Holly Edquist

University of Victoria Wind Symphony is very dedicated to the development of ensemble sound and reliance on section leaders to be responsible for the sound of their own sections to facilitate the large ensemble rehearsal process.

Principles are then expected and helped to organize and run sectionals to hold their sections accountable for their individual parts and ensuring that the section sound cohesive before returning to full rehearsal.

Greater Victoria Youth Orchestra helps to provide students with a high level orchestral experience and in doing so it is helpful in learning how to delegate a section and communicate to second and assistant principle players in an effective manner.

It also helps to develop skills such as switching from ensemble playing to more soloistic playing within pieces.

The Greater Victoria Youth Orchestra is an auditioned group comprised of primarily high school and university students. It provides a great opportunity to play in an orchestral setting and learn more about how orchestras are conducted both as a large ensemble and within smaller sections.

Playing second in the Greater Victoria Youth Orchestra provided a learning experience of how to apply feedback quickly and communicate within a section for the best result possible.

University of Victoria Symphony Orchestra is one of the main large ensembles offered at the University of Victoria.

It teaches how to communicate with conductors and peers and how to approach orchestral music both in individual practice, and how it applies to rehearsal and performance with the entire ensemble.

Meridiem Wind Orchestra is a group that gathers approximately three times per year to put together concerts. The group is largely comprised of retired professional musicians and music teachers, but the group tends to change slightly with each concert depending on who is available to perform.

Typically there is a reading session, the three rehearsals and a concert a couple weeks after that initial session requiring musicians to be able to learn the music to a very high level in a very short period of time.

Spark to Flame is an event put on by the Victoria Conservatory of Music once a year to provide students with a chance to perform concertos with a live orchestra.

Being a part of the Spark to Flame Orchestra requires a large amount of preparation in knowing individual parts and how they fit with the soloist as there are very few rehearsals and of course, the soloist should be allowed the highest possible chance of success from a competent and confident orchestra performing behind them.

This experience is great for learning how to put concertos together quickly and effectively with a large stress on being prepared before the first rehearsal to ensure a strong performance.