The warbling voice of a soprano clashes with a trumpeter’s mouthpiece exercises next door. A violinist squeaks through scales and arpeggios as a pianist thunders in a different key, the percussionists steadily keeping their own time.
These sounds are typical in the halls between the music department’s practice rooms, but when it’s time for orchestra rehearsal, the sounds unite to create music.
The University Symphony Orchestra, which has been around for more than 50 years, encourages student-musicians from all majors to join its artistic mission, said Jorge Perez-Gomez, the orchestra’s conductor for the past 21 years,
Its first concert of the season will include a mix of classical styles, from Beethoven’s eighth symphony to a Shostakovich cello concerto to a series of Spanish dances by Manuel de Falla.
The orchestra is composed of 60 student-musicians. All students interested in joining the orchestra must audition at the beginning of the semester and be accepted into the program. Students who are not accepted into the symphony orchestra can play in the second-tier orchestra, the Sinfonia.
The symphony orchestra performs about five or six concerts per year, and Perez-Gomez said emphasis on Latin American and Spanish music is not unique to its upcoming concert; the orchestra is known for this focus.
“In addition to doing traditional Eurocentric repertoire, we try to give the orchestra a special mission with doing music from Spain and Latin America,” he said. “Latin American countries were trying to establish an identity away from Europe to create a special sound with orchestration, with rhythm, with things that will give a certain identity.”
Violinist Cory McBride said Latin American classical music is more theatrical and flamboyant, whereas Eurocentric classical music is more subtle.
“There’s a lot of attitude when you’re playing Latin American music, and classically there is too, but it’s in a different way,” he said. “It’s not so obvious … You’re getting really loud and there are a lot of accents and there’s a lot of technique that’s there.”
McBride, a double major in music and biochemistry, said the orchestra provided him relief from traditional academic work but was also a challenge, especially because music majors rarely complete the program in four years.
“I’m being tortured this semester, but I’m juggling it, I’m not dying yet, it’s just a lot of work and a lot of time,” he said.
Violinist Michael Shu said he enjoys the orchestra more than solo work because when he plays alone he feels he must bring the whole audience into his emotional experience. When playing with an orchestra he has many others to help him achieve this goal.
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“It’s easier for me to play in the orchestra because I don’t have to bring everybody in at once,” he said.
Perez-Gomez said music is a unique art form that requires concentration and hard work, but is ultimately very rewarding.
“Music doesn’t really exist in time like a painting that is always there; it begins and ends,” he said.
Although classical musicians are immersed in this very specific musical genre, McBride said he appreciates all types of music, including pop and rap.
“We appreciate music, even if it’s just from a musician’s standpoint like, ‘Oh they did something neat with the structure,’” he said. “We can listen to a lot of classical music, but that’s not all. We aren’t anchored by classical music; I mean, I have Notorious B.I.G. on my iPod. Whatever sounds good is my preference.”
A Night of Spanish Dance
Oct 4
7:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Popejoy Hall
