Thames Valley Wind Symphony
2004-01-25@9:58 a.m..
Hello! Oh boy, my weekend's sooooooo busy!! Not only do I have my first Kaplan SAT prep course class today (it's from 2-5:30 because we're taking a full-length SAT practice test--wish me luck lol 'cuz I don't do well on standardized tests), but after school on Friday and most of yesterday was taken up by Thames Valley Wind Symphony rehearsals: (I'll tell you more about the symphony itself in a second) on Friday we had rehearsal from 4-9pm, with a break in-between for dinner (pizza). Yesterday we had rehearsal starting at 9am until lunch (pre-ordered sandwiches) and then we stayed there until our concert, which started at 1:30. I thought we sounded awesome overall, considering we'd just gotten the music on Thursday at our first rehearsal (we were supposed to have a rehearsal last week but it was cancelled 'cuz school was cancelled), but I think we would've sounded even better if we'd gotten the music earlier, then we would've had a whole week to practice!...anyway, as for the symphony itself: it's made up of some of the best musicians in Eastern Connecticut. Most of the players had made it into Eastern Regionals--I was the only flute player who didn't make it Eastern Regionals, but I had been so close (217 out of 270) that my band teacher put me there, last: 10 out of 10. But it doesn't matter, I was just happy to be playing with such talented young musicians. I was also the only flute player from Stonington, and I didn't have that many friends there (at least I had Jen to hang out w/). We Stonington players (all 13 of us) hung out together for the most part; I really didn't know anyone else in the band (from other schools), except this one flute player who takes lessons from the same person I do...We played four songs: Greek Song Suite (3 movements), O Magnum Mysterium, Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night, & El Capitan. My favorite songs were the last movement of the first song, & the last song. The second song sounded extremely beautiful, but it wasn't my fave; it's really easy, but I had a whole bunch of rests & I always worry about coming in at the wrong time (fortunately, I didn't do that at the concert). I really didn't like the third song--not just 'cuz it's really hard, it's also pretty strange & not a typical band piece. The structure of it is very complicated...well anyway, I think that's enough blabbering. Au revoir!