Róisín and Clara wow in orchestral performance
TWO young musicians, Clara Lautwein (French Horn) from New Ross and Róisín O’Reilly ( Viola), of Wexford town, joined 90 other transition year students from around the country in a performance by the 3rd annual Cork School of Music TY Project Orchestra.
Under the baton of conductor Conor Palliser, the group tackled Russian composer Alexander Borodin’s popular, yet notoriously difficult to perform, Symphony no. 2.
The aim was to have the orchestra ready to tackle the work in the space of a week. To this end, there were daily group rehearsals with the conductor along with sectional rehearsals with orchestral professionals.
The two Wexford musicians, both members of County Wexford Youth Orchestra and Wexford Sinfonia, were quick to admit that the music was extremely challenging and initially it looked like it would be difficult to complete even one movement.
Four days and three movements later, however, the orchestra stunned a packed theatre with a stellar performance which perfectly captured the symphony’s rugged harmonies, deft orchestration and passionate Russian themes.
In addition, Róisín swapped her viola for her fiddle to join the TY Traditional Music Ensemble for their closing concert. The group impressed with a performance that included sets of reels, polkas, slip jigs and marches along with a lively Scottish hornpipe.
Both girls enjoyed the experience immensely, both from a musical point of view and because of the many new friendships forged.