Orchestral Notes

Royal Festival Hall decorated for Christmas with the Eye in the background

The past few weeks for Brandon and I have been filled with lovely sounds of orchestral music!  I have really missed orchestra music in the past few years, being surrounded by band music in Princeton.  There is just something so much more expressive and intimate with orchestra music, that a wind ensemble just cannot replicate.  Don't get me wrong, I really enjoy band music too, directing the 5th grade band in Princeton is still one of my most precious memories!  But nothing compares to a beautiful symphony orchestra!

Last week we went to the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment (OAE for short...).  They are not your typical orchestra.  They perform on period instruments (so trumpets and horns without valves...wooden flutes...baroque oboes, etc.) and they offer performances in many different settings.  We went to one of their "The Night Shift" concerts.  It is aimed for students and young professionals, and those who don't enjoy the 'stuffiness' often associated with orchestral music....

The Night Shift logo on the wall, with Val's hand shadow

Our group at The Night Shift concert, Val, Brandon, Sarah, Manuela and me

The concert began at 9:00 in the bar area of the performance hall with an acoustic set.  He performed some singer-songwriter type stuff for a hour while everyone chilled and enjoyed some drinks.  We then moved into the auditorium to see the orchestra at 10:00.  The orchestra was already on stage, they were chatting with each other and warming-up.  We were greeted by the 'announcer' who introduced the orchestra and the first piece.  It was a Mendelssohn Concerto for 2 Piano-fortes, played on actual piano-fortes rather than the usual grand piano.  They then played Beethoven's 8th Symphony (one of his lesser known symphonies).  The entire time they performed without a traditional conductor.  In between each movement (which is usually a time of uncomfortable silence...) they allowed the audience to clap, and they had different members of the orchestra discuss what we were about to hear from the next movement.  While that can sometimes be patronizing (i.e. for little kids..."This is what the clarinet sounds like...") it was informative and interesting.  Following the performance, a DJ was set up to play in the bar area for another hour or so.  However by this point Brandon and I were ready to go home, as it was already 11:00 and on a "school night."  But overall, it was such a cool experience to see an orchestra in a new performance setting.  I love what the OAE was trying to accomplish with this performance and I hope to attend many more of their performances in the future.

The OAE with the piano-fortes in the front

Bus ride home after a great concert

Last night, I got to perform in the Goldsmiths Sinfonia Orchestra.  For the first time in four years I played principal oboe in one of the pieces!  It was Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliette Suite.  It's such an amazing feeling to perform again with an orchestra.  Thankfully, I have another chance to perform on Tuesday with the Goldsmiths Chamber Orchestra.  I will try and get a picture of that one, since we forgot to bring the camera to last night's performance.

And tonight, we will be seeing the London Philharmonic Orchestra performing some more contemporary pieces.  Their feature soloist tonight is Evelynn Glennie, who is a deaf percussionist.  I am super excited to see her perform, as she has incredible talent, despite the fact she cannot even hear what she is playing.  She uses the vibrations of the instruments to hear in her own way.  So cool!

I am very blessed to have all these orchestral sounds around me.  Stay tuned for our next blog post where Brandon will tell you all about his adventures with the shakuhachi flute!

Em