Dear MYS Symphony Orchestra,
Thank you for a productive rehearsal and a fun holiday celebration on Sunday 12/21. Below is a recap of what we did, as well as a request during your break.
Best,
Dr. G.
Recap – December 21, 2025
- 4:30pm-6:10pm: Holiday Cookie Exchange and Play-Along
- 6:25pm-7:50pm: We spent quite a bit of time on the 2nd movement of the Tchaikovsky Symphony. Please make sure to practice what we did in rehearsal to optimize your retention levels. I was still beating in 5 during most of our work. As we continue finding more flow, I plan to go into two beats per bar (subdivision 2+3). We prioritized intonation, and I plan to continue being demanding in this regard.
- 7:55pm-8:30pm: we did some work on movement 4. Not much. We discussed how one of the most important elements in this movement is to push and pull together, as indicated by the incalzando and animando instructions.
Request for holiday break
Our next rehearsal will be on Sunday, January 11th. I will send an email on Tuesday, January 6th with a specific rehearsal plan.
In the meantime, and during your holiday break, please:
- Make sure to rest.
- Prioritize slow practice with metronome (for fast, difficult passages).
- Don’t forget about the flute concerto! Make sure to practice this one as well.
- Do a lot of listening! Find different recordings of the Tchaikovsky Symphony and listen to as many as you can, as regularly as you can. Familiarity goes a long way. Same for the flute concerto.
MYS SYMPHONY Part Assignments, Orchestra Schedule, Repertoire, Audio Reference, etc…
Nothing new this week. I’ll let you know as soon as get new materials for the YCP piece.
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 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 happy holidays!
Dr. G.
MYS Symphony Orchestra | Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, November 9, 2025 | Photo by Richard Kolbell