Join ROCO for the annual Conductorless Concert Feb 9th & 10th, with violin soloist and guest concertmaster Joseph Swensen.
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When performing conductorless, the musicians must rely much more heavily on listening not only to their section, but also to the rest of the ensemble. While remaining flexible, each musician must take on a higher level of responsibility for the balance and interpretation of the piece. Like a conductor, each musician must have a knowledge of the full score in his or her mind. The concertmaster, in this case Joseph Swensen, performs a significant role, acting as a leader in conjunction with other principal players through physical cues and the motion of his bow.
By removing the “wall” between orchestra and audience, the chamber orchestra exposes an intimate dialogue among its musicians and invites the audience into a delightful conversation. Few orchestras of ROCO’s size attempt to perform conductorless, especially on pieces as challenging as those on ROCO’s February 9th and 10th concerts. Sharing leadership among ROCO’s 40 musicians showcases the high level of artistry and strong spirit of “musical joie de vivre” that is ROCO’s signature. The result a fantastic audience experience that author/journalist, John DeMers calls, “the most fun you can have with serious music.”
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