that! As we progress towards the concert, the Chamber Orchestra has been privileged to work in sectionals with our esteemed cadre of coaches that MCYO is so proud to have helping our musicians. Also, professional violinist, Eric Chapman, from the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London visited a regular Wednesday rehearsal and provided helpful suggestions from his perspective as a professional symphony orchestra musician. Rebecca Henry, faculty member from the Peabody Conservatory conducted a Chamber Orchestra rehearsal. Her unique perspective as a teacher at the conservatory provided the Chamber Orchestra students with a number of ideas as to how best to perform our March repertoire. Finally, I would like to encourage our private teachers to spend some one-on-one time with their students on the Chamber Orchestra music. The orchestra will develop much more quickly and to a much higher standard of excellence when teachers can solve individual playing concerns during a lesson. MCYO always “encourages� (expects) students to bring their orchestra repertoire to the private lessons in order that the private teacher can assist with specific challenges that the student faces. To the students: I ask that you practice your music regularly. You must stay current with any and all improvements and changes made during rehearsals. I cannot imagine any conductor suggesting that a student might practice too much! Developing a well crafted and highly artistic student orchestra has always been, and must forever remain, a collaborative effort from amongst the students, parents, teachers and conductors. As we reach the midpoint of the 2011-12 season, I would like to encourage all parties to stay fully involved with helping to polish ALL of our MCYO ensembles throughout the remainder of the season.
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