March 18th - Civic Orchestra of Victoria with bonus nature walk

Hi everyone,

In a couple of weeks, I'm going to be playing a concert with the Civic Orchestra of Victoria that's all about specific places. I generally really tend to enjoy music that is meant to evoke a place or a landscape, so I'm very happy to be playing this program.

The concert takes place at the Dave Dunnet Theatre, at Oak Bay High school, in Victoria, on the lands of the Lək̓ʷəŋən-speaking people. And fittingly, because it's all about cultivating a sense of place, it includes a nature walk, along a creek that runs behind the school. That creek is named Bowker Creek, and both Eldan and I have been involved in restoring it - though he's much more involved than I am lately. So if you come, you can listen and learn about the environment that the concert takes place in, and then go indoors and hear some places that aren't quite so close to home.

Here's what we're playing:

• Nielsen – Helios Overture

I've listened to this one before but I'd never played it previously. It's by a Norwegian composer who went on vacation to Greece and was really impressed with the sun, as any of us would be on such a trip, especially this time of year. You can hear the sun rise, pass through the sky over the course of a day, and set at the end. I think it would work well for a superhero movie soundtrack. The first violin part is up in the sky with Helios and his chariot, so the seconds' job is to support them an octave below, most of the time.

• De Falla– Night in the Gardens of Spain

The outstanding pianist Robert Holliston joins us for this one as a soloist - it plays like a piano concerto. A beautiful, sensual concerto, that you're listening to with a glass of wine in your hand. Sit back and imagine the scent of orange blossoms wafting through; I'll be counting like my life depends on it because there are some tricky rhythms in here that will be keeping me on my toes.

• Beethoven – Symphony No. 6 (Pastoral)

If you think you don't know this one, yes you probably do. (I frankly hate the interpretation that the film uses; it's much too slow and schmaltzy, but that was 1940 for you, I guess. If you want one I actually like, try this one, especially for the second movement.) I think this is my third time performing Beethoven's 6th, and I honestly never get tired of it. It has 5 movements, but the last three are played attacca - that is, they flow straight into each other. Most symphonic movements from this time have something in the score about the tempo or mood for them, but Beethoven went a little further and gave us some pretty specific descriptions. I'll give you their English translations here; they're in German in the score:

1. Awakening of cheerful feelings on arrival in the countryside - We probably all know this feeling. You have arrived at your campsite, or yurt, or cabin. It smells like trees. There's a great place to hang your hammock. Hey, what kind of bird is that?

2. Scene by the brook - The second violins are the current in this one; hop into a boat (for bonus points, shrink yourself down and make one out of a leaf), and come along for the ride. It's mostly smooth sailing, but we do end up in a few rills and little rapids along the way. There are some birds on the bank near the end.

3. Merry gathering of country folk - Grab a stein of beer, join the dance, swing your partner round and round. Until...

4. Thunder, Storm - a storm! The clouds gather in the second violins, the rain starts spitting, and we even throw some lightning bolts your way. But storms never last forever...

5. Shepherd's song. Cheerful and thankful feelings after the storm - The clouds part and it becomes one of those gorgeous afternoons where the light is golden and everything is perfect.

As usual, I'll be in my spot leading the second violins - but this time, our conductor has opted for a European-style stage arrangement, which puts the second violins where the cellos often are- so I'll be right in front. This is a cool thing to do for the Beethoven, because the violin sections are often complementing, echoing or playing off each other.

Read more about the concert and get your tickets here. If you come, come say hi! And as always, thanks for listening.

Melinda