Imagine my utter glee when BBC Conductor Mark Eager invited me to hold a Strings Masterclass and then join his orchestra as Guest Leader with his Cardiff University Cardiff University Symphony Orchestra - CUSO yesterday!
We drove from Salisbury to Cardiff through the English and Welsh countryside in his Jaguar Convertible with the top down!
We arrived to the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama concert hall and had afternoon tea before the rehearsals. The Cardiff University Orchestra students were bright, talented, energetic, and so very eager to learn and therefore were wonderfully receptive to my ideas!
After the Masterclass for the Strings students, in which we covered the orchestral techniques and qualities as expected of professionals - using the music of Beethoven's great 9th Symphony as my backdrop- Mark invited me to sit in as Guest Leader for the full orchestra rehearsal. We ran through their upcoming German Tour Programme- with a sensitive and singing rendition of Dvorak's 8th Symphony, Mendelssohn's Hebrides Overture, and a world premier lush string piece by Morfydd Owen that would make any listener melt.
I was in my element and loved every minute. Thank you to Leader Nia-Bethan Squirrell for graciously giving up her Leader chair to me for the evening, to the Cardiff University Orchestra for their willingness to learn and take on board my ideas and leadership style, and especially to Mark Eager for his invitation.
It was an honor and a joy to work together with you Mark, under your baton. You are an inspiration to me and thank you for a great musical evening I shall treasure.
We drove from Salisbury to Cardiff through the English and Welsh countryside in his Jaguar Convertible with the top down!
We arrived to the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama concert hall and had afternoon tea before the rehearsals. The Cardiff University Orchestra students were bright, talented, energetic, and so very eager to learn and therefore were wonderfully receptive to my ideas!
After the Masterclass for the Strings students, in which we covered the orchestral techniques and qualities as expected of professionals - using the music of Beethoven's great 9th Symphony as my backdrop- Mark invited me to sit in as Guest Leader for the full orchestra rehearsal. We ran through their upcoming German Tour Programme- with a sensitive and singing rendition of Dvorak's 8th Symphony, Mendelssohn's Hebrides Overture, and a world premier lush string piece by Morfydd Owen that would make any listener melt.
I was in my element and loved every minute. Thank you to Leader Nia-Bethan Squirrell for graciously giving up her Leader chair to me for the evening, to the Cardiff University Orchestra for their willingness to learn and take on board my ideas and leadership style, and especially to Mark Eager for his invitation.
It was an honor and a joy to work together with you Mark, under your baton. You are an inspiration to me and thank you for a great musical evening I shall treasure.
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