Welcome to Sinfonia for the 2026-27 Season!
I look forward to seeing everyone at our first rehearsal on Monday, September 28! This page is where you will find important information about things like seating auditions, retreat, and rehearsal details.
Sinfonia Fall Repertoire
Note: Berceuse and Finale has been dropped from the fall concert and will be saved until later in the season. Please download and print your part for Egyptian Legacy by Soon Hee Newbold instead.
- Swan Lake No. 1 Scene by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
- En Bateau from Petite Suite by Claude Debussy (1st movement only)
- Egyptian Legacy by Soon Hee Newbold
Sinfonia Part Assignments
Sinfonia part assignments for Fall quarter are available at the link above. Everyone will prepare the part that is assigned to them, and students only need to print the part they are assigned.
Sinfonia Seating Chart Fall 2026
If you are wondering where you will be sitting, you can find the seating chart by clicking the link above. This seating chart will be updated after seating auditions.
Seating Auditions
Seating auditions will take place at our Fall Retreat on Saturday, October 10, from 9:00 am – 12:00 pm. Seating auditions only happen during our retreat, and there will be no make-up auditions. Those who do not audition at the retreat will be seated at the back of the section. Seating audition spots are available at the link above.
Repertoire Recordings and Program Notes
You should listen to the professional recordings linked below for a guide to tempo and style. Read the program notes, and be sure to practice your individual part with careful attention to detail (including articulations) and to the musical aspects of the piece (dynamics, phrasing, etc.).
- Swan Lake No. 1 Scene by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Despite its initial failure, Swan Lake by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840 – 1893) is now one of the most popular of all ballets. The scenario was fashioned from Russian folk tales by Vladimir Begichev, director of the Moscow Imperial Theatres, who commissioned the score from Tchaikovsky in 1875 for a rather modest fee of 800 rubles. The balletmaster of the Bolshoi Ballet, Julius Reisinger, provided Tchaikovsky with a list of dances for Swan Lake that included only the most basic outline of the requirements for each dance. When Reisinger demanded changes from Tchaikovsky after the score was completed it became clear that he intended to be a very large part in the creation of the ballet. Although the two artists were required to collaborate, each seemed to prefer working as independently of the other as possible. - En Bateau from Petite Suite by Claude Debussy (1st movement only)
Claude Debussy (1862 – 1918) was a French composer who was one of the most prominent figures associated with Impressionist music. Debussy’s music is noted for its sensory content and lack of tonality, and his use of non-traditional scales and chromaticism influenced many composers who followed. En Bateau is the first movement from the “Petite Suite”, which was written in 1889 and is one of his earlier works. It was originally written for two pianos, and it was later arranged for orchestra by Debussy’s colleague Henri Busser. “En bateau” means “in a boat” in French, and the music reflects floating sleepily in a small row boat in a quiet lagoon. The compositional style of En Bateau embodies the epitome of refinement, delicacy, and sensuous beauty. - Egyptian Legacy by Soon Hee Newbold
Soon Hee Newbold (b. 1974) draws inspiration from the mystery, grandeur, and enduring influence of ancient Egypt in Egyptian Legacy. Through vivid orchestral colors, driving rhythms, and dramatic melodies, the work evokes images of towering pyramids, bustling marketplaces, sacred temples, and the vast desert landscapes surrounding the Nile River. Rather than telling a specific story, the piece creates a musical journey into a civilization whose achievements in architecture, science, art, and culture continue to fascinate people thousands of years later. Powerful percussion and energetic rhythmic figures suggest the excitement and vitality of ancient Egyptian life, while sweeping lyrical passages capture a sense of wonder and timeless majesty. The music alternates between moments of mystery and celebration, reflecting both the spiritual traditions and the remarkable accomplishments of one of history’s greatest civilizations.
See you on Monday!
Barney Blough
Conductor of Sinfonia
