The Rocket

Issue date: 11/30/07 Section: Focus

Media Credit: Samantha Chalmers During their rehearsal on Nov. 26 in Miller Auditorium, the Slippery Rock Symphony Orchestra practices for its winter concert. The concert, to be held on Dec. 5 at 7:30 p.m. in Swope Music Hall, will feature three pieces. [Click to enlarge]

As the musicians lifted the bows to their instruments and the conductor raised his baton to cue the music to begin, the 2007 Slippery Rock Symphony Orchestra prepared for its fall semester concert on Nov. 26 in one of its final rehearsals in Miller Auditorium.

Wearing a Pittsburgh Steelers football jersey, Warren Davidson, the conductor of the SRU Symphony Orchestra, led the rehearsal at a steady pace, getting through all the pieces that needed to be rehearsed for the concert.

Davidson would go over certain parts of a song with the musicians, stopping them occasionally to give suggestions or make corrections, before piecing the parts together to create the whole song.

Even when the musicians weren't playing during certain parts in the songs, they sat vigilantly, involved with the piece and aware of when to continue playing again.

Each semester, the SRU Symphony Orchestra, made up of about 45 musicians, puts on one performance for the students and citizens of Slippery Rock. This semester's performance will be held on Dec. 5 at 7:30 p.m. in Swope Music Hall.

The concert will consist of three pieces: "Overture Impresario" by Mozart, "Piano Concerto in A-minor" and Beethoven's Sixth Symphony.

The Beethoven piece is considered a pastoral and illustrates his experiences in the countryside.

Davidson chose the pieces by determining which would work best together.

"Hopefully they will be able to make an interesting and exciting night of music," Davidson said.

The preparation for this performance began during the beginning of the school year and will continue until the night of the concert.

Continued...

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