CONCERT Orchestra Notes – September 29, 2026
Dear Concert Orchestra,
I thought we had a great rehearsal on Sunday, September 27. Our selections from Bizet’s Carmen Suites are coming along nicely. Thank you for your continued practicing at home.
A reminder and heads up that this Thursday (10/1) is our fall term string coachings date with Oregon Symphony musicians. Arrive at 6:45pm for a 7pm start. We go until 8:30pm. Only string players are required. Brass and woodwinds will have their fall coachings during regular Sunday rehearsal times.
This coming Sunday, we’ll focus on the two movements we haven’t worked on yet: Intermezzo and Chanson du Toréador.
Please see below for more details.
Best,
Dr. G.
weekend rehearsals left before concert:
6
Rehearsal Recap: Sunday, September 27
- 5:15pm-6:30pm: sectionals – Strings worked with Vijeta Sathyaraj and Woodwinds & Brass worked with Adam Eccleston. We focused on Prelude & Aragonaise.
- 6:30pm-7:00pm: break
- 7:00pm-8:30pm: full orchestra rehearsal with RGR
- Prelude & Aragonaise: I led an initial read-through and did some light work on both of these movements. Felipe Araya conducted, with both me and Felipe giving input as we worked through both movements.
- Les Toréadors: we played through most of this movement, with an emphasis on keeping tempo and exaggerating dynamic contrast. Please remember to practice this movement with a metronome (quarter note = 126).
- Danse Bohème: we worked backwards (and mostly under tempo) from the end. This movement was in better shape this week!
STRING COACHINGS – Thursday, October 1
- 6:45pm: arrival and check-in
- 7:00pm-8:30pm: string coachings
- Spots in all movements of Bizet’s Carmen
- Violin 1 with Aidan Ip @ Fireside Room
- Violin 2 with Eri Ishigaki @ Contrabassment
- Viola with Raúl Gómez-Rojas @ Jazz Room (pls include mov. 1 #15)
- Cellos with Karen Shulz-Harmon @ Performance Hall
- Basses with Mariya-Andoniya Andonova @ Room 108
- Spots in all movements of Bizet’s Carmen
CONCERT ORCHESTRA – Rehearsal Plan for Sunday, October 4
- 5:00pm: arrival & check-in
- Sign in at the front desk and head to your sectional rooms.
- 5:15pm-6:30pm: brass coachings – work on most relevant passages from all movements.
- Horns in Jazz Room
- Trumpets and trombone in Room 206 (2nd floor)
- 5:15pm-6:30pm: sectionals – work on Intermezzo & Chanson du Toréador.
- Strings with Vijeta Sathyaraj @ Contrabassment.
- Woodwinds with Robert Wakeley @ Fireside Room.
- 6:30pm-7:00pm: break
- 7:00pm-8:30pm: full orchestra rehearsal with RGR
- 7pm-8pm: Intermezzo & Chanson du Toréador.
- 8pm-8:30pm: revisit spots in Prelude, Aragonaise & Danse Bohéme.
IMPORTANT REMINDERS
Audio/Video Reference Playlist
I’ve created a YouTube playlist that you can use as a resource to listen to our repertoire. This playlist is linked on the side bar of this page (or at the bottom if you’re on a mobile device).
Please use it! Or even better: use it and find even more recordings by different orchestras and conductors. The more you listen to our repertoire, the better you’ll understand the big picture of the music.
MYS Online Music Library
All parts are available on our website as PDF files. Please go to our Online Music Library. It is linked on the side bar of this page (or at the bottom if you’re on a mobile device). The password is playmys.
This is useful if you lose your hard copies and need to print fresh ones at home, or if you want to use a digital device (like an iPad with a Bluetooth page turning pedal).
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 violas, basses, brass and percussion.
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 MYS, 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!
Dr. G.
MYS Musicians saying YAY! | 8/30/26 | Photo by Sheepscot Creative