Hi all!!

Thank you for your work on Sunday, October 13. We did some good work, and we also learned that we all need to be quite a bit further along in our knowledge of the music as we currently are. Please (1) listen to recordings of our repertoire, (2) plan your practice time strategically and (3) practice with a metronome.

RECAP of 10/6 rehearsal

• We worked on Part 2 of Mazzoli. It went well.
• We worked on Tchaikovsky Romeo and Juliet. My hope was to play through the whole piece, but we were only able to make it to about letter [K],
• We worked on Beethoven and encounter similar preparation issues as with Tchaikovsky. We really need to step up our game! Our orchestra is as good as we all collectively want it to be, and I know it has the potential to be EXCELLENT. Know how the music goes! Again, listen to recordings (not just the same one over and over again, but several different versions). This will inform your practicing and your performance in rehearsal.

Rehearsal Plan for Sunday, October 20

• 4:00pm-4:30pm – Elishiya’s piece Innamorata
• 4:30pm-5:15pm – tutti: Tchaikovsky (letter K to the end)
• 5:15pm-5:30pm – break
• 5:30pm-7:00pm – Beethoven!! (entire piece)
• note: we won’t rehearse Mazzolli on Sunday, but please keep practicing it as well.

Reminder: LISTEN to our repertoire constantly

It’s always a good idea to find several different versions of each of the pieces we’re playing. Add them to your regular listening rotation. You can always start with the recordings that I’ve shared on the sidebar of this blog. The more variety you find, the more informed your own performance will be.

Reminder: Dress Check this Sunday

You’ll also get a reminder in tomorrow’s Weekly Announcements. Look for more details there if you need them.

Extra/replacement parts on the MYS website

• As always, you can find practice PDFs or print your own replacement parts on your Online Music Library. The password is playmys.

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Happy practicing,

Dr. G.

MYS Musicians photographed by Sheepscot Creative | August 2024

Hi all!!

I enjoyed our rehearsal on Sunday, October 6th. By the time we get to our next rehearsal (this Sunday, 10/13), we’ll be less than a month away from our first concert. Please continue planning your practicing very strategically, so that concert week is enjoyable and not stressful.

RECAP of 10/6 rehearsal

• We read the first draft of Elishiya Crain-Keddie‘s piece Innamorata. Thank you for your great reading and very valuable input for the composer. We will hand out the final parts this Sunday. The next rehearsal of this piece will be on Oct. 20.
• We worked on Missy Mazzoli‘s Orpheus Undone. We worked backwards from the end of Part 1 back to letter [X]. Good work on this. Keep practicing!
• SECTIONALS
  • Woodwind sections worked on Mazzoli and Tchaikovsky as needed.
  • Strings, percussion and brass worked with me on Tchaikovsky, focusing on the following sections:
    • Q to U
    • 508 to end
    • J to K
    • M to 367 (playthrough only)

Rehearsal Plan for Sunday, October 13

• 4:00pm-4:45pm – tutti: Part 2 of Missy Mazzoli‘s Orpheus Undone
• 4:45pm-5:15pm – tutti: Tchaikovsky (entire piece)
• 5:15pm-5:30pm – break
• 5:30pm-7:00pm – Beethoven!! (entire piece) — we need to make a ton of progress on Beethoven. Please practice and listen to recordings!

Reminder: LISTEN to our repertoire constantly

It’s always a good idea to find several different versions of each of the pieces we’re playing. Add them to your regular listening rotation. You can always start with the recordings that I’ve shared on the sidebar of this blog. The more variety you find, the more informed your own performance will be.

Reminder: Concerto Competition

The webpage for our Concerto Competition is now live. You’ll find all the information you need, including deadlines, rules and forms. The registration deadline is Monday, October 14. Video entries are due Friday October 18.

Extra/replacement parts on the MYS website

• As always, you can find practice PDFs or print your own replacement parts on your Online Music Library. The password is playmys.

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Happy practicing,

Dr. G.

MYS Musicians photographed by Sheepscot Creative | September 2024

Happy October!!

Thank you for your work on Sunday 9/29, and thank you to our brass coaches. Below is a recap of our rehearsal and our plan for Sunday 10/6

RECAP of 9/29 rehearsal

• We worked on Tchaikovsky: first, we read and worked from the beginning to the Allegro Giusto. Then, we read (and sort of worked along the way) on Allegro Giusto to letter [O]. Finally, we went back to the Allegro Giusto for some deeper work until letter [G].
• We did *NOT* work on Orpheus Undone on Sunday 9/29. I thought that we needed the extra time on Thaikovsky.
• SECTIONALS.
  • Brass sections worked on Mazzoli and Tchaikovsky as needed.
  • Strings and woodwinds worked with me on Beethoven. We practiced the presto, played slowly, worked on the syncopations. Then we read the Allegro until the first trumpet fanfare (with some light work). Beethoven still needs lots of work.

Rehearsal Plan for Sunday, October 6

• 4:00pm-4:45pm – tutti: readthrough of the first draft of “Innamorata” by Elishiya Crain-Keddie (YCP piece) – hard copies of parts will be provided at rehearsal.
• 4:45pm-5:30pm – tutti: Mazzoli, letter [H] to end of Part 1
• 5:30pm-5:45pm – break
• 5:45pm-7:00pm – sectionals (see below)

Sectional split for 9/29:

• Flutes – Mazzoli, Tchaikovsky as needed
• Oboes – Mazzoli, Tchaikovsky as needed
• Clarinets – Mazzoli, Tchaikovsky as needed
• Bassoons – Mazzoli, Tchaikovsky as needed
• Strings, brass, percussion, harp/piano – Tchaikovsky – Letter [G] to end.

Reminder: LISTEN to our repertoire constantly

It’s always a good idea to find several different versions of each of the pieces we’re playing. Add them to your regular listening rotation. You can always start with the recordings that I’ve shared on the sidebar of this blog. The more variety you find, the more informed your own performance will be.

Reminder: Concerto Competition

The webpage for our Concerto Competition is now live. You’ll find all the information you need, including deadlines, rules and forms. The registration deadline is Monday, October 14. Video entries are due Friday October 18.

Extra/replacement parts on the MYS website

• As always, you can find practice PDFs or print your own replacement parts on your Online Music Library. The password is playmys.

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Happy practicing,

Dr. G.

MYS Musicians | August 2024

Happy Tuesday!

Great work on Sunday 9/22. Thank you to the string coaches who worked with our sections. Below is a recap of our rehearsal and our plan for Sunday 9/29.

RECAP of 9/22 rehearsal

• Worked on Missy Mazzoli‘s Orpheus Undone, Part 1: Behold the Machine (O Death). We read the whole Part 1, then worked from the beginning until letter [L]
• SECTIONALS on Tchaikovsky. String sections covered:
  • Allegro giusto (m. 112) to m.164
  • Letter K to m.285
  • Letter L to m.307
  • Letter O to m. 368
  • Letter S to Letter U.
• Winds/brass/percussion worked on Tchaikovsky from the beginning to letter [O].

Rehearsal Plan for Sunday, September 29

• 4:00pm-5:00pm – tutti: Tchaikovsky, beginning to letter [O]
• 5:00pm-5:30pm – tutti: Mazzoli, letter [H] to end of Part 1
• 5:30pm-5:45pm – break
• 5:45pm-7:00pm – sectionals (see below)

Sectional split for 9/29:

• Horns – Mazzoli, Tchaikovsky as needed
• Trumpets – Mazzoli, Tchaikovsky as needed
• Low brass – Mazzoli, Tchaikovsky as needed
• Strings, woodwinds – Beethoven Leonore Overture: Presto (m. 514) to end; Allegro (m. 37) to m. 272.

LISTEN to our repertoire constantly

It’s always a good idea to find several different versions of each of the pieces we’re playing. Add them to your regular listening rotation. You can always start with the recordings that I’ve shared on the sidebar of this blog. The more variety you find, the more informed your own performance will be.

Concerto Competition

The webpage for our Concerto Competition is now live. You’ll find all the information you need, including deadlines, rules and forms. The registration deadline is Monday, October 14. Video entries are due Friday October 18.

Extra/replacement parts on the MYS website

• As always, you can find practice PDFs or print your own replacement parts on your Online Music Library. The password is playmys.

Violins for sale

I have a couple of full-size violins for sale if anybody is interested. Shoot me an e-mail and I’ll give you more information.

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Happy practicing,

Dr. G.

MYS Musicians | September 2024

Hi all,

Thank you to Mr. Adam Eccleston, who subbed for me on Sunday 9/15. I don’t expect to miss any more rehearsals! We will begin sectionals this coming Sunday, and will have them for the next three weeks in different combinations.

Rehearsal Plan for Sunday, September 22

• 4:00pm-5:30pm: Work on Missy Mazzoli‘s Orpheus Undone, Part 1: Behold the Machine (O Death).
• 5:30pm-5:45pm: break
• 5:45pm-7:00pm: SECTIONALS on Tchaikovsky. All sections should aim to cover the following passages:
  • Allegro giusto (m. 112) to m.164
  • Letter K to m.285
  • Letter L to m.307
  • Letter O to m. 368
  • Letter S to Letter U.

Sectional split for 9/22:

• Violin 1
• Violin 2
• Viola
• Cello/Bass
• Winds/Brass/Percussion – Tchaikovsky (whole piece) with Dr. G.

LISTEN TO “Orpheus Undone” as you practice for Sunday

Please listen to the whole piece and follow along with the full score. Here’s Part I and here’s Part II. As you read above, we’ll focus on Part 1 this coming Sunday (9/22). You can also find links on the side bar in this page (or at the bottom if on mobile).

Concerto Competition

A reminder that the MYS Concerto Competition will be earlier this year. Pieces must be approved by me (e-mail me with questions). They should be 10 minutes or shorter. More details will be e-mailed in the coming days.

• Friday, October 18: videos due for preliminary round (accompanist required)
• Friday, November 1st (evening): final round (with live audience)

Extra/replacement parts on the MYS website

• As always, you can find practice PDFs or print your own replacement parts on your Online Music Library. The password is playmys.

Program Note for “Orpheus Undone”

Orpheus Undone, an orchestral work commissioned in 2020 by the Chicago Symphony, is an exploration of two brief moments in the Orpheus myth – the moment that Eurydice dies, and the moment that Orpheus decides to follow his lover into the underworld. Constructed of two connected movements, Behold the Machine, O Death and We of Violence, We Endure, this work explores the baffling and surreal stretching of time in moments of trauma or agony. The movement titles come from Rilke’s Sonnets to Orpheus and this work uses small fragments of material from my 2019 ballet Orpheus Alive. 

-Missy Mazzoli

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Happy practicing,

Dr. G.

MYS Symphony Orchestra Musicians photographed by Mike from Sheepscot | September 2024

Hi MYSfits,

Great to see you on Sunday. A few notes below.

Rehearsal Plan for Sunday, September 15

• Mozart, Mov 1 – practice towards goal tempo: 132
• Read new piece: Jai Ho by A. R. Rahman

Updated Seating Charts (Fall 2024)

Mozart:

• Violin I – 1. Amir, 2. Esther, 3. Leena, 4, Raúl
• Violin II – 1. Rhea, 2. Oliver, 3. Seth, 4. Norah
• Viola – 1. Katya, 2. Soren, 3. Reed, 4. Kenji
• Cello – 1. Gavin, 2. Margaux, 3. Rowan
• Bass – 1. Colby, 2. Cyrus

Rahman, etc.

• Violin I – 1. Esther, 2. Leena, 3. Oliver, 4., Raúl
• Violin II – 1. Amir, 2. Rhea, 3. Norah, 4. Seth
• Viola – 1. Katya, 2. Soren, 3. Reed, 4. Kenji
• Cello – 1. Margaux, 2. Gavin, 3. Rowan
• Bass – 1. Cyrus, 2. Colby

Updated Schedule

Thanks to the attentive person who discovered an error in my original schedule. The Monday Musical Club performance is on Monday, February 3. A corrected PDF is here. I’ve also removed the All Classical live radio show from October. We’re exploring a couple of other dates in November and March. I’ll keep you posted.

[9/12/24 UPDATE!! – We’re confirmed for Thursdays at 3 on November 21, 2024. I’ve updated the PDF schedule on the sidebar of this webpage and will send an e-mail]

New piece: Jai Ho by A. R. Rahman

• We’ll bring hard copies of this new piece on Sunday. For the time being, please listen to the video linked below, and check our Online Library periodically for PDFs (they will be uploaded before the weekend). The password is playmys.

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Happy practicing,

Dr. G.

Hi everybody,

Great to see you again! Please read below.

Rehearsal Plan for Sunday, September 15

• 4:00pm-5:30pm: Tchaikovsky, Romeo & Juliet: beginning to letter [K] (goal tempo for fast passages for now: quarter note = 112)
• 5:30pm-5:45pm: break
• 5:54pm-7:00pm: Beethoven, Leonore Overture No. 3: Allegro (m.37) to m. 272. Goal tempo for now: half note = 100)

Optional Leadership Auditions due Thursday, 9/12

• If you’re interested on principal chairs, solos, or just want to show me your progress for future assignments, you’re welcome to send me a 3-minute video of your current best playing by the end of Thursday, 9/12. I will update our seating charts based on these optional auditions. Send your links to rgomez@playmys.org with the subject line “Leadership Audition.”

PDFs for “Orpheus Undone” now on the MYS Website

• As always, you can find practice PDFs or print your own replacement parts on your Online Music Library. The password is playmys.
• Missy Mazzoli’s Orpheus Undone is now on the online PDF library.
• Please listen to the whole piece and follow along with the full score. Here’s Part I and here’s Part II.

Program Note for “Orpheus Undone”

Orpheus Undone, an orchestral work commissioned in 2020 by the Chicago Symphony, is an exploration of two brief moments in the Orpheus myth – the moment that Eurydice dies, and the moment that Orpheus decides to follow his lover into the underworld. Constructed of two connected movements, Behold the Machine, O Death and We of Violence, We Endure, this work explores the baffling and surreal stretching of time in moments of trauma or agony. The movement titles come from Rilke’s Sonnets to Orpheus and this work uses small fragments of material from my 2019 ballet Orpheus Alive. 

-Missy Mazzoli

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Happy practicing,

Dr. G.

MYS Symphony Orchestra Musicians | August 2024

Hi everybody,

I hope you had a wonderful summer. Welcome back to returning musicians and welcome to new members of MYS Symphony Orchestra!! Also, congratulations again to those of you who were part of our Spain and Portugal tour.

I typically send e-mails to the orchestra on Tuesdays. These e-mails include specific rehearsal plans for the following rehearsal. This information allows you to strategize your practicing so you’ve already learned your individual parts by the time you get to rehearsal.

We’ll talk about this and more topics on Sunday. Please arrive at least 15 minutes before the posted rehearsal time.

Rehearsal Plan for Sunday, September 8

• 4:00pm-4:45pm (approx.): Introductions, welcome message, information about season, etc.
• 4:45pm-5:15pm: Listen to repertoire together
• 5:30pm-5:45pm: Break
• 5:45pm-7:00pm: Read Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet

Temporary Seating Chart for this Sunday

• A temporary seating chart can be found here (or on the sidebar of this webpage)
• Percussionists: We’ll have assignments by Sunday.

Optional Leadership Auditions due Thursday, 9/12

• If you’re interested on principal chairs, solos, or just want to show me your progress for future assignments, you’re welcome to send me a 3-minute video of your current best playing by the end of Thursday, 9/12. I will update our seating charts based on these optional auditions. Send your links to rgomez@playmys.org with the subject line “Leadership Audition.”

Practice PDFs on the MYS Website

• You can always find practice PDFs or print your own replacement parts on your Online Music Library. The password is playmys.

Happy practicing,

Dr. G.

MYS Ensemble during the 2023-2024 season

Hi all,

This message is for string players. I’ve updated our seating roster to include rotations for each of our 4 concerts, whenever possible. Please click the button below.

Dr. G.

Cellos!

Hi all,

Long day today! Great job managing your energy and keeping focus. Below is our rehearsal plan for tomorrow (Sunday, 7/7)

Sunday, July 7 – 2pm-4:30pm – arrival time: 1:45pm

• Check spots and transitions in:
  • Castro
  • Haydn
  • Freitas Branco
  • Bretón
  • Martin
  • Ives
  • Gipps
  • Moncayo

Sunday, July 7 – 6pm-8:30pm – arrival time: 5:45pm

• Beethoven only:
  • Mov 5
  • Mov 4
  • Mov 3 (no timpani needed)
  • Mov 2
  • Mov 1

See you tomorrow,

Dr. G.

Lisbon Festival, Portugal