Back in the beginning of April my sister Leslie and I performed a concert with the Presbyterian College Chamber Orchestra.  I never really told you guys about it, but I thought today would be a good day for it, because I think I’ve managed to get a bit of the recording online for you to listen to.  I apologize if it is clipped or doesn’t work 🙂

Bach Double 1st Movement

Bach Double 2nd Movement

Bach Double 3rd Movement

Encore: Prokofiev Sonata for Two Violins, 2nd Movement

Playing with orchestra is always a special thing, no matter what orchestra.  You get to stand up front and have all these people behind you backing you up.  It’s pretty awesome.  Also you get to dress up and wear a fancy gown, which is not something that one does ordinarily.

We got to our hometown of Clinton, South Carolina on Sunday afternoon.  We had a rehearsal with the orchestra on Monday afternoon, a masterclass for some of the students on Tuesday morning, another rehearsal on Tuesday afternoon, and the performance on Tuesday night.  Leslie and I hadn’t played together in awhile, but we had been playing the Bach Double together since we were children, and we chose an encore that we had performed in the last decade.  I was most nervous about that, but after we rehearsed together on Sunday night we knew it would be fine.  Sometimes all that practicing pays off!  The orchestra was a group of college students, obviously, and they were well prepared and very nice.  The director, Richard Thomas was easy to work with and had attended the same college I did so we were able to bond over that.  (Little known fact:  most musicians attended the college I went to 😉  )

Backstage for rehearsal!

Leslie, practicing her arm out pose, really in preparation for her wedding photos.

Warming up backstage in our dressing room.  We even had a couch and our own bathroom!  Just the one dressing room though 😉

Backstage after a successful performance—me, Richard Thomas (conductor), and Leslie

After the performance, with our very first violin teacher, Carol Roosevelt.  She was the person who originally taught us both the Bach Double Concerto.

Overall it was a lot of fun!  I hope to play with orchestra again soon.  I wish somebody had taken some pictures of us onstage with the orchestra, but I guess I didn’t ask anyone to do so!