Winter Concert

Yesterday was day one of a very Double Reedy Weekend as it was Orchestra Concert Day.  We only do 3 main concerts a year so it is quite a big deal which takes up the whole day as there is a final rehearsal in the afternoon before the final performance in the evening.

As I've probably mentioned before we are an unauditioned, "all comers welcome", amateur community orchestra with a wide range of playing ability.  So it is a challenge to bring it all together to make it sound good on the night.  I think the standard of the orchestra as a whole has improved even in the 3 years I've been involved and every programme feels like "the hardest we've done yet".  There was some very tricky woodwind sections in this one - especially for the flutes in the Vltava and for everybody in the Debussy.  But I think we pulled it off again (flutes did brilliantly).  I was rather worried on Tuesday as it was  sounding quite ropey in places, but some determined practising seemed to have gone in over the last 3 days and it sounded rather good last night.  I was very proud of how we played and feel lucky to have the opportunity to be part of it.  There really is nothing like playing music with other people.

I absolutely loved this programme, there is usually at least one piece per concert that I've felt ambivalent about, but this time I wouldn't have dropped anything.  I had some really lovely oboe bits to play, and I absolutely loved having the opportunity to play the Unfinished Symphony which is an amazing piece of music.  Special mention must go to our cellists who played spine tinglingly well in the opening.  Just beautiful.

Oh and I also won a box of chocolates in the raffle!

I actually feel quite sad that we are leaving these pieces behind and moving on to the next programme (yet to be announced)

Today I am off to a double reed day at the RNCM.  More on that later in the week.

Programme for Winter Concert 2012:
Mozart - Magic Flute overture
Schubert - Unfinished Symphony
Rossini- Barber of Seville
Smetana - Vltava (arrangement)
Debussy - Petite Suite (arrangement)