SOGO October Newsletter 2021

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CELEBRATE

STUDENT ORCHESTRAS OF GREATER OLYMPIA ORCHESTRATING LIFELONG PARTICIPATION IN THE ARTS

2021-2022

October/November 2021 | Vol. 22 No. 2

Much to Celebrate

s Ticketle on sa ! NOW

Sunday @ 4pm November 7 Washington Center Tickets: $8-21* Six & under free* 360.753.8586 *plus $4 WCPA fee

See pg. 2 for WCPA COVID-19 FAQ

season sponsors

Schubert’s unfinished symphony is composed in the historically dark key of B minor. Profundity, nostalgia, despair, and anguish all pervade the first movement, while the second gradually leaves this behind and finishes with a posture of serenity. Despite the fact that Schubert was only able to complete these two movements (a typical symphony contains four), there is a remarkable amount of emotion in this extraordinary work. The similarity of the arc from dark to light between these two pieces was not a conscious choice on my part, but is no doubt inspired by the current state of our country and world.

As I sit down to write this, I am struck by what a blessing and a privilege it is to be making live music again. It’s a rehearsal day, and I can hear the Debut Orchestra warming up down the hallway. A few weeks ago, I attended a Seattle Symphony concert at Benaroya Hall for the first time since February 2020. It filled my ears and my soul to be around such beautiful music after so long. I can’t wait for the first SOGO concert of the season on November 7, and I am confident that staff and students feel the same way. All four of our ensembles are preparing music that is sure to linger in your mind long after the last notes have died away. As I have wandered around rehearsals the past several weeks, I have picked up positive energy in every room. Our conductors and Teaching Artists are doing careful, nurturing work with the students as we all re-learn how to play together after a year and a half apart.

Other well-known pieces on the November 7 program include Bach’s Brandenburg No. 3, a beautiful rendition of Amazing Grace performed by our brass choir, and operatic favorites by Verdi and Rimsky-Korsakov. Additionally, the Debut and Academy orchestras will perform the final arrangements of their respective composition projects from the 202021 season, Debut March and Academy Waltz, as arranged by SOGO Court Composer Mark Thome.

The Conservatory Orchestra is playing two monumental works that explore a journey from darkness to light. Dvorak’s overture to his tragic opera Vanda and Schubert’s legendary unfinished symphony both start in profoundly dark places, though the two pieces could not be more different. Vanda Overture constantly shifts between the minor and major modes, a compositional device Dvorak employed in many of his works, including the first set of Slavonic Dances, composed just three years after this opera. These many moods culminate in a strident and noble march in G major. Fans of Dvorak’s Slavonic Dances and eighth symphony are sure to enjoy this rarely-heard overture as well.

If all that wasn’t enough, the concert will conclude with an upbeat version of the Kool and the Gang song Celebration

Meet “Coda”

that is sure to be stuck in your head for hours. You can hear a rehearsal of this on YouTube. Get your tickets now to see the results of many hours of hard work by our students and staff.

Newest member of the SOGO family! Mr. May is a first-time pet owner! He acquired this adorable gray kitty at the end of September. For help naming her, Mr. May enlisted the entire Conservatory Orchestra. Each section came up with a name suggestion, and a run-off vote resulted in the name “Coda”. STUDENT ORCHESTRAS OF GREATER OLYMPIA

LEAD • INSPIRE • PERFORM •

SOGO Music Director

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