Hi all,

More sectionals this coming Sunday, this time for brass!

Last week (4/14) we spoke about rehearsal punctuality (arrive by 3:45pm!), and planning ahead when it comes to conflicts/absences. Please make sure to have our weeknight rehearsals on your calendars! (June 13, 14 and 15). These rehearsals are required, just like our regular Sunday rehearsals. You must communicate in advance if you have conflicts. Please and thank you.

Also, please remember that the main point of my sending rehearsal plans in advance is that you practice in advance.

Rehearsal Plan for Sunday, April 21

• 4:00pm-5:30pm: Tutti (except percussion), including tour guests
  • Castro: Portland Beauty
  • Oboe Concerto (no soloist)
• 4:00pm-5:30pm: Percussion with Kevin
• 5:30pm-5:45pm: Break
• 5:45pm-7:00pm: Sectionals
  • Brass w/ coaches: Rimsky-Korsakov, Moncayo if there’s time
  • RGR with everyone else: Rimsky-Korsakov

Happy practicing,

Dr. G.

From MYS Symphony Orchestra’s “Rooted” | March 3, 2024 | Photo by Richard Kolbell

Hi all,

Click here to view the required audition excerpts for our Seating Auditions due Wednesday, April 3 by midnight.

All parts can be found on our online music library. Password is playmys.

These auditions will be done by self-recorded video. Detailed submission instructions will be sent in the coming days.

The following instruments are exempt from submitting an audition (because there is only one “official” member of the section, or because there are already other processes in place): tuba, harp, piano, percussion.

Happy practicing!

Dr. G.

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From “Rooted” on March 3, 2024. Photo by Richard Kolbell.

Hi everybody,

Congrats on a very successful concert! Thank you for your hard work, especially during the last couple of weeks.

A special shout-out to our soloist Ian Ko, who absolutely smashed the Lalo concerto. Way to go! Another shout-out to Ethan Ferguson, who stepped up to play the horn solos in the Beethoven symphony.

Group shout-outs to all the woodwind soloists in Beethoven, brass players and ALL woodwinds in Tin Soldier; harps, piano and percussion in Pando; string principals in the whole concert; and strings and EVERYBODY for such sensitive accompaniment of the cello concerto.

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NEW REPERTOIRE

We move right into our updated spring concert program, listed below.

• Amir Avsker (YCP) – title TBD (tour repertoire)
• Gipps, Ruth – Oboe Concerto (mov 1) – Mia Hale, oboe (tour repertoire)
• Young Composers Project – Music for an Imaginary Cartoon (with short film projected on the big screen)
• Castro D’Addona, Giancarlo – Portland Beauty (tour repertoire)
• Rimsky-Korsakov – Capriccio Espagnol                                  
• Moncayo, José Pablo – Huapango (tour repertoire)

Touring guests will not play Capriccio Espagnol or Music for an Imaginary Cartoon.

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SEATING AUDITIONS – CAPRICCIO ESPAGNOL (for all regular SO members)

We will have seating auditions this term. We will use excerpts from Rimsky-Korsakov’s Capriccio Espagnol. Only regular members of Symphony Orchestra will play Capriccio Espagnol (no tour guests).

These video auditions will be due Wednesday, April 3. The list of excerpts will be communicated in the coming days, as well as submission instructions.

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REHEARSAL PLAN for Sunday, March 10

I will communicate our specific rehearsal plan and a temporary seating roster on Thursday this week.

Most likely, the first half of rehearsal will be spent on Moncayo (with touring guests), and the second half will be Rimsky-Korsakov. Again, I will confirm on Thursday.

Thanks, and congratulations again on the concert!

Best,

Dr. G.

Photo by friend of MYS William Gilliland

Hi all,

Click here to download a marked-up PDF with the hypermeter in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6, Movement 3. I strongly recommend that you transfer the hypermeter markings to your individual parts, especially around tricky entrances of solos.

Below is a good definition of “hypermeter” if needed.

Hypermeter is a perceived, metric organization higher than the regular meter (3/4, 6/8, etc.). Typically, each regular measure represents one “hyperbeat” in a “hypermeasure.” Quadruple is the most common hypermeter. In quadruple hypermeter, four regular measures combine to create one hypermeasure, but duple (two measures = one hypermeasure) is also common, and triple (three measures = one hypermeasure) is less common. Hypermeasures are typically perceived due to changes and/or repetitions that take place during that span of time. For example, if a passage contains a four-measure phrase and its immediate repetition, the passage can be heard as two, four-measure hypermeasures. Similarly, a four-measure phrase followed by a distinctly contrasting four-measure phrase can produce the same result. Like regular meter, hypermeter tends to be mostly the same throughout a work, but irregular lengths can occur (typically due to phrase expansion techniques). Some pieces may not have a perceivable hypermeter. More here.

Best,

Dr. G.

Hi everyone,

It’s concert week!! Time to focus and have extremely efficient and strategic practicing. Below is our rehearsal plan for the week.

• Reminder: EVERYBODY should arrive 15 minutes before the posted rehearsal time. Percussionists should arrive even earlier to set up.

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[Thursday, Friday and Saturday rehearsals at All Saints]

Thursday, Feb 29

• 7:00pm-8:00pm: Pando
• 8:00pm-8:15pm: break
• 8:15pm-9:30pm: Beethoven, movs 1 (recap), 2 and 5

Friday, March 1

• 7:00pm-7:45pm: Tin Soldier
• 7:45pm-8:15pm: Lalo
• 8:15pm-8:30pm: break
• 8:30pm-9:30pm: Beethoven, movs 3, 4 and 1 (exposition)

Saturday, March 2

• 7:00pm-7:25pm: Tin Soldier
• 7:25pm-7:50pm: Lalo
• 7:50pm-8:00pm: Break
• 8:00pm-8:20pm: Pando
• 8:20pm-9:30pm: Beethoven (all movements)

Sunday, March 3

• 2:00pm: Call time at Newmark Theatre for percussionists and Group Managers
• 2:30pm: Call time at Newmark Theatre for all other performing musicians
• Please see all details in our call sheet.

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Practice smart! See you Thursday,

Dr. G.

Photo by Richard Kolbell – “Just Jimmie” Concert, Jan 9, 2024

Hi all,

It’s one week before our concert. It’s time to be practicing EVERYTHING, and listening constantly to recordings of the music we are performing (when available, like Beethoven and Lalo).

• Reminder: EVERYBODY should arrive by 3:45pm. Percussionists should arrive even earlier to set up.

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Rehearsal Plan for Sunday, February 25

• 4:00pm-5:30pm – Percussionists with Kevin
• 4:00pm-5:00pm – Lalo Cello Concerto (with Ian)
• 5:00pm-5:30pm – Pando

5:30pm-5:45pm – Break

• Tutti (including percussion and all brass)
  • 5:45pm-6:30pm – Beethoven, movs 3, 4
  • 6:30pm-7:00pm: – Tin Soldier

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Practice everything! See you on Sunday.

Best,

Dr. G.

Photo by Richard Kolbell – “Just Jimmie” Concert, Jan 9, 2024