From Quartet to Chamber Orchestra - A Search for New Pieces!

September 24, 2010 at 5:26 PM

Today, like any Friday, after school I went to 'orchestra practice.' It is just our small school string orchestra that has been going for quite some time. Four years ago, there were 21 in the string orchestra - 6 cellos, 4 violas, 5 second violins and 5 first violins. Two years ago, it was down to 2 cellos, a viola, 3 seconds and 4 firsts. This year, it was down to a mere one viola, 2 seconds and 2 firsts.

It saddens me that there are no pupils from primary schools coming up who can play stringed instruments. It seems to have been a sudden surge of brass that has taken over our school instead. In the area I live in, string teachers are sparse.

So, we decided to do something about our strings! Instead of abandoning the strings all together, we have added some woodwind, percussion and a piano or two. Today was our very first practice. And it was brilliant! Adding just one flute, a clarinet, a trumpet (brass, I know) and some percussion has brought our string (now chamber) orchestra back to life!

Today we practised some 19th century music and it went fairly well! A new twist with the clarinet worked surprisingly good!

Now is my hunt for some good music. If anybody has got any suggestions, please comment! Most music will do - even if it orchestral - we can see about possibly adapting it!

From Elaine Yong
Posted on September 25, 2010 at 11:38 AM

Hi Eloise! I can relate to your story.. turning up to orchestra rehearsals after school. I'm in high school myself, I'm a member of my school orchestra. But, I never knew the world had a 'shortage' of violinists until about last year perhaps. It's probably because there are so many string players at my school. Well.. String players excluding violas. Is the shortage because there are so many more violinists required in an orchestra as compared to say, the flute?

I hope your orchestra really works out for you all. A really fun orchestral piece is pirates of the Caribbean.. the cello solo is awesome! The orchestral version trumps the band version, easily! We're currently playing the overture of Rossini's thieving magpie. The first violin part is a nightmare at the piu mosso and the 2nds part is dead boring, but the violas have a good balance of everything.. I just talked my conductor into letting me play the viola! I think I know what I want for my next birthday... viola! =)

I love reading your blogs, keep it up! Elaine

From Eloise Garland
Posted on September 28, 2010 at 5:39 PM

Hello Elaine! Thanks for your suggestions! I'll be sure to pass them on to my teacher in school :)

I'm not sure what did create the shortage in string players around here really - it's probably because the area I'm in literally has NO string teachers what so ever. I had to travel for over an hour every weekend just to get to my violin teacher, and an hour or so back too.

What there is is brass teachers, and plenty of them too! Which would probably explain the huge influx of brass players in our school. There are over 200 of them!!

Thanks for the well-wishes for the orchestra, I'm sure it will work out well!

Take care,

-Eloise.

This entry has been archived and is no longer accepting comments.

From Quartet to Chamber Orchestra - A Search for New Pieces!

Subscribe

Laurie's Books