Open Rehearsals

Would you like to look behind the curtain at an orchestra rehearsal? How does the conductor convey his interpretive wishes to the musicians of the orchestra? Is it all done through gestures? How much talk is involved? Is the atmosphere collegial? Tense? Join Maestro Lehninger, the musicians of the Festival Orchestra and other curious music lovers for a working open rehearsal of the Bellingham Festival of Music.

When is it?

July 11th 10-12:30pm

Where is it?

The WWU Performing Arts Center Concert Hall

Where do I park?

The Viking Union pay lot, or look for street parking on Garden St. and High Street/Highland Drive

Who can attend?

Anyone! This is a great chance to bring your family and friends to see what the Bellingham Festival of Music is all about.

Feel free to attend at any point in the rehearsal. We will be playing through the entire concert in preparation of our evening performance. You do not have to stay for the entire rehearsal. When the music has stopped, and the conductor is talking, you are welcome to get up and move around or leave at any point.

What will we see?

This rehearsal puts the finishing touches on the music we will be performing that evening. If you have children who are interested in music, but can’t sit still for a full evening performance, this is a perfect opportunity!

What will the musicians be playing?

This concert’s theme is music inspired by the scenery and atmosphere of Scotland. There is “Fingal’s Cave Overture” that evokes a beautiful natural cave in the Hebrides. The second piece, the Scottish Fantasy, by composer Max Bruch, is written for solo violin and orchestra. Our soloist for this performance is Simone Porter, and she grew up in Seattle! The last piece is Felix Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 3 “Scottish”. This piece is a large orchestral work that incorporates many Scottish Folk Songs.