I often go to the Cornell Orchestra concerts, in part to enjoy the music, but also to relive my own days in orchestra during my high school years. I always have a sense of nostalgia when I attend these student concerts.
The program included two well-known pieces, Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet and the Sibelius Symphony No. 2, but the first piece was unique. It started with what seemed to be the orchestra “tuning” to an A, but this was actually the beginning of a piece. At first I was confused, but reading the piece’s description in the program, I learned that this was the intentional beginning of this piece. I was glad that I hadn’t read the piece description, as I was pleasantly surprised. Overall, I enjoyed the remainder of the concert (particularly the harpist’s playing).
I was at the concert and I too found the beginning very interesting. It’s cool that you know which note they were tuning to – band usually tunes to Bb but probably different for orchestra.
I really wish I went to this concert. I too played in my school’s orchestra in middle school and it would have been a nostalgic experience!
Honestly whenever I’ve heard an orchestra tuning I always thought that it sounded pretty musical, and so it’s cool to read that someone actually turned that idea into a piece!
I think the first piece of the concert was the most enjoyable. Tchaikovsky’s piece was of course amazing; however, the first piece blended a lot of instruments together with constant change of pacing.