“We are in a period of where we have supreme technical excellence . . . where performances are as polished and as well-performed as we have a right to expect — in many ways better than in the golden days. But, technical excellence doesn’t mean interpretive excellence. And, I do think the chances of a real individual performance emanating from the podium are less good now than they were thirty years ago. I think an empty music performance is a waste of time. I’d rather hear a lot of mistakes and have music move me than hear a brilliantly articulated performance that says nothing.”
— Martin Bernheimer
Now, in its third year and still in its relative infancy, the Vicente Chamber Orchestra is in the process of building a new Chamber Orchestra for the great city of Los Angeles. Here are the six key things we have learned so far:
1. Not just an orchestra. A community. The Vicente Chamber Orchestra is not just an orchestra; the Vicente Chamber Orchestra is also a community. We are a community of passionate musicians and we are intimately connected with our audience, who share in our love for music. After each concert is concluded, our community comes together at our reception. Ultimately, we want to do good things for the community whom we serve.
2. Location. Location. Location. The Vicente Chamber Orchestra is firmly rooted in West Los Angeles and has been building strong connections with the local community. The Vicente Chamber Orchestra offers the local community an accessible option to hear great symphonic works performed by remarkable soloists and passionate musicians.
3. Some “amateur” orchestras are not really “amateur.” The Vicente Chamber Orchestra is a platform for musicians to perform with other talented musicians. Most of its musicians are professionally trained but chose other careers. Simply put, the Vicente Chamber Orchestra is comprised of passionate musicians from all walks of life. Together, we form a mosaic that, when looked at from afar, is the Vicente Chamber Orchestra.
4. Enrichment. In addition to providing enrichment to our growing audience base, the Vicente Chamber Orchestra enriches the musicians by providing coaching by some of Los Angeles’ very finest musicians, including cellist Ben Hong and violinist Nathan Cole.
5. Accessible. Because our orchestra consists of mainly volunteers, we provide our chamber orchestra to the community at a modest cost, making it more accessible.
6. Lastly, great music making is not owned by the few. We pour our love and passion into every note. Our goal is to convey this love with our audience so they feel the excitement of Beethoven, the pathos of Schubert, and the elation of Mendelssohn, Schumann and so many other great composers. This is not a job for us. We make music on our own terms because we can, and because we love it.
If you want to learn more about the Vicente Chamber Orchestra and about our upcoming concert on February 22, 2020, please visit our website!
