I'm playing with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra next month

[Chris]

Well, I'm back. It was awesome. I was fortunate enough to sit at the first stand, right up there by the conductor. Strathmore is a beautiful concert hall, and it sounded amazing. I remember getting out there and sitting down and thinking that I was sitting right where I saw Alfred Brendel give his last concert from in the United States last year, and where I saw Andras Schiff play Beethoven's Op. 31 piano sonatas and the "Waldstein", and where I have seen the BSO play many times. It was amazing to be on stage playing with them. And I even managed to play some of the right notes, too!

[susanwen]

This was an experience to cherish forever. Please tell us all about it. The very act of writing it out will enhance your experience, and help you to keep every detail vivid for you.

[Chris]

Well, I got there about 45 minutes before we were to start and signed in. Then I went backstage, which was pretty nifty. Got my instrument tuned, bow rosined up, and was guided out on stage to my seat, where the second chair violin usually sits. I was sitting there, warming up and thinking about all the great musicians I have seen play from that very spot. And I looked out into the beautiful concert hall, and just took in the sight.

Then Madeline Adkins, the orchestra's second chair violinist, came in and sat first chair as my stand partner. She was very nice, and I asked her some questions about being in the orchestra. Apparently, the BSO was her first job out of grad school, where she started third chair. That's pretty impressive!

Then Marin Alsop came out and we got started. She was also very friendly. She was cheerful and had a lot of energy. She talked to the audience and explained what we were going to do. Then we rehearsed the Tchaikovsky (Symphony No. 4, 4th movement). I was certainly not the best player there; clearly some of these "Rusty" musicians were music majors who decided to pursue more lucrative careers in different fields, so they were pretty good. But we took the piece a few ticks less fast than I was expecting, and having Madeline next to me to follow was a big help, so I hung in there and did OK! Some of the sixteenth note runs got a few notes skipped over and a some of the higher notes started out a bit out of tune, but no major problems. She worked on a few things with us - a slightly different attack here, more second brass instruments there, a slight accelerando at this part. Just covering the basics and few details.

Then we rehearsed the Elgar (Nimrod from the Enigma Variations), which was a pretty easy piece, so no real problems there, except running out of bow a little early on some of those long notes that were held longer than I expected. Since that one was easier to play, I could spare the attention to just take everything in, the awesome sound of sitting IN the orchestra, something that not even being there and seeing a live performance can equal.

Then we finished up with a performance of the Tchaikovsky, which went well, and then we stood up and enjoyed the applause. I shook hands with Marin Alsop and Madeline Adkins and thanked them for the chance to do this, chatted with them for another moment, and then went back stage, packed up, and met up with some friends and family who were there. My mom, my sister's boyfriend, and my young violin student and his mom where there. The boy seemed very excited by the whole thing, so I hope it will inspire him to practice more!

[Michael]

Bravo!

[Megan]

Wish I could have been there Chris!

[susanwen]

How marvelous! An experience of a lifetime. Thank you for sharing!
- Susan

[Bonn1827]

Chris, how wonderful! Good luck to you. I cannot imagine how hard it is to play violin - I had troubles enough with piano. I remember years ago singing St. John Passion with a university choir - AT THE BACK OF THE ORCHESTRA - and thinking how WONDERFUL THAT WAS. Lucky you!! Cheers, Sue aka Bonn1827