Last Updated August 27, 2010

Call for New and Returning Members.

It's never too early to assess interest in the NVFO for our 2011 summer concerts. We are always looking for players who are adventurous, adaptable, inquisitive, and adept at taking on new instruments. Players should be reliable and able to honor their commitment to the group. We all depend on one another, so check your calendar well before committing.

Purpose of the Ensemble.

The NVFO is an all-volunteer organization now in its fourth season. The purpose of the ensemble is to promote the New Violin Family through public performance and educational outreach, to provide players with experience performing in a unique orchestral string ensemble, and to foster a sense of community by performing benefit concerts for worthy organizations in Central New York. We also don't mind having a lot of fun in the process!

Open Seats.

At present, our needs are represented by the word "open" in the orchestra roster on the right side of this page. These positions are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Acceptance is based on recommendation of orchestra members in good standing or by invitation. There is no charge for the use of the instrument for the summer.

Requirements for Participation.

We ask that you take good care of your instrument, learn your music, and attend all rehearsals. You become a de facto spokesperson for the New Violin Family, so we ask that you familiarize yourself with the history and goals of the organization.

We also ask you to sign a release for the use of your likeness and performance in the audio and video recordings we make each summer. This release is for non-commercial use only, such as advertising and promotion of the New Violin Family Orchestra (like the video clip on our home page).

 

Adagio for Strings.

Samuel Barber's (1910 - 1981) haunting and beautiful Adagio in B-flat minor has become one of the most beloved works of string writing from the 20th century. The piece was originally the second movement of Barber's string quartet, opus 11, written in 1936 while the composer was vacationing in Europe. Barber, then just 24 years old, said his inspiration came from a passage in Virgil's Georgics that described how a rivulet gradually became a large river.

The work builds on the simple compositional technique of stepwise repetitive sequences, which Barber handled with unusual mastery. The stratospheric tessitura of the movement and its breathtaking climax overshadowed the rest of the quartet, and its popularity induced Barber to rescore it as a separate piece for string orchestra. With additional forces at his disposal, the composer thickened the texture and increased the individual parts from four to, in some places, nine. The orchestral version received its premiere by the National Broadcasting Company Orchestra under Arturo Toscanini on November 5, 1938.

Some have characterized the piece as America's unofficial anthem of mourning, played at the funerals of presidents Roosevelt and Kennedy, while others call it the last great Romantic work for orchestra. It has been played by rock bands, used in movie soundtracks, and for a time was the best-selling classic work on iTunes. Despite its association with sorrowful or traumatic events, the real power of this piece comes from its simple writing, the stunning phrasing that sounds almost like a living, breathing creature, and the impressive range and increasing tension that lifts the listener to astounding heights, and then, with a sigh, returns him gently to earth.

Last Updated: August 27, 2010

Proposed 2011 Rehearsal and Concert Schedule (subject to change).
Rehearsal locations TBA.

Monday, June 13, 2011; 8:00 p.m.
Monday, June 20, 2011; 8:00 p.m.
Monday, June 27, 2011; 8:00 p.m.
Monday, July 4, 2011; 8:00 p.m.
Monday, July 11, 2011; 8:00 p.m.
Monday, July 18, 2011; 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, July 24, 2011; 3:00 p.m. (concert-- see below)
Monday, July 25, 2011; 8:00 p.m.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011; 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, July 30, 2011: 8:00 p.m. (concert-- TBA)
Sunday, July 31, 2011; 3:00 p.m. (concert-- TBA)

Concert Dates and Locations.

Sunday, July 24, 2011, Grace Episcopal Church, Cortland, NY 3:00 p.m.
A concert for the "Arts at Grace" series