Rehearsal Notes: Oct 8

What we did

Sectionals Strings, Brass and Percussion worked with OSO coaches. Woodwinds worked with me on Candide and Tchaikovsky (trio of mov. 3).

Strings, WW and timp

We worked on movements 1 and 3 of Tchaikovsky.

Tutti (with brass and percussion)

Candide

Notes

Our concert is approaching faster than you think!! It's GO TIME guys! We really need EVERYBODY coming to rehearsals with your parts already learned.

Seek out recordings, follow along with your part, then follow along with a full score. You can find full scores in our Online Music Library (password is myplaymys).

Practice slowly. Make sure you cover everything and mark your parts with relevant information to you, such as cues, phrasing, fingerings, etc.

At this point, I no longer need to give you uber-specific notes other than:

1. Always know what your role is in any given moment in the music (melody? accompaniment? secondary melody? emphasis? rhythmic engine? etc, etc etc...). There is nothing more powerful than a thinking orchestra.

2. Always be listening. ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS.

3. Do what the composer tells you, unless the conductor tells you otherwise. Hopefully the conductor will have a good and valid reason. That is to say: PRACTICE the right dynamics, phrasing, articulations. PRACTICE pacing your crescendos and diminuendos, your ritardandos and accelerandos, and be ready to watch the conductor when playing these with the ensemble.

4. Woodwinds, brass: know when you should be blending with your section and when you should stand out.

5. Strings: ALWAYS play on the same part of the bow and with the same bow stroke as the section principals. Even if you disagree. If you have a different opinion, talk to your principal during the break or after rehearsal and show them what you have in mind. You should respect their decision regardless.

Now, for some tough love:

AT THIS POINT, WRONG NOTES ARE ONLY OK WHEN YOU MAKE AN ISOLATED MISTAKE. We all make mistakes, and that's fine. But if your mistakes are coming from lack of preparation, that's absolutely unacceptable. If you come to rehearsals unprepared, you're disrespecting your colleagues, you're disrespecting the music and you're doing yourself a disservice. You're hurting the team. So, practice! When you come prepared, rehearsals are enjoyable, you're more engaged and you learn a lot more. That's when you can really have fun and MAKE MUSIC!

Also, visit my previous posts to find videos and recordings of the pieces we are playing. There are so many resources at your disposal. Use them all!!

October 15: What to Prepare:

Everything!!

You will receive our rehearsal schedule from Chris on Thursday.

Also, we will have MYS Alum and conducting student Jonathan DeBruyn conduct the last 20 minutes of rehearsal under my supervision (Tchaikovsky).

See you Saturday!

Mr. Gómez.