Hi everyone,
Thanks for a productive rehearsal on Sunday 9/14. Please see below for a rehearsal recap, rehearsal plan for 9/21 and more.
Cheers,
Dr. G.
Rehearsal Recap – 9/14/25
- We had our first set of sectionals: the winds were with Adam and the strings were with me. Strings worked on the 4th movement of Brahms, from the beginning to around letter N.
- The tutti portion of rehearsal focused on Brahms (4th mov), from letter N to the end. We also read the first movement of Giancarlo’s flute concerto. I thought it was a pretty good read-through! Please continue to familiarize yourselves with this movement, particularly the rhythmically challenging elements. @Woodwinds: I owe you a simplified version of the rhythm at letter L. I’ll get to that soon, but in the meantime, try to wrap your heads around that passage on your own.
Rehearsal Plan for Sunday, September 21, 2025
- Arrival: 5:15pm – EVERYBODY SIGN IN IN CAFETERIA.
- 5:30pm-6:45pm – string sections will have coachings (each section will have a coach); winds/brass will have a regular sectional with Adam Eccleson in the cafeteria.
- Please focus on Brahms: movement 1 – practice and listen to recordings!
- 6:45pm-7:00pm – break (strings: come back to cafeteria)
- 7:00pm-8:00pm – Brahms: movement 1
- 8:00pm-8:30pm – Castro D’Addona: movement 2 – just as last week, please practice this at home. Listen to the music as part of your preparation. Use my YouTube playlist for reference.
- 8:30pm – help reset the room and make sure no doors are left propped open.
Need celesta (piano) player for Castro
If anybody in the orchestra is a highly advanced piano player, and you’d like to play the celesta part in the Flute Concerto, please let me know! I’d love to fill this part with someone who’s already in the orchestra. Here’s the part for your perusal. —- Or, alternatively, if you have a friend at school who is a great piano player, please give me their name and email and I’ll reach out with an invitation.
MYS SYMPHONY Part Assignments, Orchestra Schedule, Repertoire, Audio Reference, etc…
No updates to any of these documents this week. Be sure to visit the YouTube playlist (especially for Giancarlo’s piece, in this case). Feel free to create your own playlists on your favorite streaming service. The important thing is that you LISTEN regularly and frequently.
PDF Practice Parts
If you lose your part, or need to access a digital copy for any reason, you can find one in our Online Music Library. Look for the button “S.O. Music Library” on the sidebar or the bottom of this blog page. The password is playmys.
Register for Music Theory
Our intermediate and advanced Music Theory classes take place on Monday or Tuesday evenings, starting September 29 or 30. This class is STRONGLY recommended for everyone. More information and registration here.
Reminder: Concerto Competition
This is coming fast!! The first deadline for pre-approval is Monday, October 6. You must email me with your music selection(s) by this date. This webpage on our website has all you need to know about our Concerto Competition. I hope many of you will participate. Your completed forms (registration and teacher approval) are due by Wednesday, October 8. Video entries are due Friday, October 10, and the live final round is October 24.
Recruit for MYS
If you have friends at school who would enjoy playing with us, send me their name and email and I’m happy to reach out. Or, you could give them my email. Right now, in this orchestra, we could use more percussionists, french horns and one trombone. Concert Orchestra has openings too.
Availability for private lessons
I don’t take long-term regular private students, but this season I will have some availability on Monday afternoons for “one-off” violin, viola or conducting lessons. The lessons can be in person at my home studio in SE Portland, or via Zoom. (I may also be available for private coaching sessions for other instruments, but my specific instrumental training is upper strings.) Shoot me an e-mail if you’re interested for more details.
Happy practicing,
(and don’t forget to bring a music stand on Sunday)
Dr. G.
MYS students at the Keller Fountain (August, 2025) | Photo by Sheepscot Creative