Academy student Samy Okuma-Chin reflects on his experience sharing the stage with the LPO
The London Philharmonic Orchestra was initially founded under Sir Thomas Beecham and Malcolm Sargent in 1932 to rival London’s already prominent orchestras, such as the London Symphony Orchestra and BBC Symphony Orchestra. Currently residing at the Royal Festival Hall, the orchestra has had many renowned principal conductors over the years, including Sir Adrian Boult, Bernard Haitink, Vladimir Jurowski, and as of present, Edward Gardner.
As a student at the Royal Academy of Music, I
had the privilege of playing alongside not just my wonderful colleagues, but
also members of the LPO and their ‘Foyle Future Firsts’ recipients for a short
concert at the Royal Festival Hall on 15 January 2025, conducted by
Edward Gardner. We were programmed to play three short pieces: Suite no.2 by
Stravinsky, Tombeau de Couperin by Ravel and These Worlds In Us by Mazzoli. I
had never played or performed any of these pieces, so in preparation for our
first rehearsal, I listened to various recordings along with my part, working
out how my own second violin part would fit in with the rest of the orchestra, as
well as thinking about stylistic components for each composer. Although the material was not
technically demanding, I was very excited about how the orchestra would be
rehearsed, and the sound we would collectively produce for each piece.
And so I entered the first rehearsal - held in the Duke’s Hall at the Academy, where I have rehearsed and performed many times - feeling confident; there was certainly an air of excitement in the room. You could feel amongst the students that we all wanted to showcase ourselves with a positive demeanour to the professionals and it was clear from the first readings of the piece that everyone was well prepared.
We played ‘together’ and there seemed to be little discrepancy with the notes of the music itself. Due to this, the rehearsal process felt very efficient and more musically orientated where ideas such as character and phrasing were discussed, as opposed to a typical student orchestra’s first rehearsal where a thorough break down of the piece would be required to achieve familiarity with the notes. Don’t get me wrong, the initial rehearsals were still very detailed thanks to the LPO’s current conducting fellow, Juya Shin, and she was very particular in what she wanted, whether that was more connectivity in phrases in the Ravel, emphasis on musical characters and the roles of each ‘character’ in the Stravinsky, or the different kinds of articulation required in the Mazzoli.
The first couple of rehearsals ultimately ended up being a great insight into what kind of sound I would have to produce as part of a professional string section, depending on what we were playing. I have played both Ravel and Stravinsky in an orchestra before. However, this was a very different experience from the get-go. You could really hear the sounds of all the instruments blending, hear that it is also a conscious effort, and that every musician in the room is listening to one another.
Whatever the timbre of the sound (amongst the strings), for example sul tasto, the collective sound had unity, with high levels of musicianship across the section. Blending of vibrato widths, attention to endings of phrases, matched bow strokes and lengths, and most importantly, the mutual sense of inner pulse, were what stuck out to me the most. In student orchestras or projects, you can find that not everyone has the same inner pulse. Especially for a rhythmically challenging piece like the Mazzoli, where you have changing and irregular meters, off beat rhythms and the necessity to count, it is particularly important for everyone to be feeling to same beat, otherwise it can be an open invitation for disarray.
Our rehearsal with Edward Gardner was very streamlined. Shin did a wonderful job in coalescing and nurturing the professionals and students together, and it was time for the current face of the LPO to take over. Gardner has been the principal conductor of the LPO since 2021 and he himself is an alumni of The Royal Academy of Music. As he is noted for his elegant style and delicate precision, I was very excited to see what he would bring to our already well-rehearsed ensemble. The first thing I myself and many of my colleagues observed was the immaculate efficiency of his rehearsal technique. We would run through each piece or movement, and it was almost as though he had recorded this in his head, then rewound the take while looking visually at his score to find any moments that needed tweaking.
There was also a sense of trust between him and the musicians. It was clear that he recognised us as good musicians as he would make a point without dwelling on it for too long, which allowed the rehearsal to flow and our confidence to also grow. He also brought a perspective on how the orchestra would sound in the Royal Festival Hall, and made adjustments to the balance through the types of articulation or colour needed to make this accommodation. I would also like to note how clear a conductor he is - incredibly easy to follow, particularly in the Mazzoli, where he not only kept the pulse and beat in a concise manner, but through his body language and gestures, encouraged us to play more musically. His effortless technique allowed me to keep sight of his baton through my peripheral vision, which ultimately allowed the orchestra to play as one, and his nonchalant manner, I believe, made us play with greater ease and took away from the professional-student hierarchy.
Debuting at the Royal Festival Hall alongside members of the LPO will definitely be a highlight of my musical career. I had previously visited this venue many times in the past to watch resident orchestras such as the Philharmonia, and international orchestras such as the NHK Symphony, and so it was an exciting opportunity to be able to perform and face the other side of the auditorium. The performance itself was very enjoyable. Although the occasion was more ‘professional’ it didn’t feel nerve-racking at all. I believe this was a result of being well rehearsed and trusting one another, along with the support given by the LPO members. With a healthy number of audience members in the auditorium, including friends, colleagues, family members and the general public, it was a very rewarding experience to be able to perform the hard work that we put in.
All in all, this was a short but delightful experience where I was able to consolidate and refine my orchestral skills. Being able to not only play alongside, but witness the attitudes and work practices of members of a professional orchestra was very insightful as well as comforting. The camaraderie you associate with orchestral playing never disappears, only becoming stronger the longer you are in the profession.