Hi everyone,
Sunday’s rehearsal was enjoyable and productive. It was also a reality check on the 1st movement of the Brahms Symphony and the middle section of the 2nd movement of the Flute Concerto. Please continue to be strategic and responsible with your practicing. Below is a recap from Sunday 9/21 and our plan for Sunday 9/28, as well as other important information and reminders.
Best,
Dr. G.
Rehearsal Recap – September 21, 2025
- String sections had coaching sessions, and winds/brass had a sectional with Adam. We focused on the 1st movement of the Brahms Symphony. I enjoyed working with the 2nd violins, and was very pleased with our time together.
- The tutti portion of rehearsal focused mostly on the 1st movement of the Brahms Symphony. We read the whole movement, and went back to work on the exposition (beginning to the repeat sign, which we are *not* taking). This is a difficult movement. Let’s make sure all the solos in the winds and horn are super confident, and @strings: please be very diligent in your practicing with articulation, and have solid fingerings that will allow you to play with full confidence. @trombones – my adapted parts for you seemed to work well. Please let me know if you have any suggested changes.
- We also read the 2nd movement of the Flute Concerto. We all saw that the middle portion of this movement (in the style of a Venezuelan joropo) is VERY challenging rhythmically. Please work on this section a lot.
Rehearsal Plan for Sunday, September 28, 2025
[updated 9/23, 3:15pm]
- Arrival: 5:15pm – EVERYBODY SIGN IN IN CAFETERIA.
- 5:30pm-6:45pm – coachings and sectionals
- Strings and woodwinds with RGR in cafeteria – work on Brahms, Movs 2 and 3
- Horns coaching – with Jeff Garza – work on Brahms, Movs 2 and 3
- Trumpets coaching – with Joe Klause – work on Brahms, Movs 1, 3 and 4
- Low brass coaching – coach TBD – work on Brahms, Movs 1 (my adapted parts) and 4.
- 6:45pm-7:00pm – break (everybody back to cafeteria)
- 7:00pm-7:45pm – visit by Oregon Symphony Artist-in-Residence Simone Porter (!!!!) – she’ll play for us, and we’ll have a Q/A session with her. Learn about Simone here.
- 7:45pm-8:30pm – Brahms: movements 3 and 4 (low brass dismissed at 7:45pm)
- 8:30pm – help reset the room and make sure no doors are left propped open.
Brahms: 1st Violin fingerings from San Francisco Symphony
Our coach from Sunday (Eri) shared this with me. If you play 1st violin in the Brahms Symphony, feel free to check out these fingerings, and transfer them to your parts if you like them.
Register for Music Theory (there’s still time!)
Our intermediate and advanced Music Theory classes take place on Tuesday evenings, starting September 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.
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.
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 near the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall,
while I try to awkwardly hide a missing button from my jacket, which fell off right before the photo shoot
(August, 2025) | Photo by Sheepscot Creative