An instrument across cultures: the violin

An instrument across cultures: the violin

The violin just may be the universal instrument; instruments like the it have been around for centuries. Bartok was known for studying and preserving folk music of Eastern Europe, a reminder that string instruments have played a role in almost every nation’s...
Tuba: the biggest brass instrument

Tuba: the biggest brass instrument

Blake Cooper, principal tubist of the New West Symphony, has a ton of fun with the biggest brass instrument in the orchestra: the tuba. We love how it shakes the room and always makes us smile. But it also plays one of the most menacing themes in pop culture: the...

Now that’s what I call percussion!

[youtube]TKoq4KOHUEU[/youtube] You may have heard Steve Reich’s Mallet Quartet, a mallet purist’s dream. But now let’s hear how beautifully the percussion section can enhance and drive the orchestra. Carlos Chávez’ Sinfonia No. 2...
The singing cello in the William Tell Overture

The singing cello in the William Tell Overture

Wendy Velasco, New West Symphony assistant principal cellist, loves the cello’s unique voice. Today she reps Team Strings and shares a musical moment where the strings shine.   [youtube]M58sM94xCw8[/youtube]   Rossini, the master melody maker, wrote what is...