SAVANNAH PHILHARMONIC
OPENING NIGHT: BRAHMS,
RACHMANINOFF, & DVOŘÀK
GABRIEL MONTICELLO
Freelance Classical Musician: Savannah Philharmonic Section member,
Principal of the Albany Symphony & Gainesville Chamber Orchestra,
Member of the Valdosta Symphony, The Macon Symphony, LaGrange
Symphony, and Chamber Cartel
Rock and Roll: Spaceseed, The Ghosts Project, The Nathaniel Johnstone
Band, Space Mirrors
Jazz: Alpier Experiment, Daddy-O-Strut
Recent Highlights: Dec 2011 & 2014 China tour with the Hollywood
Concert Orchestra
Oct 2013 New Orleans The Anne Rice Vampire Lestat Ball with Nathaniel
Johnstone and the Ghosts Project
Summer 2014 Wales UK Headline the Sonic Rock Solstice with
Spaceseed
WHAT IS AN ORCHESTRA?
A large instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass,
woodwind, and percussion instruments.
COMPARING AN ORCHESTRA TO SCHOOL
Homework
Classroom
Tests
Copies of music are sent to the musician
2-3 weeks in advance of the concert
Rehearsals
The performance
What we work on: Bowings/Breathing,
Tricky passages, Expression Markings
(often in Italian, German, French, or
Russian)
What we work on: Ensemble playing,
Tempo, Dynamics, Articulation, Balance,
making sure bowings match other
sections, getting used to sound of the
hall.
Each concert is a team effort and each
person must give 100%
COMPARING A SCHOOL TO AN ORCHESTRA
WHO ARE THE PEOPLE ON STAGE IN THE ORCHESTRA
Students = Section Members
Teachers = Principal Players
•
Responsible for bowings
•
Guides and directs section
•
Communicates with Conductor and other Principal players
•
Plays any solos in their section
•
Assigns divisions if needed
Assistant Principal = Concertmaster
•
Come to the rehearsals prepared
•
Follow the advice and direction of the Principal
players and Conductor
Principal = Conductor
•
Oversees musicians and directs all musical aspects including
Tempo (speed), Articulations, Dynamics (volume) through visual
gestures
•
Cues musicians entrances
•
Interprets composers works
•
Principal of the 1st Violins, plays any violin solos
•
•
Serves as leader of the orchestra under the
Conductor
Escorts the soloist to and from the stage. Is the line of
communication between soloist and the orchestra
•
Helps select the repertoire and soloists for the season
•
Tunes the Orchestra: the note (an A @ 440) is
provided by Principal Oboe player (the audience
should be absolutely quiet when this happens)
•
The public face of the Orchestra (assist in fundraising and
promotion)
•
Works with the board of directors
OVERVIEW OF VISUAL GESTURES
Right Hand
Left Hand
Time and Tempo
Artistry
Speed guides the speed of
musicians playing
Dynamics- Crescendo and
Decrescendo
Size of pattern guides
volume or intensity
Cues Entrances
Smoothness of line guides
how smooth or short the
notes are
Face
The conductors face is often a great
place to look for intent of expression
Turns pages
Gives the ” HAND OF DOOM” if
you make a mistake
WHO ARE THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE CURTAIN?
• Board of Directors
• David Pratt, Executive Director
• Melissa Bailey, Education &
Outreach Coordinator
• Mary Catherine Mousourakis,
Director of Artistic Operations
• Mallory Gibson, Development &
Marketing Coordinator
• Cynthia Heil, Development
Associate
• Stage Crew, nothing would happen
without them!