One weekend full of music

Summary

The website content discusses the author's experiences and passion for playing the violin in various orchestral settings, including regular and project-based orchestras.

Abstract

The author expresses a deep love for playing the violin, particularly within an orchestral context. They are a regular member of an orchestra and also participates in project-based orchestras, which are formed for specific performances. These projects can be intense, requiring the learning of complex pieces in a short period, such as a weekend. The author highlights the unique nature of project-orchestras, where musicians who are strangers come together and bond over their shared love for music. They also share personal experiences of playing in prestigious venues like Het Concertgebouw and the joy of performing for children. The author emphasizes the importance of making time for practice and the efforts required to engage in multiple musical projects.

Opinions

The author believes that playing in an orchestra, whether regular or project-based, is a rewarding experience that requires dedication and effort.
They hold the view that the first violin part is more challenging than the second, yet all parts in an orchestra are crucial to the overall performance.
The author values the connection and camaraderie that music fosters among musicians, even when they are initially strangers.
They consider it an honor to perform in renowned concert halls and find great fulfillment in seeing children's reactions to live music performances.
The author appreciates the learning opportunities that come with taking on different roles within an orchestra, such as stepping in as a concertmaster.

As I already have mentioned I do love playing the violin. I play in my own orchestra every week. I also play in project orchestra’s or I’m stepping in with other orchestra’s.

Playing the violin — or any other musical instrument — you have to make time for it to practise, but you have to make also can make time to play more musical projects. It all takes efforts.

Before I tell you more about playing in an orchestra, I want you to understand something about the orchestra playing. When you play in an orchestra every week, but your orchestra is going to do a project, it’s called an orchestra-project. When you play in an orchestra that comes together with one in a time, it’s called a project-orchestra.

Project-orchestra

Once or twice a year, I’m playing in a project-orchestra, Opus22, an orchestra that comes together twice a year for two days in a row in a weekend. In February this year, we played Sibelius second symphony. It was heavy. I always play the first violin (the first violin is always more difficult than the second violin part. But all orchestra parts are very important). The board and the conductor choose the music we play.

We don’t know each other when we come together that weekend, but the music connects together. Every weekend there are people who have played in earlier projects, but some people play in every project. Sometimes we know other people from our weekly orchestra. In two days we practise this piece and on the second day we play in front of our family as a rehearsal. But this weekend we rehearse a whole symphonic work. Thus your level must be good enough to learn a piece in one weekend with strangers.

In the past, I also participated in project-orchestra. Two times with ‘Het Groot Entree Orchestra’, in 2003 (I was 15) and in 2012 (I was 26). We rehearsed for three weekends a programme. In the last weekend on the last day, we had our concert in Het Concertgebouw. One of the famous concert hall in the world. It was an honour to play in this hall.

Orchestra-project

Music is everything to me. So when my orchestra organise a rehearsal weekend (this month) for a whole weekend, I can’t say no. I truly love music that much. This is also an orchestra-project I participate in. I have also a children's concert one day after Christmas. Giving three concert in one day for children. Seeing the joy in the faces of these children when they listen to music. that’s one of the reasons why I’m playing the violin and being a member of an orchestra. My face glows too when these little listeners enjoy the music I am making.

When I stepped in as a concertmaster, for me it was a project for a few weeks, but it was an orchestra who rehearse weekly. I have learned so much being a concertmaster for a few weeks.