July 11, 2005 at 1:55 AM

After hearing Beethoven's Eroica Symphony on the radio today I found myself on the net listening to a recording of Tchaikovsky's 4th symphony and it hit me; I really do love orchestral playing. For all the frustrations and things people say about orchestra musicians being failed soloists who are just settling for a career in an orchestra because they didn't quite reach the top of their field or get the breaks they needed, I can honestly say, I could be content playing in an orchestra. I'd love to be a soloist if I could and do solo recitals and play concertos with orchestras but that isn't why I chose to play violin and I would be equally as happy playing in an orchestra. I've really enjoyed getting to be the mentor student with the orchestra here this past year and a half. I've gotten to play works that as a kid were only a dream to hear live but now I've played them! Some of my favorite pieces have been Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition, Tchaikovsky's 4th symphony, Grieg's Symphony Dances, to name but a few! We also did some really neat more modern pieces this year too by A. Part and Hovahness.

I can remember as a small child, once, before I ever started violin, going to a symphony concert. It was a really cool experience for me and one I'll never forget. I can remember thinking that I'd love to be a part of what was happening up on stage. It was cool to listen to but I wanted to be part of that mass of people working together to create this wall of sound up on stage. Ever since then it has been a dream to play with an orchestra. I remember only a few years ago, before I had ever played with an orchestra a friend of mine (a cellist) and I went to a Pops Orchestra event and joked around about how one of us would be playing up there someday. We both kind of brushed it off saying that we weren't good enough but that fall I started playing with a youth orchestra and got to take part in an orchestral even that put over 150 string players from Western Canada and the US on the same stage. That summer, a year after seeing that Pops Orchestra play, my violin teacher said she had got a call and was wondering if I'd be interested in playing with that very same orchestra. My friend also ended up being contacted, and there we were. Both experiencing something that only a year ago we joked about not being good enough for.

Back to the first part though. Playing in an orchestra is one of the neatest experiences. Actually all different types of performances are really neat to experience but for anyone who thinks orchestral playing is the end and that it's your death sentence should think again. The feeling of playing with 60 (or more!) other musicians when you reach a climax in a piece or sitting in the middle of an orchestra and hearing exactly what Beethoven is doing as he jumps the melodies around from one section/instrument to another is quite amazing. When you play in an orchestra, you feed off what everyone else is doing. There's a certain sense of satisfaction you get from being so together with so many other people and the feeling when everything clicks and works is like no other feeling! I'm really going to miss not doing as much orchestral playing this year as I have been for the last few years.

*now onto other things...*

I've got all my packing done for Domaine Forget! I've managed to fit most everything into my one giant red suitcase that smells like Febreeze and new suitcase mixed together. I can't wait to see what my clothes smell like two days from now......
I can't believe it's not even 48 hours before I leave. The last couple weeks have gone by so fast. The only thing I'm a little frustrated with is my violin is now making an awful buzzing under my ear and it doesn't seem to be any of the usual suspects so I'm hoping my violin teacher can help me out with that tomorrow at my lesson.

I'm planning on playing Bach for my placement audition when I get there and then I'm signed up to work on the Barber concerto and Beethoven's 4th sonata. One of the teachers there is supposed to be excellent for Bartok so my teacher is also sending me along with the Bartok first Rhapsody. I'm certaintly not going to have any trouble finding things to work on with everything I'll be playing there and then my program for a solo recital I am doing when I get home. Should be exciting!!

Well I guess this is adios for the summer! I hope everyone has a good summer wherever they are and whatever they are doing.

From Pauline Lerner
Posted on July 11, 2005 at 3:39 AM

I grew up listening to orchestral music. My parents had it playing on the radio or the phonograph all the time, and they took me to free concerts (the only kind we could afford) whenever they could. To me, playing the violin meant playing in an orchestra. I started playing in community symphony orchestras when I was in high school, and it's been a life long love affair for me.

Have a wonderful summer. We'll miss you.

From Scott 68
Posted on July 11, 2005 at 1:08 PM

always a treat to hard from you kels

maybe in a few months youll be able to play saint saens 3 well that must be terifficly exciting

From Susan Jeter
Posted on July 11, 2005 at 5:08 PM

Kelsey, I, too, love being in the middle of the orchestra - I echo Pauline's comment about music being a life-long love affair.

My memories of orchestra concerts when I was a child was marveling at the patterns the right arm made when doing a lot of string crossings - and now, I still love the feeling of 'making circles' created by playing with a straight bow on a curved bridge...

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July 11, 2005 at 1:55 AM

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