The Santa Clarita Philharmonic community orchestra had its first rehearsal on February 5. This was a momentous event in bringing classical music to the SCV as 30 musicians came together at Rio Norte Jr. High School.
The first rehearsal represented a sight-reading challenge for the musicians, as they did not have advanced access to the music. Jeff Lippencott, our Music Director and Conductor, selected three works for the orchestras first effort: Brahms’ Variations on a Theme of Haydn, Rossini’s William Tell Overture, and the second movement of Dvorak’s Ninth Symphony. By the end of the evening, it was clear that we had the core of a really good orchestra.
The next week, although a few musicians did not return, the addition of some others gave us a group of 28 musicians. A week of practice was clearly evident as the orchestra started to sound like a cohesive group. Jeff added an original composition of his own, The Cowboy Suite, a medley of familiar Western oriented themes. The musicians responded admirably to this sight-reading challenge.
While the woodwind and brass sections are pretty well established, the orchestra still needs additional strings (violin, viola, cello, and bass) and French horns. Musicians wishing to participate can contact the orchestra at info@scphilharmonic.org. The Santa Clarita Philharmonic looks forward to presenting itself to the public in the near future.
For more information, visit www.scphilharmonic.org.
