Autumn 2020 online projects
After our successful first online project on the finale of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, we’re pleased to announce more projects for the autumn.
Each workshop will last 60-90 minutes and will be run twice: once on a weekend day and once on a weekday evening. You need only attend one of each workshop. The first workshop of each project is more suited to those who have less orchestral experience and/or have not played the work before. For more details of how the workshops work, please see this news item.
The workshops are free (though you can make a donation to APO here, if you like). You don’t have to be an APO member, but if you’re not we will ask you to provide details of your orchestral experience or name an APO member during registration so that we can check you’re not one of those rare nasty people who infiltrate online events for sinister reasons. If you’re under 18, you will need an adult to be present in the room with you for the entire workshop.
All the pieces we’ll explore may form part of future APO concert programmes.
Project #2 – Respighi – The Pines of Rome
Our most ambitious of the autumn’s online projects, with the timescale reflecting this. Pini di Roma is a virtuosic orchestral showpiece, scored for a large orchestra – everyone has plenty to do! With a terrifyingly difficult first 3 minutes and the rest of the piece being quite challenging without a conductor, our plan is to make this a long project, starting with the usual ‘nuts and bolts’ workshop in September, before devolving into a period of sectional workshops in October (for which we’ll engage professional tutors, if there is sufficient interest per instrument), culminating in bringing everyone back for a final workshop at the end of November. This will give everyone a chance to get their fingers round the notes and enjoy going for it on the final play through!
Details of sectional workshops during October will be published here, soon.
Project #3 – Mayer – Faust Overture
A contemporary of Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Brahms and other Romantic period German composers, Emilie Mayer’s prolific output, late in her life, has been largely overlooked for obvious, patriarchal reasons. Her Faust Overture is a superbly dramatic, satisfying play.
Project #4 – Mozart – Symphony No.40
By popular demand, a project exploring one of Mozart’s most famous symphonies, looking at just why it’s so difficult to play Mozart properly. Aside from complete technical security, what else can we do to create the perfect Mozart sound and style?
Project #5 – APO’s Christmas Cracker!
Put on your Christmas jumper, decorate your backdrop and prepare the mulled wine, as we get together online to play through arrangements of popular carols and seasonal music!