While the Modesto Symphony may go on hiatus for the sizzling months of July and August many of our talented musicians are still hard at work honing their craft and blazing new trails in contemporary music. Nicky Roosevelt, French Horn, spent two weeks of her summer playing with the Cabrillo Festival in Santa Cruz. Here is a brief note from her summer travels:
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Hi Folks,
Hope you had a good summer. I've just returned from playing 2 weeks with the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music in Santa Cruz along with 2 other Modesto Symphony musicians Forrest Byram, tuba and Drew Ford, cello. Every summer, some 75 of us gather from around the country to play the music of living composers, many of whom join us, working together to bring their vision to life. It is exciting to find out what the music will sound like, as most pieces have not been recorded, and some never played either here on the West Coast or even the world. The audiences are treated to a unique experience that is created right there for them, and they often have the opportunity to talk with the composers about how the music came about.
We are like the pioneers who explored the West, never knowing what is around the corner. There are challenges to meet (the music often has technical difficulties for musicians to conquer), and there is the thrill of achieving something together as a team. The audience gets to travel to new sound territory that is not like any they've heard before. I love Brahms and Mozart, but just like it's fun to travel to see new places, it's great to hear new things.
I look forward to finding out what David has in store for us this season. It's always a pleasure to join with you at the Gallo Arts Center for a wonderful musical adventure.
See you in September!
Nicky Roosevelt