Performance

The symphony orchestra is the most advanced musical machine ever created by humans. There is no other construct with such a wealth of timbres and sounds, creating a full palette of moods and emotions. It is a vast ensemble where nearly a hundred people start playing at exactly the same moment, synchronously slowing down and speeding up. Despite its size, it offers considerable interpretative freedom and can sound completely different depending on the conductor and their vision. How is this possible? Who ensures that the orchestra sounds pure? Can it perform without a conductor?

 

You will find answers to these and other questions at our educational concerts titled *Orchestral ABC*, part of the *Sunday Mornings* series. We will explain the instruments, demonstrate their various solo and ensemble sounds, and share interesting facts about working in such a large group. This is a unique opportunity to see and hear instruments that are usually hidden in the orchestra, as well as to talk with the artists who make up the Grand Theatre Orchestra in Łódź.

 

How many hands and legs does it take to play an instrument with 47 strings, seven pedals, standing 183 cm tall, and weighing 35 kg? It turns out that only one person is needed, and they don't necessarily have to be a tall man. The concert harp, the instrument in question, requires the performer to have agile fingers and excellent motor coordination. Are there other types of harps? How do they differ? How do they sound? What sounds does a harp make? How do you tune 47 strings? You will discover the answers to these questions and more at our third concert in the *Orchestral ABC* series.