New beginnings

Our first workshop of the year was our 'Mystery and Intrigue' workshop, in which we studied how composers for stage and screen use particular devices to manipulate our emotions.  Mancini's The Pink Panther and Hermann's Psycho (AKA The Scary Cat) provided the perfect vehicles for this.  Our players enjoyed getting their fingers around the chromaticism, rhythmic challenges and precise articulation required to build a sense of mystery, intrigue and fear.

It was especially good to welcome new players whose horizons were broadened with techniques such as col legno, sul ponticello and slap pizzicato.