We hope you'll join us for Session 67 at Sports Basement in Berkeley on Saturday, June 22 for a fun mix of pieces by Libby Larsen, Johannes Brahms, and Austin Wintory. Come grab a comfy couch, a glass of wine, and spend the afternoon with us!
To start the session off, we'll be playing Overture for the End of a Century by Libby Larsen, one of America’s most performed living composers. This modern orchestral piece "explores some approaches to sound which have become part of our musical world in the last part of this century: the mixing board which can make a foreground out of elements which were once heard as background only; the computer screen, which can make fragments as interesting as complete lines; and the synthesizer, with its new sounds, and emphasis on color and pulse." (learn more at www.libbylarsen.com).
Next, we'll get a bit more traditional with the first movement from Johannes Brahms' Symphony No. 1. Can you believe that it took him 21 years to complete his first symphony?! And you thought George R. R. Martin was slow!
Rounding out the afternoon, we'll jump into the world of video games and play Journey: Nascence and Apotheosis by Austin Wintory. This incredible work received a Grammy nomination for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media in 2012, becoming the first video game score to ever receive a Grammy nod!
The musician sign-up deadline for all sections is Sunday, June 16 As always, feel free to reach out to your sections' Ambassadors with any questions you might have.
——————> Musicians can sign up here! <———————
WHEN: Saturday, June 22, 2019, 2:00–5:00 p.m.
WHERE: Sports Basement, 2727 Milvia St., Berkeley, CA
TRANSPORTATION SUGGESTIONS: It's a 0.5 mile walk north of Ashby BART. Limited paid street parking is available, but as always, we strongly suggest public transit, biking, or ride-sharing.
Repertoire, instrumentation, and schedule are as follows, with Conductor David Möschler, and a guest conductor TBA:
2:00-2:50pm - Libby Larsen - Overture for the End of a Century (1994)(~5')
INSTRUMENTATION: piccolo, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 Bb clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 3 Bb trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, 3 percussion: [1 - tambourine, snare drum, suspended cymbal, wood block], [2 - xylophone, triangle, orchestra bells, bongos], [3 - marimba, tom-toms (medium, low)], timpani, piano, strings
3:00-4:00pm - Johannes Brahms - Symphony No. 1, Op. 68 (movement 1 only)(1876)(~16')
INSTRUMENTATION: 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets (B-flat), 2 bassoons, 1 contrabassoon, 4 horns (C, F, E-flat), 2 trumpets (C), timpani, strings
4:10-5:00pm - Austin Wintory - Journey: Nascence and Apotheosis (2015)(~8')
INSTRUMENTATION: 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets (B-flat), 2 bassoons, 4 horns (C, E), 2 trumpets (B-flat), 3 trombones, 1 tuba, timpani, tubular bells, percussion (shaker, suspended cymbal), harp, strings
SHEET MUSIC for upcoming open sessions can always be found on Google Drive at: bit.ly/AOCOpenSession To maximize the fun, please commit to practicing your parts ahead of time!
Reference recordings for all pieces can be found linked above.
Please bring a music stand and layers for warmth in case it gets chilly in Sports Basement. We'll have chairs, sheet music, beer, and water for musicians. Audience members will be able to buy beer and wine from us, so invite your friends to come and listen!
The sign-up deadline for all sections is Sunday, June 16. Once that has passed, expect an email from your Awesöme Ambassadors with specific info and part assignments later that week (check your spam filters if this is your first session). Email your ambassadors if you haven't heard back by Thursday, June 20. (Please be patient—they have a lot of information to collect before emailing everyone.) Their information can be found at www.awesomeorchestra.org/ambassadors