'Side-by-side' with the Orchestra of Opera North

“I really enjoyed the experience of playing with a professional orchestra: it was a brilliant confidence boost. The two Opera North flautists were very welcoming and gave me advice about playing the piccolo.” Gemma Collins, Music [piccolo].

In May, music students got a fantastic opportunity to work with a professional orchestra - the Orchestra of Opera North - in Leeds. Students were able to play alongside experienced musicians, who were able to give tips and tricks about their instruments, but also had the opportunity to conduct and have their orchestrations played.

“I enjoyed my experience with the orchestra, and I would have liked to have spent more time with them on my orchestration, but that is simply because I thought it was really cool when they played it.” Luke Green, Music and Sound for Image [orchestrator]

  

“A very eye-opening experience which I never thought I would be able to be a part of. Listening to your own work played by such a professional setup helped so much with understanding my own piece, but also the aural experience of listening to a full orchestra ‘close up’ opened up many ideas for the future.” Daniel Morgan, Creative Music Technology [orchestrator] 

 As well as the Student Orchestrations, the two orchestras joined together to take on classical pieces by Mozart, Beethoven, Debussy and Tchaikovsky. Student clarinetists Claudia Chapelhow and Einars Varzinskis played solos during the Mozart and Debussy pieces and student conductors Imogen Bloxham and Niall Turner conducted Beethoven and Tchaikovsky.

“Playing as a soloist with Opera North was one of the most amazing opportunities I've ever had in my musical career! It was such a fantastic day.” Claudia Chapelhow, Music [clarinet soloist in Mozart Concerto]   “From an aspiring conductor’s point of view, opportunities like these are invaluable in learning the skills needed to enter the world of conducting, and I am incredibly thankful to everyone for allowing me this opportunity.” Niall Turner, Music [conductor of Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet]

 

"It really was an invaluable and enjoyable experience, and I realise I'm very lucky to have been given the opportunity. I was given the chance to play a lot of the 1st flute parts on my own, and the members of the orchestra were supportive and encouraging." Richard Fox, Postgraduate Researcher [flute]
 

"It was so exciting to play with a full string section: I was practically bursting at points, I just never thought it would be me who got to do something like this. It was also super cool to see how the instruments work together in a live environment - such as how the different sections interact with each other, which timbres blend well with others, the dynamic range of each instrument and how this affects balance." Emma Wright, Music [violin]