The Philharmonic Orchestra performed its first concert of the season Sept. 11 with Arthur Fagen conducting in the Musical Arts Center. With limited time to prepare in comparison to other full-length performances, the Philharmonic concentrated its repertoire into fewer rehearsal dates.
Principal trumpeter Jack Smid said the timing of the concert affected the musical approach during preparation.
“You’ve got to come in more prepared, and you have to be excited to be there,” Smid said. “When you’re in a crunched amount of time, there’s a lot of different pressures that are thrown on you, and you have to learn how to balance them the best that you can.”
The concert began at 8 p.m. with Rossini’s Overture to “Guillaume Tell,” which opened with a cello solo performed by Hannah Scarborough in a legato style. Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5 in E minor followed, featuring several notable solos, such as the introducing melody lead by French horn followed by oboe and English horn.
In addition to the Philharmonic, the backstage crew began preparing in advance for performances to allow the Symphony time to rehearse on stage as a complete ensemble. This allows the musicians to adjust to the different acoustics of each performance hall before the final performance.
“The veteran stagehands know how to set up within 45 minutes,” Bryce Carson, a stagehand for the Musical Arts Center, said. “A difference in this performance would be the risers that are on the stage, so it really doesn’t impact us that much with (the performance) being earlier.”
The next performance will allow more time for vocal performers to practice during rehearsals. The Philharmonic Orchestra will share the stage for Wagner’s Parsifal on Nov. 10, 13 and 16.
