The thread was posted on Saturday, so I'll document my adventures from then.
Last week I'd signed up for Saturday's Durham Music Service Friends, Supporters and Alumni Day. They organised three separate groups: a scratch orchestra, a scratch big band and a scratch choir. I felt ambitious and registered for all three.
I couldn't attend the day last year, so I didn't know what to expect.
I played piccolo in the very small orchestra (3 violins, 1 viola, 1 piccolo, 1 french horn, 2 cellos and 1 piano to tie everything together). We played through three pieces: habanero (from Carmen), Bobby Shafto, and Hungarian Dance no 5 (Brahms), and all was well.
Next was the scratch big band, but it turned out that they were a regular and well-seasoned band with 2 noobs sitting in for the occasion. I sat in with the second alto sax, who was very nice. I managed to play some parts in most of the pieces, picking passages that seemed manageable, sitting out when it was too overwhelming. I felt almost sick when they put Gerry Mulligan's Walk On The Water on the stand, as it had 6 sharps. I played what I could. What was most jarring was the breakneck speed everything is played at. It was a very humbling experience.
I felt a bit deflated afterwards, but fortunately the big band wasn't playing in the concert in the evening. The choir went all right and among the pieces practised was the gospel standard Joshua Fit The Battle Of Jericho.
The concert in the evening also had performances of the Durham youth orchestra and the Durham youth choir, and it was lovely to hear the young talent.
In the evening I was exhausted, but I brought a song at the weekly seasonista open mic.
Sunday evening I arranged my SOTU 592 entry, which I recorded and posted this morning.
New week, new projects ...
