Sphinx Chamber Orchestra Tour

I would like to say that I have never done something like this before,so I don't even know how to start.Perhaps I should begin talking about my feelings about this tour.I am really happy for being a part of the II SCO tour.It's always good to make good friends and get to know other places.However,better than traveling is to get the Sphinx's goal more and more accomplished.I am a part-time music teacher(elementary,middle and high school),and went back to work in our 10 days break. After teaching a 8th grade class,I told them I was away for a month because I was touring with the SCO. As soon as I said "Sphinx",they started asking all kind of questions. They had watched the 2006 Sphinx Competition DVD a week before,and they were so interested about the organization and its programs that I had to extend that class and still couldn't asnwer all questions. I was amazed and then realized how important each SCO member is. We are role models for the new generation and hopefully years from now we will have accomplished our goal of having diversity in classical music.
Getting back to the subject....the tour was amazing!Andre and Nick rock!By the way,let me thank Nick for working on getting me a bass for the Cerritos performance. Nick, you are amazing!
Hey guys,we can't forget voting on the orchestra awards.I remember last year we did it, and it was so fun!Let's keep the tradition!Here is the list:
1-Best Orchestra Section
2-Most responsible Member
3-Best Section Leader
4-Best Concert
5-Awesome Attitute award(for the most willing to help another member)
6- The orchestra's funniest person
7- Coolest musician in the orchestra
8-Orchestra's best dancer
9-Sexiest Male
10-Sexiest Female
11- Best dressed member

I can't remember any other award.Feel free to add to the list.
I can't believe the tour is almost over....I already miss each member of the SCO(including Eddie,the bus driver).Hold your beverages!!!!We rolling!!!!

I'm so happy to be back on tour with "La Familia" after a 10 day break. The concert in Chico last night was fresh and exciting! sometimes a break is good for ideas to settle and mature, I'm very much looking forward to our next concert in Cerritos!!!

And we’re back! After about a week and a half break to recharge, we are in sunny California to finish up the final leg of the SCO Tour. With an energetic concert in Chico’s Laxson Auditorium last night, it seems that a short respite at home was just what members of the SCO needed.

Most of the orchestra had a long trip from their home towns to California. I flew from New York City. While the Harlem Quartet and our tour manager, Andre Dowell, made the trip all the way from London, England. Needless to say, upon our arrival we were all very tired. Maestro Gupton did manage to wake us up in our pre-concert rehearsal. After our usual sound check and a rehearsal with 2008 first place laureate of the Sphinx Competition, Danielle Belen, who stepped in as soloist, maestro suggested that we sightread the movements of the Tchaikovsky Serenade that are not included on our regular concert program. Personally, I love to sightread. The spontaneity of sitting down to try and create a pleasant musical experience out of something you have never seen before is invigorating. Doing it with a group like SCO that has developed a working relationship and a group sound is even more exciting. It seems that we must have inspired the Harlem Quartet as they joined us in sightreading the last movement of the Tchaikovsky at the end of rehearsal.

The energy and necessity to be alert that we had while sightreading must have carried over into our concert, because it might have been our best concert yet.

Initially, I was a little concerned about joining the orchestra half-way through the tour. Not only had I missed the first rehearsals, but I had missed a lot of the bonding experiences that often times take place in the beginning. But as I've found throughout the past week of this tour, there is really no definite beginning or ending to the friendships that evolve at Sphinx. Old friendships ignite immediately as if no time had ever passed, and new friendships emerge as if they had always existed.

The first concert I played in was slightly ethereal to me. I felt so privileged to be able to share a stage with such talented, dedicated musicians. As a music school drop-out and aspiring pediatrician, my relationship with music is still in the process of redefining itself. I am thrilled to find that my fellow Sphinx members are supportive of my transition from music to medicine, yet inspiring enough to keep me hooked on music! This has not always been the case in other situations.

So, I think that my favorite piece on our program would have to be the Abels, followed closely by the Piazzolla and Gavilan. In addition to the fresh and innovative composition of these pieces, the soloists are just phenomenal!

Bus rides have been as pleasant as bus rides can be. I've had a good mixture of letter-writing, introspection, M&M-eating, movie-watching, conversing, health department work, and Sudoku. Fairly productive, really! Not to mention, some of the sights in the Northeast have been absolutely breathtaking.

Yoga has been a real treat! Taking an hour out in the day for focus and relaxation is exactly what I've been needing. Thanks, Kaila! Speaking of treats, our hosts have been so great to us! Eastman and Rockefeller even fed us lunch, which was greatly appreciated. We are all grateful for your hospitality.

Okay, so I promised to put pictures I've taken in this post, but I think I will just put one or two up for now. The rest will come in a picture post later on.

- Vivian

Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York