You were a nerd if you carried a violin case around. But people who pursue the art in college are infinitely more likely to truly love music and be enthusiastic participants, and this is certainly the case at Wesleyan. But I will admit that the music is not the only incentive for me to play in the orchestra. When my viola starts feeling heavier than usual, I tend to absorb the generous energy emanating from my fellow musicians. Our conductor, Angel Gil-Ordonez, epitomizes the essence of the orchestra.
Conductors can be absurdly bipolar.
I tend to have a fear of their loud voices, the way they throw their batons when they are angry. But I never feel apprehensive about rehearsals now, and I seriously doubt anyone else in the orchestra does either. Angel is, true to his name, very kind-hearted, and he knows the boundary between making music beautiful and making musicians apoplectic. The first of our two concerts was held last weekend at the Holy Trinity Church. Angel informed us that a set of speakers would be broadcasting the concert onto Main Street.