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Concert week(1) –Working with the Conductor

I sing with an amateur chorus, but one that occasionally performs with professional orchestras.  It’s quite an honor; one that we try to live up to. 

The process of rehearsing for a concert with an orchestra is a bit unusual–compared to other kinds of music making.  We spend a long time rehearsing with chorus director.  That’s where we’re working on ensemble, diction,  expression–trying to get the general shape of the piece pulled together.

Then, we’re turned over to the orchestra conductor, usually for a final rehearsal or two just before the concert.  We hope that the conductor and the chorus director have been communicating, because there isn’t a lot of time to make major changes.

At one point in the past, at the first rehearsal with the conductor, we spent over an hour on the first five pages of the music [out of almost 200].  I came away a bit shocked by the difference in what he wanted from how our director had prepared us. We talked about it afterward, and all of us were really astonished.

But that was then.

This week, we’ve had two rehearsals with the orchestra conductor, as we’re headed for a performance of Karl Orff’s Carmina Burana.  It’s a tremendously exciting piece to hear–though occasionally a bit repetative.  It’s based on a series of medieval poems about Fate, Spring, Eating and Drinking, and Love.  The music is quite twentieth century–interesting rythyms and pungent harmonies–while still trying to suggest medieval music.

Fortunately, the conductor and the chorus director seem to have been communicating effectively.  So there were only a few tweaks in pronounciation and expression from these rehearsal.  And the chorus has a good idea of how he conducts in those spots where the music shifts gears–those are the places where wrecks can happen.

Today is rehearsal with orchestra; then performance tomorrow.  It’s an exciting time.



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