Made it to Portland

March 25, 2006 at 8:03 AM

After a 10+++ hour drive from the Bay Area to Portland, I made it with cats and viola in tow last night. Got checked into the apartment and spent about an hour un-loading the car. It is amazing how much *stuff* you can cram into a wagon!

I went to listen to "my" new Orchestra play tonight. They were really quite good. They put the concerts on in the auditorium in a local high school that is one of the best I've ever seen. Quite professional. The house was packed - not quite standing room only.

Met most of the viola section (I will make violist #7 - never knew so many violist in my whole life!) and got the sheet music for the upcoming concert. Oh yeah, did I tell you that I'm in the Hillsboro Symphony Orchestra now as a violist? So for the Spring concert we are playing:

1 - Franz Lehar - Overture zur Operette "Die lustige Witwe" (goes up to 4th/5th position several times and right in the middle of 1/16th note scales up and down, got to figure out the fingering for those parts!!! there MUST be a better way!!!!)
2 - ML Daniels - Festique (seems pretty simple)
3 - Handel - Music for the Royal Fireworks Overture (yipee - fun one!)
4 - Motzart - Eine Kleine Nachtmusik - all movements (old time favorite)
5 - Dave Robertson (local composer) Divertimento (very odd rhythm)

Time to start cracking and learn a few new pieces. I'm really excited about this. I haven't played in an orchestra since high school, and well, that was a looooonng time ago. Rehearsals start the 3rd of April so I have 2 weeks to prevent myself from looking (or should I say sounding)like a total novice.

From Neil Cameron
Posted on March 26, 2006 at 12:21 AM

Congratulations Mendy. Glad you made it okay and it's great to hear from you.

Neil

From Terez Mertes
Posted on March 26, 2006 at 11:19 PM

Mendy - glad you get the two weeks before rehearsing instead of the originally "immediately" they'd first told you.

Congrats on everything!

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