And then it goes black

We started dress rehearsal with the choir.  We usually try to rehearse the pieces that have guest performers earlier so they can go home at a reasonable time and so people do not have to wait upon us.  The symphony is going to be there the whole time.

The kids in the choir were cute as usual.  The symphony worked on playing softer in certain since the point is to hear all the performers. We were playing over the kids a bit.  There was a part that dragged in Simple Gifts so we ran the piece again to get it right.  We finished running the two pieces with the choir.  Then there was a lull as the symphony waited for the choir to exit and for the narrator for “Lincoln Portrait” to get settled.

In that lull, the wonderful Cindy, second bassist, told Russ and me when she first performed “Lincoln Portrait”.  It was the 200th anniversary of Lincoln’s birthday and the Ford Theatre where President Lincoln was assassinated was celebrating with a concert, the first music to be performed there since his death.  Cindy was a senior in high school and playing with the Reading Symphony.  The Reading Symphony is one of the oldest continuously operating symphonies in the United States.  The symphony plays in Pennsylvania, so the members were shipped by bus to the Ford Theatre.  Cindy performed “Lincoln Portrait” with a view of the box seat where Lincoln was shot.  How momentous is that?

The story wrapped up because it was time to rehearse.  We started but the beginning was a bit rough.  Jack, the conductor, stopped us and restarted.  The lights flickered.  I thought, “Who is playing with the light switch?”  Then the room went black.  Some musicians knew the music well enough to perform it for a couple more bars but then the music faded.   I genuinely thought, “Why does someone not just turn the lights back on.  Where is the switch?”   A point of light bloomed over the first stand in the cello section.  Someone was so prepared that they brought their own stand light. Those lights are usually used in pits where a lot of light would distract from the play or ballet going on above so musicians and the conductors only have light for their stand.  Someone in the percussion section turned their stand light on as well.

The room stayed mostly dark except for those points of light.  People pulled out their cell phones for some low level light.  We stayed put for a bit and then started to mill about.  I joked that the handbook for next year would state that every musician would be required to bring their own stand light for emergencies.  Robert then joked to me to turn the lights on because I did not need to create drama for the blog.  I noticed Carl, another bassist, head to the back door.  I followed him.  He wanted to check out the rest of the neighborhood so I held the door.  He came back.  The power went out for the whole block.

The announcement followed soon after that rehearsal was obviously over.  It was a bit frustrating since this was the last rehearsal.  The symphony will be meeting earlier than usually before the concert to try to make up some of the time.  Luckily, we did get that rehearsal time with the choir.

Voice and Music Combine

I wheeled my bass through the gate of the church where the Chandler Symphony Orchestra rehearses.  I ended up following a woman and her child.  For some reason, I assumed it was a violinist bringing her daughter to rehearsal.  I did wonder where her violin was at but then figured she already had dropped it off inside.  I was wrong about who was the musician.

The little girl is a singer.  CSO is performing with the Chandler Children’s Choir in the upcoming concert which is coming so soon.  It is this Saturday, September 11th at 7:30pm!  We are back at the Chandler Center for Arts.  It feels like the rehearsals whirled by but it will be a good concert especially because of all the guest performers we have.

Victor Hardy is narrating during the “Lincoln Portrait” piece.  He has such an amazing voice.  It is so deep though I will admit to a bias with the bass register.  I hope to get a chance to interview him and see if he does any other voice work.

The children are great as well.  My cohort in the bass section, Robert, pointed out a very astute fact.  We had not heard them sing yet.  He said, “The kids are probably talented but it does not matter.”  I furrowed my brow and asked, “What?” Robert responded, “Look at them.  They are so cute.  Whatever they sing will sound good.”  I stared and said, “You are right.  The cute power is immense.”   They are, of course, talented.  It was a joy to hear Yankee Doodle during “A Patriotic Festival”.  I had not heard that in a very long time.

Robert and I were exaggerating a bit because the conversation continued about how both of us cannot sing very well and could not even when we were children.  No worries though.  We will not be singing for you so feel welcome to come and hear many patriotic songs from those that can sing.

The Beginning

Welcome to the the start of the official Chandler Symphony Orchestra (CSO) blog.   In case you are new, CSO is a non-profit symphony where the musicians are all volunteers.  We usually perform in the Chandler Center for the Arts.

My name is Shilo Patchin and I play the double bass.  I enjoy music but I do not have a lot of music training.  I have been playing with the Symphony for 13 years.  When I started, I was too young to drive so my mother took me every week to rehearsals.  She still comes to my concert and may be my concert correspondent.   I performed in the Arizona State University Sinfonietta for three years during my college years. I also took some lessons from  Russ Ash, my first public school teacher to teach me in 5th grade.
Cool fact, he is also the first chair of the bass section in CSO.  That is the the total of my music experience so I will not be throwing music theory out there. If I learn an interesting fact, I will share.

My writing experience consists of a two writing courses at the Mesa Community College and writing in my own blogs for years.  I’m new to writing but very excited for any opportunity like writing for my local symphony.

How did this blog get started?  With a bottle of red jam.

In recent years at the last rehearsal of the season, bottles of red jam sit up front.  Open volunteer positions are listed on papers resting below the jam.  When someone signs up, they get their own jam.  Last year, I wandered up and read all the open positions.  CSO blogger?  I stared at the line, but did not sign up.  I did not feel qualified enough and maybe someone with a journalism or English degree would want the position.  I played the rest of the rehearsal.  I double checked and the line was still empty.  I decided.  I made one of those jams mine.

I then lost it.  I had not tried it so I do not know what flavor it was.

I scanned a few other music blogs.  The Saint Louis blog was my muse for this first entry.  Just like Eddie Silva, I’m curious to see how this project will grow.   There will be stories about the bass section because that is where I play.  I will try to get other musicians to do guest blogs so other funny stories of different sections will be shared.  I’m hoping that the blog will make it to the CSO website. In the future, maybe we will accept submissions from the public about our concerts or how the CSO has affected their lives.  The practical aspects of announcing concert dates and fund raising opportunities will be here, but my main purpose is to share the joy we musicians get out of seeing and playing music .

Feel free to comment.  You can also email me at Shilo.Patchin@gmail.com with your ideas or criticism.   The blogs home is chandlersymphonyorchestra.wordpress.com or you can read it under the Notes section at CSO’s facebook.