SYS-CMW Week II

Second great week of SYS-CMW 2010. This year, we had guest composer (and good friend) Zack Stanton join us for the premiere of the work we commissioned, Ascend. On Monday, we sounded horrible. On Wednesday I sent them home with no dinner. On Thursday morning (Zack's first day in California and first time hearing us perform), I was somewhat annoyed and embarrassed because somehow we sounded even worse...by Thursday afternoon, with a little yelling and personal threats (PG-rated) from me and a run-through with faculty assisting, the piece actually started to sound good. By the first of three concerts, starting on Friday, I was thoroughly amazed at how good the orchestra sounded and it only got better from there. I hope Zack felt the same way!

Also special to the 21st year of the Sacramento Youth Symphony Chamber Music Workshop was the addition of 8 students from Jinan, China, as part of the Jinan-Sacramento exchange program. (forced me to learn a little Mandarin for rehearsals!)

The repertoire this year for the orchestra included Zack Stanton's Ascend, an arrangement of the "Prelude and Intermezzo" from Cavalleria Rusticana by Pietro Mascagni, and Dvorak's Serenade for Strings. In addition, we had chamber group performances of string quartets, piano quintets, trios, and sextets by Brahms, Dvorak, Schubert, Mendelssohn, and Strauss. A lot of repertoire for one week's worth of rehearsals!

Below, some pics from yet another great week.


Faculty lunch on Friday (last day of the workshop)


Little did I know they would impress me the next day!


The kids from Jinan China with their director and Susan.


After the Thursday evening performances (Brahms, Strauss, Mendelssohn)


With Visiting Guest Composer, Zack Stanton and Director, Susan Lamb Cook


And with the Jinan Director


With the assistant coaches!


With some of the senior participants...GREAT players!


A hodge-podge


The full workshop: 70 participants, 16 faculty coaches and assistant coaches