The long weekend is over. It actually wasn't as crazy bad as I thought it would be, but it was a lot of playing.
Fortunately, what needed to go right did go right. The first concert (Saturday) was good. Not perfect, it had i's moments, for instance we took a few moments at the beginning of each half to settle down and find the groove, but other than that it went really well.
Sunday's concert was fucking amazing. Messaien's Turangalila Symphony was quite possibly, more than likely, the hardest piece as a whole I have ever performed. It was very modern, very rhythmic, and rather tough to fit your individual part into the sea of craziness that is the piece.
But, it came out simply bad-ass. I think everyone in the entire orchestra made some mistake somewhere, I know I did, and the low brass section had an all-together-now-get-off-by-a-measure moment. Fortunately, it was one of those rhythmic sections where as long as we stayed with each other, we could make it sound right until the next section. And it did. Hell, even the director had a couple of mistakes.
But just knowing that we are the second amateur orchestra to even attempt it since it was written is the early 50's felt great, and looking back on the performance, I'm stoked. I can think of a few individual sections that I personally could have played better, and had sounding better in rehearsal, but for a live performance, I could not ask for anything better. It was freakin' sweet.
Can't wait to read the reviews! And I'll just wait to see if we can get the video up on YouTube! so I can post it here.
Much more later! For now, I need to get out on the bike. It's screaming at me in the corner of my room here.
Fortunately, what needed to go right did go right. The first concert (Saturday) was good. Not perfect, it had i's moments, for instance we took a few moments at the beginning of each half to settle down and find the groove, but other than that it went really well.
Sunday's concert was fucking amazing. Messaien's Turangalila Symphony was quite possibly, more than likely, the hardest piece as a whole I have ever performed. It was very modern, very rhythmic, and rather tough to fit your individual part into the sea of craziness that is the piece.
But, it came out simply bad-ass. I think everyone in the entire orchestra made some mistake somewhere, I know I did, and the low brass section had an all-together-now-get-off-by-a-measure moment. Fortunately, it was one of those rhythmic sections where as long as we stayed with each other, we could make it sound right until the next section. And it did. Hell, even the director had a couple of mistakes.
But just knowing that we are the second amateur orchestra to even attempt it since it was written is the early 50's felt great, and looking back on the performance, I'm stoked. I can think of a few individual sections that I personally could have played better, and had sounding better in rehearsal, but for a live performance, I could not ask for anything better. It was freakin' sweet.
Can't wait to read the reviews! And I'll just wait to see if we can get the video up on YouTube! so I can post it here.
Much more later! For now, I need to get out on the bike. It's screaming at me in the corner of my room here.
VIEW 3 of 3 COMMENTS
And yes....unfortunately I am real.
Stopped off at home today on my way back from a doctor appointment. oN my way ack to work now. Beautiful day and I hate to waste it at work...Perfect weather for photos...WIsh I could go on down to Oaklands China Town...Theres two amazingly cool crosswalks that just got painted. I would like to capture them before they get all jacked up!!!