Greenbelter Derek Maseloff conducts the new Greenbelt Community Orchestra on November 19.From Dream to Reality: The
Greenbelt Community Orchestra
by Joseph Abelardo Conaty
On Sunday, November 19, Greenbelt’s first community orchestra performed an incredible concert that was a culmination of nearly four months of weekly practice and decades of an ambitious dream. The orchestra’s mission statement is to “provide an outlet” for Greenbelt musicians “to share our love of music with the local community.” At the beginning of this year the orchestra didn’t even exist, and as the year ends they are already preparing for their second concert in March of 2024.
Greenbelt Community Orchestra was a dream for Anne Gardner, who spent her late teens and early 20s performing with community orchestras in England before she relocated to Greenbelt. It came as quite a surprise to her that there wasn’t already an amateur orchestra in Greenbelt, given the number of talented musicians in the area. Instead she played fiddle with local folk musicians and stayed busy raising three children. Gardner was inspired, after attending a Baroque performance last February, to create Greenbelt’s first-ever com-munity orchestra. And in a harmonious response, in mere days, over 50 people signed up to play. The successful turnout didn’t end there. Gardner watched as a community that shared her passion and appreciation for music crowded the Community Center gym the Sunday before Thanksgiving. Some audience members had to stand because all the seats were full.
After an amazing initial turnout, that concert was just the beginning. Greenbelt Community Orchestra’s next concert is set to be held on March 17, 2024. Gardner envisions the orchestra performing three concerts each year.
Challenges
The orchestra must address a few challenges as it grows. The first is sustaining a free orchestra, which can become expensive as the sections expand. This challenge was met through donations to the orchestra from an impressed audience who were happy to contribute after the performance. Gardner plans to use some of the donation money to cover the expenses necessary to become a nonprofit organization.
Another challenge for an amateur orchestra is to have the right number of each type of instrument. Ideally, orchestras should have a sectional balance where no one section over-powers the other. Gardner said that the orchestra could use more strings, especially double basses, more trombones and a second oboe. Moving forward, they also need a larger room for orchestra rehearsals.
The newly created orchestra demonstrated their talent and musicality during their debut concert and the Greenbelt community looks forward to listening to many more excellent performances. For more information about the orchestra, visit GreenbeltOrchestra.org.
Joseph Abelardo Conaty is a first-year student at the University of Maryland writing for the News Review.
Photo by Jon Gardner.
On Sunday, November 19, Greenbelt’s first community orchestra performed an incredible concert that was a culmination of nearly four months of weekly practice and decades of an ambitious dream. The orchestra’s mission statement is to “provide an outlet” for Greenbelt musicians “to share our love of music with the local community.” At the beginning of this year the orchestra didn’t even exist, and as the year ends they are already preparing for their second concert in March of 2024.
Greenbelt Community Orchestra was a dream for Anne Gardner, who spent her late teens and early 20s performing with community orchestras in England before she relocated to Greenbelt. It came as quite a surprise to her that there wasn’t already an amateur orchestra in Greenbelt, given the number of talented musicians in the area. Instead she played fiddle with local folk musicians and stayed busy raising three children. Gardner was inspired, after attending a Baroque performance last February, to create Greenbelt’s first-ever community orchestra. And in a harmonious response, in mere days, over 50 people signed up to play. The successful turnout didn’t end there. Gardner watched as a community that shared her passion and appreciation for music crowded the Community Center gym the Sunday before Thanksgiving. Some audience members had to stand because all the seats were full.
After an amazing initial turnout, that concert was just the beginning. Greenbelt Community Orchestra’s next concert is set to be held on March 17, 2024. Gardner envisions the orchestra performing three concerts each year.
Challenges
The orchestra must address a few challenges as it grows. The first is sustaining a free orchestra, which can become expensive as the sections expand. This challenge was met through donations to the orchestra from an impressed audience who were happy to contribute after the performance. Gardner plans to use some of the donation money to cover the expenses necessary to become a nonprofit organization.
Another challenge for an amateur orchestra is to have the right number of each type of instrument. Ideally, orchestras should have a sectional balance where no one section overpowers the other. Gardner said that the orchestra could use more strings, especially double basses, more trombones and a second oboe. Moving forward, they also need a larger room for orchestra rehearsals.
The newly created orchestra demonstrated their talent and musicality during their debut concert and the Greenbelt community looks forward to listening to many more excellent performances. For more information about the orchestra, visit GreenbeltOrchestra.org.
Joseph Abelardo Conaty is a first-year student at the University of Maryland writing for the News Review.
