The Edinburgh University Music Society’s famous Summer Concert takes place on Friday the 18th, where we showcase all three of our ensembles under the same roof.

This year we will be performing no fewer than six pieces, ranging from Britten’s Rejoice In The Lamb to Sibelius’ stunning Symphony No. 5.

The EPIC programme for the night will be:

Schubert Alfonso Und Estrella Overture

Delius Walk To The Paradise Garden

Tchaikovsky Polonaise from Eugene Onegin

Britten Rejoice In The Lamb

Lauridsen Sure On This Shining Light

Sibelius Symphony No. 5

Doors open at 7pm, and it is recommended that you arrive early to ensure that you are not disappointed!

To buy tickets, click the link below:

Last year the society put on multiple concerts in a variety of venues, organised a highly successful charity event in the form of the Big Sing and engaged with over 400 primary school pupils in our annual Spring Education Project. This was completed exlusively from the subscription fees of our own performing members and Gold members.

In order to ensure that we are performing in the best available venues and are able to attain the most exciting and high quality music, we often need to take part in additional fundraising activities. These have usually existed as bake sales around the university campus or during the intervals of our concerts and are vital in allowing us to fund bigger and better concerts.

It is often difficult for busy committee members to run such fundraising efforts on their own. Also, in order to expand our scope and to allow us to better fulfil our mission, we always seek to attain additional corporate sponsorship. In order to take control of this, and to manage our incoming finances alongside our Treasurer the Fundraising and Sponsorship Manager will seek to gain the support of local and national businesses who wish to align themselves with positive action in the wider community.

If you have any queries regarding how the society makes or spends its money, or wish to discuss opportunities surrounding sponsorship, please contact Michael at fundraising@eums.org.uk.

My love affair with Chorus began in 1984 as a Fresher. It was Christopher Bell’s first season as conductor of both Chorus and Symphony Orchestra. He’d chosen an incredibly difficult piece of repertoire – Walton’s Belshazzar’s Feast. We thought we’d never get it learned – most of us had never even heard music like it at that stage in our lives. I never imagined that, 28 years later, I’d be in front of the chorus as its conductor. But then, Chorus (and EUMS generally) is full of surprises…

Neil guides Chorus in their Spring 2012 concert...

Belshazzar led to Verdi’s Requiem and then, in the year I had the honour of being president, we put on a performance (possibly only the second ever Scottish performance) of Britten’s War Requiem. Scored for symphony and chamber orchestras, SATB chorus and a boys’ choir, this again was incredibly ambitious. We took the decision to hire the Usher Hall and filled it to capacity… This is what EUMS does best!

So, my first experiences of EUMS very much drive my present enthusiasm (and somewhat ‘paternal’ feelings) for all that we strive to achieve. I know my time in EUMS in those formative years of my career has played a major part in shaping my life (personally and professionally), and it’s an absolute honour and privilege to stand in front of the Chorus week by week and hear yet another major piece of choral repertoire rise from its sleeping bed and take shape in the mouths of those who now make up its numbers.

In amongst the players...

Reflecting on the past three years, I’m bowled over by a number of things; the sheer number of people who turn out to sing each week, the difficulty of some of the repertoire which we manage to conquer, the enthusiasm which is shown for all that we do, the sheer will and determination of the committee to put these amazing concerts on, and the healthy state of singing generally in the University.

All things come to an end, and when the time comes (although I hope that this isn’t for some time yet!), my biggest wish is that one of the future conductors of the Chorus is presently in our midst, being inspired to take up the baton (literally and metaphorically) later in life.

Chorus will return in EUMS’ Summer Concert.

A powerful performance fills St. Mary's Cathedral.

Harvest

All great vintages need a quality harvest, which is why our annual auditions are so vitally important. As usual with auditions I worried about getting the quality needed but in the end my overriding emotion was one of gratitude that so many fine musicians performed for Michael and I, leaving me confident that we had the potential for a great orchestra.

Blend

An orchestra is such a wonderful blend of instruments and personalities. This is, of course, one of the great joys and challenges of playing in, and working with, an orchestra. The other very important part of the blend is the choice of composer and for first semester we had set ourselves the challenge of adding Elgar to the mix (along with a couple of hundred singers and soloists!)

First Tasting

Rehearsing Gerontius presented many difficulties. Early rehearsals were tricky; it’s so difficult for performers to understand how the jigsaw of a piece fits together when many important pieces of the puzzle (chorus and soloists) are missing. I try to never forget the great privilege of having the whole score in front of me and it was to the orchestra’s credit that they trusted me repeatedly when I reassured them that their playing was shaping up well and that all would be transformed with the addition of the ‘missing parts’. We also had the challenge of reversing the orchestra’s usual seating plan to accommodate chorus, which the orchestra did with great humour. Of course, the beauty of the music played its part in sweeping us along.

EUMS Chorus and Symphony Orchestra wowing a packed Greyfriars Kirk.

We had a long but necessary rehearsal on the day, which settled everybody in for what was to be a really memorable, sell out, performance. Huge gratitude and respect to Neil for the many hours of preparation shaping the chorus towards such high quality. I later found out that there had been several emergencies in the lead up to the concert and it is to the committee’s great credit that they dealt with these in a quiet and efficient manner, allowing Neil and I to focus on music matters.

The Vintage Improves

For second semester I could now look forward to allowing the orchestra to ‘flex their muscle’ on full blooded orchestral repertoire. The Wagner, in rehearsals, never quite ‘floated’ or achieved the sense of space and time which I felt the music needed. I shouldn’t have worried; the performance was beautiful and set a high benchmark. The Rodrigo gave us a chance to showcase the talents of our wind and brass players who gave a stunning performance.

Symphony Orchestra in full swing...

During the interval, I remember thinking that we had achieved perhaps our finest opening to a concert and hoped that our focus would remain for the Tchaikovsky. I wasn’t let down. We had invested so much time in rehearsals and were rewarded with a high degree of professional focus and commitment but also a great sense of freedom and collaborative music making. As a conductor you are often called on to ‘manage’ situations live on stage, but here I simply found myself immersed in an emotional performance which was undoubtedly a personal highlight.

Final Tasting

The word is out! We have created a great blend. Will it turn out to be a great vintage? I think so. With Sibelius’s wonderful 5th Symphony to look forward to in our summer concert, final tasting will surely confirm the 2012 vintage one to savour for many years to come.

EUMS Symphony Orchestra will return on the 18th May 2012 for the EUMS Summer Concert.

Greyfriars once again plays host to a breathtaking concert and an appreciative audience.

In this issue:

A Fond Farewell – 2012: A Great Vintage? – In-Joke Alarm – Thoughts of Chorus – The Ball – Society on Pink Tartan – AGM Roundup – The Spring Concerts

So Michael, Sinfonia have been rehearsing for their upcoming Spring Concert for a few weeks now. How is it going?
Riding on the high of our Winter concert of Nielsen and Sibelius, Sinfonia’s new programme is progressing nicely. The music not as intensive as it was last semester and certainly the message that I’m getting from the ensemble is that it is fun to play. That is the most important thing! For an orchestra, approaching new pieces is always a challenge, especially if there is unfamiliarity with the work (or even the composer!). I always try and put a little bit of something interesting and unusual into a programme – to keep both the orchestra and the audience interested.

The pieces being performed this evening are all quite well known and have been recorded by many conductors and orchestras – do you listen to these recordings and do they influence your interpretation?
I try to listen to as many recordings as possible of each work, and I may like what I hear, but the main challenge of conducting is to conceive your own interpretation. You may think you know a piece of work of by heart (take Nimrod or the Pomp and Circumstance Marches for instance), yet you do not really appreciate, nor truly understand a work until you start studying a score. Different things pop out at you and you discover secret corners of the work that are sometimes masked in a recording. Recordings do influence decisions yes, but primarily I try to form my own ideas.

What is it you are looking forward to most this EUMS Spring Concert Series?
Sinfonia’s concert aside, I’m probably looking forward to EUMS Symphony Orchestra’s Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 6 “Pathétique”. Tchaikovsky is one of my favourite composers and his final symphony is one of the biggest emotional journeys that orchestra, conductor and listener can take. The unbridled gaiety that we typically relate to Tchaikovsky is confined to the third movement while the fourth movement finale is a slow, emotive descent into the basses. It’s very difficult for performers to conserve enough stamina and passion to feel involved with this movement, especially after the energy demanded by the previous.

Last winter’s Sinfonia concert was received very well. Did you enjoy conducting your first performance?
Interesting question – it was my first experience of being in the driving seat for a whole concert. In the past I have co-conducted (and sub-conducted) under the guidance of a more experienced musician: Nigel Osbourne of EU Composers’ Orchestra or my conducting teacher, Chris Swaffer. It is a fascinating experience working in rehearsals and then the performance. Something different comes over people when they perform, something that if harnessed can help project the good qualities of the music.

You are a busy conductor these days. How does conducting Sinfonia compare to your other engagements?
Sinfonia is the biggest orchestra in my regular commitments. It is also the only one that I suppose plays “mainstream” repertoire. I’m currently Assistant Conductor of EU Composers’ Orchestra. We play compositions by student composers studying here at the University, record new works and generally embracing contemporary music in all its forms. I like being involved with this orchestra as it is working with fellow musicians, also enthusiastic about the unusual. As a musician, Composers’ Orchestra has been very important to my development. As a conductor, it presents new challenges addressing rehearsal, orchestration, music philosophy and even conducting technique itself. The other group I work with is the Edinburgh Branch of the Society of Recorder Players. They are an adult amateur group who play a wide variety of music. Rehearsals are generally more relaxed and I share the task of conducting with ensemble members and another music student.

Did you start with an ambition to be a conductor, or did you start as a musician and then move into conducting?
I suppose conducting has always been an element of my studies. I went to a lot of concerts during my teenage years and I soon learnt about the role and requirements of the conductor. Of course to conduct, you need musical training and proficiency and I was soon taking lessons in signing, clarinet, piano and organ. I’m still a relative newcomer to music, starting when I was thirteen (I’m 21 now – not even 10 years reading music!). However conducting is actually only part of a musician’s training, even if some of us seek careers in the discipline. Every musician should give it a go!

Did you come from a musical family?
No. I was the first in my family to even being learning a musical instrument seriously. However, my parents can hardly be called philistines: My mum trained as an actress at the RSAMD and has performed widely on stage, television, film and radio. My dad studied fine art and sculpture at Edinburgh College of Art. I suppose music might have been a logical move coming from such a creative family.

In rehearsals you seem confident and at ease. Do you get nervous before a performance?
It depends. If I’m playing a solo recital on piano or clarinet, I will get nervous. You are very exposed. With conducting, you are facing a group of people that you have been closely working with over some time and are not alone on stage. I’m not saying I wasn’t nervous before Sinfonia’s Winter Concert, but psychologically it does help when you are alone off-stage, waiting for your entry that all that is waiting for you is a whole load of friendly faces.

Sinfonia has a legacy of providing talented young musicians within the University of Edinburgh an opportunity to perform concertos with a full orchestra. How important do you feel it is that Sinfonia continues this legacy into the future?
Very important. It can help boost a music student’s experience. Even if that performer isn’t a music student it provides stimulus and a unique opportunity to indulge in their hobby.

Daniel Kraemer is the soloist for this spring’s performance of Saint-Saëns’ Cello Concerto No. 1. What are the most important things to focus on when working with a soloist?
Apart from the obvious “get it right”, I think that the most important dimension to a concert is the blend in personality between the soloist and orchestra. This is where the true emotional dynamic is to the live performance. Personalities that complement each other can sometimes make or break the performance. It’s best to think of the concerto as a conversation between two people. Sometimes these people agree, sometimes they don’t…

Demand for orchestral conductors in and around Edinburgh seems to be high at the moment. Where do you hope conducting will take you in the coming years?
At the moment, I am aiming for further study, hopefully in conducting. Important attributes of a conductor are experience and personality. For the foreseeable future, getting as much experience within music as possible is my short term goal. Beyond that – who can say…?

Saturday mornings are not everyone’s cup of tea… Have you managed to get used to the early rise, or do you take morning rehearsals in your stride?
All of Sinfonia know I need a coffee before an “Allegro”…

Sinfonia’s Spring concert is on Saturday 24th March in the Reid Concert Hall. For more details go to the concert page here.

For more information about our conductors click here.

The purpose of the day is to introduce the children to the world of orchestral and choral music, showcasing different sections of the orchestra and choir through arrangements of music that will be familiar to them, and music that will excite and impress (but not intimidate) them. There will be lots of participation opportunities for them too.

We ran a very successful day last year and are very much looking forward to sharing the experience again using knowledge gained from previous events to make it an even more enjoyable and educational afternoon.

This is a rare opportunity for most children, and we are looking to encourage a fresh look on classical music and musicians through example: demonstrating our passion and enthusiasm for what we do. We also hope to show the variety of people we have in our society (not just music students) to promote music as a fun and beneficial activity as well as a profession.

With the government’s current run of spending reviews, schools are feeling the pinch and the number of hours of music-based education has taken one of the biggest hits. Through our education projects we are able to give a large number of children the chance to experience a large orchestra and chorus whilst offering them a learning experience that they would otherwise miss out on.

This event will be running on the 21st March 2012.

]]> http://eums.eusa.ed.ac.uk/2012/springproject/feed/ 0 http://eums.eusa.ed.ac.uk/2012/bigsing2011_plan/ http://eums.eusa.ed.ac.uk/2012/bigsing2011_plan/#comments Thu, 23 Feb 2012 10:00:00 +0000 Web Manager http://eums.eusa.ed.ac.uk/?p=1640 Many of you may remember that the Edinburgh University Music Society partnered with Bethany Christian Trust in October to raise money and awareness for their Stop Homelessness campaign. The event was a great success, and we received a lot of positive feedback from attendees and audience members. Around 100 singers joined our orchestra and award-winning conductor Tom Butler to sing Handel’s Messiah.

Tom Butler guides the colourful chorus and our orchestra...

Through entry fees and generous donations we managed to raise a fantastic £1317.06! This money will go towards supporting homeless people and will directly pay for their accommodation and for the framework to ensure that they are able to raise themselves up onto their own feet.

To find out more go to the Bethany Christian Trust website here.

Edinburgh University Music Society’s Symphony Orchestra present a varied programme for their Spring Concert this year.

The orchestra will be performing three great works: Wagner’s musically brilliant Prelude to Parsifal, Rodrigo’s Adagio Para Orquesta de Instrumentos de Viento (Adagio for Wind Instruments) and finally Tchaikovsky’s mighty Symphony No. 6 in B minor: “Pathétique”.

This concert sold out in our Winter Concert Series, so book early to avoid disappointment!

To buy tickets, click the link below:

Sinfonia are bringing us a packed programme this Spring, combining a first half of renowned French pieces and a second half of British classics.

Not only are they performing Macunn’s archetypal Scottish overture Land of the Mountain and the Flood and Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance Military Marches 1,3 and 4 and Enigma Variation No. 9 (Nimrod), but Berlioz’s Beatrice and Benedict Overture is sure to delight.

To top off this mighty programme Sinfonia will be joined by cellist Daniel Kraemer for Saint-Saëns’ stunning Cello Concerto No. 1, rounding off a concert that is not to be missed!

To buy tickets, click the link below: