New Audition-Free Opportunity for Amateur Musicians: New Westchester Symphony Reading Orchestra

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. - March 26, 2015 - PRLog -- New Westchester Symphony Orchestra (NewWSO) has launched a spinoff orchestra called the New Westchester Symphony Reading Orchestra (NewWSRO, http://newsymphony.org/readingorchestra.html).

NewWSRO is an orchestra for musicians of all ages and abilities and plans to meet one per month on Saturdays in White Plains for a "reading" of great orchestral works. The next meeting of NewWSRO is Saturday, April 11 from 2:30-5:00pm at St. Bartholomew's Church, 82 Prospect St., White Plains 10606. The participation fee is $20, or $10 for students and seniors. The pieces to be played are Rossini's William Tell Overture and Barber of Seville Overture, and Bellini's Norma Overture.

In musical terms, "reading" is short for sight-reading. Unlike its parent orchestra, the goal of NewWSRO is to provide an opportunity for amateur musicians to have an orchestral experience without the pressure of regular rehearsals or practicing for the purposes of performing in a concert situation. NewWSRO is not a performing ensemble, only a reading ensemble, and there are no auditions required to participate.

The first session of NewWSRO took place in March 2015 and was a big success, prompting the regular scheduling of future sessions. NewWSO Conductor Benjamin Niemczyk led 34 musicians of various musical abilities and ages from teen to senior in a reading of Beethoven's famous "Pastoral" Symphony No. 6. The musicians were thrilled to have the chance to play one of the greatest works of music ever written, an experience usually only limited to professional musicians or very skilled amateurs who have passed auditions.

"We realize people are busy and that many would-be musicians cannot attend weekly rehearsals on a weeknights, so we developed the Reading Orchestra's monthly Saturday sessions with this in mind," says Maestro Niemczyk. "Others might not want to perform, and that is perfectly fine because the Reading Orchestra is not about performance, it is simply about the joy of playing orchestra music with others. We hope that anyone who has an instrument in their closet, an instrument that they perhaps played when they were younger but couldn't bear to part with, comes out to play this great repertoire with us."

#####

New Westchester Symphony Reading Orchestra (NewWSRO, http://newsymphony.org/readingorchestra.html) meets once per month on Saturdays in various location in White Plains, NY. There are no auditions required. The next meeting will take place on Saturday, April 11. Pre-registration on the website is highly encouraged, but walk-ins are also welcome. A per-session participation fee applies. Email info@newsymphony.org or call (914) 623-8075 for more information about participating in the Reading Orchestra.