The Brooklyn Symphony Orchestra is back in my life! Rehearsals started last week for the symphony's 41st season, and for the first concert we are aptly performing Mozart's Symphony No. 41: "Jupiter" and the Brahms Violin Concerto. New season, new music, and best of all: new rehearsal space!
Being the community orchestra we are, we depend on the kindness and cooperation of other organizations to host us for rehearsals and performances. Last year we were happy to have a new rehearsal space in the basement of a church, which at first seemed great. It was a large, open space that didn't conflict with any other programming at the church. The lighting was poor, acoustics not so great, but we were happy.
Until it got cold.
Apparently, someone at the church forgot we and our fragile wooden instruments required a modicum of climate control and so numerous rehearsals were spent bundled up in as many layers as we could manage, even going so far as to wear gloves while playing our cellos and clarinets. In this 9th circle of hell, as our director so called it, we did our best to prepare our mid-season concerts. But thirty minutes into rehearsal the oboist's reed was too cold to produce a decent pitch, the strings sounded fuzzy and weak (because of our gloves), and the general pitch crept ever sharper as our instruments contracted in response to the chill. More than one rehearsal was cut short because one can only play so much once your fingers are blue.
I'm sure every one of us celebrated at our computers and smart phones when we got the email announcing the new rehearsal space. This year we are lucky enough to be working with a dance studio who is letting us use their top floor dance space. But this wonderful space does come with rules:
1. No rosin in the rehearsal room; only in the carpeted space right outside it.
2. No naked endpins for the cellos, lest we poke holes in the black sprung dance floor (which led to a lovely bit of laughter when our section leader came around at the second rehearsal offering "rubbers" [endpin stoppers] because "It's important to always have protection!")
3. Wind and brass players may not empty spit valves onto the floor; protect it with towels instead.
4. No shoes on the dance floor.
Because of the unique material of the dance floor we are not allowed to tread on it with our shoes, so we all took them off in the hallway before entering. I don't believe a single person was upset at the rule. Many of us probably prefer to practice without shoes and I, for one, couldn't wait to perform with an entire orchestra of barefoot musicians! Did we sound better? Was our tone richer? Were we more unified? I can't say with any certainty, but it sure felt good. I wonder what Brahms would have thought if he saw 75 musicians performing his Violin Concerto in socks. Everyone from the soloist and the director to the trumpets and trombones, playing the most beautiful melodies, toes wiggling.
After rehearsal, a number of us went to a nearby bar for a BSO Meet & Greet where we, with shoes on, milled around and got to know one another. Some members have been there for decades while others have only just arrived. I finally got into conversations with people who I saw all the time at last year's rehearsals but never really befriended. I sipped my tea while others had their beer (because that's how I roll in a bar at 10 pm) and we connected.
Needless to say, I'm very excited about this season. I already feel closer to my symphony-mates and I don't think its only because we're barefoot for rehearsals. I'm feeling more established and part of this community, and I can't wait to perform on stage with them next month.
Maybe they'll let us perform the concert barefoot, too?
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