Thread: Loudoun Symphony Orchestra String Workshop

Someone sent this link to me since I'm a beginner in regards to double bass. I plan to attend and want to pass it along to beginning string players living in Northern Virginia.

http://loudounsymphony.org/education...ring-workshop/

Originally Posted by RonP

Someone sent this link to me since I'm a beginner in regards to double bass. I plan to attend and want to pass it along to beginning string players living in Northern Virginia.

http://loudounsymphony.org/education...ring-workshop/

I had a look at this and as the Loudoun Symphony Orchestra is a community orchestra any teaching by members needs to be treated with great care. Beginners need very high standard good quality teaching as what you learn as a beginner is the building blocks of your future progress. I live in the UK, but what would put me off this course is the fact volunteers from the orchestra will be available to help. I know many community orchestra players here who would think that they know enough to help another beginner player when in fact what they are likely to say might not be helpful to a beginner, and could cause problems later.

I would like to suggest to anyone going to this workshop is to use it to get experience in playing, but to ignore anything suggested to you by a Loudoun Symphony Orchestra member.

I don't think it's the intent of the workshop to be the primary source of instruction, but to offer tips on performing in an orchestral setting to neophytes. The orchestra bassists have worked with me a bit on playing dynamics since I'm still new to reading music and don't fully grasp all the dynamic notation yet. But nothing they've done has contradicted what my instuctor teaches me.

I had my first recital with the workshop last night and had a blast! We performed two pieces as a 'warm-up" act to the Loudoun Symphony concert and outside of one error on my part (I jumped a rest), it went well. We have a break until February and then will gear up for a performance in April.