Posted on April 7, 2026April 7, 2026 by mys-staff

SYMPHONY Orchestra Notes for April 12, 2026

Dear MYS Symphony Orchestra,

I hope you had a nice Spring Break and Easter weekend. I look forward to seeing you again this Sunday, April 12.

Before the break, we had some productive work on Beethoven and a great reading of Elaina Stuppler’s HEADLINES.

Please see below for our rehearsal plan for this weekend. Brass players: please look at the rehearsal plan carefully, and make sure you understand when you’re called based on each piece’s instrumentation. Let me know if you have any questions. Violin 1: note that you’ll work on movement 3 of Beethoven with Chien Tan from the Oregon Symphony. Please practice all of those exposed passages. Cello/Bass: you’ll work on the recitativos of movement 4 with Marilyn De Oliveira from the Oregon Symphony. Make sure to prepare.

Best,

Dr. G.

weekend rehearsals left before concert:

8

Recap – Sunday, March 22, 2026

5:30pm-6:45pm: sectionals on movements 2 and 3 of Beethoven
- Strings with RGR
- Winds/brass with Mr. Wakeley
6:45pm-7:00pm: break
7:00pm-7:45pm: tutti reading of HEADLINES by Elaina Stuppler
7:45pm-8:30pm: tutti work on movement 2 of Beethoven

Rehearsal Plan for Sunday, April 12, 2026

Arrival: 5:15pm – EVERYBODY SIGN IN IN CAFETERIA.
5:30pm-6:45pm: wind/brass sectional, string coachings on Beethoven.
- Winds/brass with RGR – Beethoven: movement 3 (cafeteria)
- Violin 1 – Beethoven: movement 3 (Chien Tan, music room)
- Violin 2 – Beethoven: mov 4 (Keiko Araki, annex)
- Viola – Beethoven: mov 4 (Brian Quincey, corner conference room)
- Cello/bass – Beethoven: movement 4: recitativos, letter K onwards (Marilyn De Oliveira, pavilion)
6:45pm-7:00pm: break
7:00pm-8:00pm: tutti – Beethoven, Mov 4
8:00pm-8:30pm: tutti – Tchaikovsky, Variations on a Rococo Theme.
- Note: from this piece, we’re playing:
  - Intro and theme
  - Variations 1, 2, 3, 8 and coda
  - Variations 4 through 7 are cut
- There are no trumpets, low brass or percussion in this piece
8:30pm – help reset the room and make sure no doors are left propped open.

MYS SYMPHONY Part Assignments, Orchestra Schedule, Repertoire, Audio Reference, etc…

A few small changes in our part assignments PDFs. Please review each page. – Find all relevant PDFs and links on the side bar of this webpage (or bottom of the page if on mobile).

Summer Volunteer Opportunity: “The Classical Northwest”

MYS alum Amir Avsker is organizing a new performance opportunity for local musicians this summer. From Amir:

“The Classical Northwest is a new music festival that will take place in Portland during the first week of August. The festival will include three orchestra concerts, masterclasses, and opportunities to put together and perform your own chamber music programs. Participation in the festival is free and will allow you to work with some of the most respected professionals in the region.”

A concert including Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 is scheduled for Sunday, August 2nd at 7pm at The Reser. Rehearsals 5:30pm-8:30pm on July 20, 23, 27 & 30. Dress rehearsal on Friday 7/31 at 2pm. Soundcheck on Sunday 8/2 at 3pm and concert at 7pm.

I will be playing principal viola for this, and I hope many of you will join. It should be fun. If you have any questions, please contact Amir directly: amir.avsker@gmail.com

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.

Bring your friends to 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. 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 for “one-off” violin, viola or conducting lessons. The lessons can be at the new MYS facility, 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)