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Web Journal 4


STANFORD COLLABORATIVE ORCHESTRA

On February 29, 2020 I attended a concert by the Stanford Collaborative Orchestra at Stanford University. I was down there for Family Weekend visiting my cousin who attends the university. Since the concert took place during Family Weekend, the audience was a majority of relatives and fellow students.

At first, the concert struck me as a little unusual in that there was a full orchestra but no conductor. However I learned that this was an intentional decision not only for this performance but for the way the orchestra is always ran. Traditionally, chamber orchestras are directed by conductors who are in charge of leading rehearsals, making key musical decisions, and guiding the overall vision for the direction of the group. The Stanford Orchestra wanted to invert this model and be condutctor-less in an effort to create a musical group where the members democratically and collaboratively engage in the process of music-making. This collaborative orchestra was founded in 2015 and is the first of its kind at Stanford.

 My favorite piece performed was Johannes Brahm's Hungarian Dance No. 5. This is a very lively piece that begins with a quick tempo. Brahm's Hungarian Dance pieces are very rapid and energetic and this one definitely becomes the most energetic of all. The tempo changes quite frequently which makes this piece very interesting. I learned that this piece is influenced by Hungarian gypsy music. And this piece mimics the way the gypsies would dance in their camps. This music definitely gives me a vivid imagery of a very folksy, energetic dance.








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