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Joining an Orchestra

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  • 29-12-2014 1:54pm
    #1
    Chloris
    Closed Accounts Posts: 535 ✭✭✭


    Hello,

    I'm a violin player (grade 7) living in Cork, I've played with various bands and I played in orchestras as a child. I'm interested in joining an orchestra again. I'd be good enough to play at an intermediate/advanced level, I'm certainly willing to put in the time and energy to get up to the required standard.

    I've looked around online for a while and I'm going to ring CSM but any other time I've done that they've been extremely unhelpful, either by choice or due to ignorance. Does anyone know anything about the auditions for the orchestras in Cork? Where or when do they take place and who hears about them, what makes you eligible? I don't make my living through the School of Music but I am a competent and enthusiastic musician, not to mention highly skilled. I feel I'm wasting my talents making €100 here and there for recordings and gigging, I barely even need to think about that kind of pursuit. I want a challenge.

    Any help would be greatly appreciated as it appears once you're out of the School of Music for a time, they close their doors permanently. Please correct me if I'm wrong, that's just been my experience. I wish mommy and daddy had supported me into my twenties and paid my fees when I couldn't but alas, some people aren't so lucky!


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    #2
    marialouise
    Registered Users Posts: 483 ✭✭marialouise


    I think generally the CSM symphony orchestra has a lot more violins than they need, so they tend to look after their own first. It's mandatory for the degree students and for part-time students of a certain grade, and by the time they're all included the violin sections are pretty full. I'm going to PM you an email address anyway of someone you can contact. They rehearse Tuesday evenings.
    The Cork Symphony Orchestra might also be an okay one to try if CSM doesn't work out - they rehearse Monday evenings in UCC music department in Sunday's Well. You don't get the same kind of instruction as in CSM, they're also a good bit older, but generally they want to be there (some kids in CSM don't exactly love being made play in the orchestra), and the music is quite different. CSM will work on famous overtures, masses etc., and the CSO at the moment are preparing for a concert with Katherine Jenkins and José Carreras, so you'd get to play to a massive audience, but possibly not the most exciting music. Give it a lash anyway and drag friends along, CSO are always looking for new members!
    There's also a new orchestra called Cork Concert Orchestra that have just launched, you can find them on Facebook and I think they have a website. There'd be a lot of people your age in that I imagine and I think it could be the right balance of challenging music and good fun. Enjoy whatever one you join! :)


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