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March 2015

29/3/2015

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It's been great to hear how much the orchestra has progressed during their rehearsals this month. Michael circulated CDs to everyone, and I think the players have enjoyed listening to the music, familiarising themselves with the more difficult sections, and making sense of how their own parts fit into the overall musical picture.
The programme as a whole gives the orchestra plenty of variety - elements of challenge, beautiful moments with sweeping themes and exciting climaxes. Suppé's Poet and Peasant Overture is new to most of the players I suspect, but they have enjoyed getting their teeth into it. It will make a great start to the concert, with some lovely opening elements for each section of the orchestra (and a beautiful cello solo). Working on this has helped the orchestra develop their skills in listening to each other. They also enjoy the excitement of playing the livelier sections (with great flurries of percussion), interspersed with the flowing dance elements - it is a real crowd pleaser!  Borodin's Polovtsian Dances is also an exciting piece - very vivid, with distinctive folk elements. Borodin certainly had a gift for melody and rhythm, and the players really enjoy this. The five sections of the Sibelius En Saga are also full of musical interest - everyone gets a chance to shine, (including a trumpet trio and a viola solo). This is 'a story' or 'fairy tale' for which we invent our own libretti - it is easy to imagine a hero who is on a quest that takes him through mystical sound effects, vales of sighing, thundering tumults, and grim pools of despond. And then the Swan Lake suite - well, it has been great to hear favourite movements - both the Dance des Cygnes and the Valse are amongst the best loved highlights of this work - maybe we have Walt Disney to thank for that! - and the players clearly enjoy playing well recognised pieces.
So, all in all, I think Michael has chosen a great programme for the players. There has been plenty to challenge them this term - lots of intricate note patterns; string players grappling with difficult cross-string bowing configurations; wind players counting ferociously; brass players struggling to find the right harmonics; percussionists being expected to show great dexterity and fretting about getting the cymbals on the right beat of the bar... you name it, everyone has had to work hard.
In the midst of it all Michael has been giving multiple complex leads with his customary musical command, singing the odd part here and there (I often wonder whether he will remember not to do this in the concert!) in order to keep the 'show' on the road. It's all coming together, but its nail biting stuff. Two more rehearsals before we hit the Sheldonian itself, and it's a pretty daunting venue. Let's hope the players don't get stage fright!! I'm really looking forward to it. If you had asked me three weeks ago I might have admitted to being slightly stressed out, wondering whether we were going to make it in time, but hearing them now I have faith in Michael and the players. I think it's going to be a great concert. It's such a fun programme, and I can't think of a better way to stave off those pre-exam blues! :)

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January 2015.

28/1/2015

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It's been an exciting month for TVYO. It was great to see the launch of our new website, and pleasing that the interest in this was so strong, with over 400 unique visitors to the site already.  We are hoping that this rising level of interest will translate itself into players who are keen to join the orchestra.
We have also been pleased to see more people interacting with our Facebook page, commenting on posts and photos. Hitting the '100 likes' was a positive milestone - a great team effort, with particular thanks to Mila Ferramosca for her help in rallying friends to support us.
Our Sheldonian Theatre Concert on May 1st will give us a great opportunity to take some much needed photos of the orchestra in action, and it will be fun to see those up on the website, giving a better impression of the orchestra than the current quick snaps taken during rehearsal at Larkmead.
More parents have joined our Committee and that is a really positive sign too - nearly all the Committee roles are filled now, and parents keep coming forward to offer their support for concerts and to help out at rehearsals.

But, I guess the best thing has been the new players that we have gained this term. At the start of term we had a number of new members join us from a range of local schools in Oxford, Abingdon and Wantage.  It has been good to see the viola section growing, and also a new cellist, and additions to the brass section.  It is vital for the orchestra that it continues to grow, so it is good that there are already enquiries coming in for September.



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    TVYO Chair

    Carolyn May has been Chair of TVYO since October 2014. 

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