Students See Effort Behind Music

By Venice Buhain, The Olympian, Olympia, Wash.

Oct. 16--OLYMPIA -- The Olympia Symphony Orchestra is a change from the Griffin School band in which Emily Lipton, 10, plays flute.

"It's a lot more advanced music, of course," she said.

Lipton was one of a few dozen students and parents at a dress rehearsal for Olympia Symphony Orchestra last week, as they rehearsed the program for "Russian Night," featuring music by Shostakovich, Prokofiev and guest cellist Stephen Balderston.

The students watched conductor Huw Edwards give the musicians directions. He also reviewed different parts of the pieces being performed.

"We won't play the entire concert," Edwards, dressed in a T-shirt and jeans, told the students and their parents just before the dress rehearsal. "That would be like a marathon runner doing an entire marathon before a race."

The sneak peek into the dress rehearsal is a major change in the Olympia Symphony Orchestra's junior patron education program. Last season, the education program gave music students vouchers for its evening performances.

Board members hope the change helps the students get a better understanding of the process of creating a concert and also allows parents to bring younger children, who might not have been able to stay up until 9 p.m. The orchestra's rehearsal starts about 1 p.m. and ends at 3 p.m.

"We think it's a better educational opportunity," said Linda Lamb, symphony board member and co-chairwoman of the symphony's junior patron education program. "They'll better understand the workings of the orchestra."

Students still may purchase "student rush" tickets for half-price plus $2, 30 minutes before the main program at the box office.

Many of the students who attended last week's dress rehearsal said it was interesting to watch professional musicians work with a conductor in much the same way that their band teachers work with them.

Max Howard, 12, a seventh grader at NOVA School, said he came to watch his orchestra and violin teacher Kate Dorsett.

"I get to see her pushed to the limit and see what she can play," Max said.

Hannah Kaneko, 14, and her mother, Annalise Kaneko, came from Spanaway to watch her orchestra teacher, Stephanie Hellakson, play the viola.

"My bowing isn't very good," Hannah said, referring to the way she moves the violin's bow across the violin strings. "She uses the entire bow. I just use a little bit."

Hannah's mother said she was happy her daughter got to watch Edwards give direction to the orchestra -- which she thought was a good lesson for any teenager.

"Even professional musicians have to take instructions and have to listen," Kaneko said.

IF YOU GO:

--Students can participate in the Olympia Symphony Orchestra junior patron education program by filling out the voucher request form at www.olympiasymphony.com/pages/educational.html or by calling 360-753-0074.

--Students who are not in a band or orchestra and do not have a music teacher can provide the name of the band or orchestra teacher at their school.

--Students with a student identification card also may receive half-price concert tickets (plus the $2.50 ticket fee) at The Washington Center for the Performing Arts box office a half-hour before the show.

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Copyright (c) 2006, The Olympian, Olympia, Wash.