MAGNIFICENT MAHLER

BOO HOO !!! there over !! this Mahler fest week/end.. is over...!!

I had such a great time... not only did I get to perform as principal of my favorite symphony, Mahler 5th, but also really get to know, and have fun with my great colleagues !

Saturday evening’s performance was just amazing. A lot of good friends, family and colleagues attended the concert, to witness what I always knew and believed... that I, Wendy Limbertie, am a pretty dam good horn player! And now finally others have heard that as well... I know its rude and un-Canadian not to be more humble... but why not give myself a pat on the back sometimes..

The solo went well in the Scherzo... and the rest as well... at the end of Saturday's evening performance, I received a solo bow from Marco, our conductor.. for the longest time too... and then Marco proceeded after he received his flowers at the front of the orchestra to walk through the whole orchestra to the back where I was standing and handed me HIS flowers.. as a token of great thanks !! I was touched ! WOW.. what a night... and we get to play it again on Sunday.. in Kingston !

So yesterday, Sunday, we traveled , the Toronto players, to Kingston. We were all to meet the bus at York Mills and Yonge.. (Same place I tried to get to last Thursday, but this time no problems as there was NO SNOW storm!) ... The Bus left at 10:00am for Kingston. I was in the back of the bus, with of course the rest of the Brass Section, and Kathy. We all had a great time, laughing it up, talking about the night before, and really getting to know and enjoy each others company, and respecting each players contributions to this Mahler weekend! I really felt very connected to these colleagues now.. I have a great respect for of course Kathy's Playing.. but also a huge respect for Brandon Cassin, our principal Trumpet player, he was fabulous on both evenings ! the Opening of Mahler's 5th, has a huge trumpet solo, he sets the tone for the symphony, and he , Brandon was phenomenal both evenings.. ... here we are in the Bus whooping it up !

We arrived in Kingston at 1:00pm, and preceded into the hall were we to perform. We all unpacked our instruments and proceeded to start warming up…As the Kingston players were now also arriving.. they started to all congratulate me on a great job on my playing at the evening before, to which I was very appreciative of…

The concert started at 2:30 without incident… The hall was packed. A lot dryer acoustics than the hall on Saturday night.. but a bit more room. I played 1st horn in the Scherzo movement on this day, not the solo part, giving the opportunity to the 1st horn player, Steve Seiffert, of the Kingston Symphony to play the solo. He did a fine job.

Kathy Halvorson, our principal Oboe, and my great friend of 10 years now, did also an amazing job. She has brought up the level of our woodwind section so much. The intonation, and more importantly musicality level is at such a much higher level now. She has influenced the whole wind and brass section with her musical tone, and interpretations, and has brought up the level of the orchestra as a Whole ! it was great seeing and hearing this happen this weekend as well. They say, the 1st horn and the 1st oboe are the 2 MOST important chairs of any symphony orchestra, and I think Marco is now quite pleased with these two players he has in his orchestra. ( Kathy with principal Flute of Kingston, Donelda Gartshore)
All in all.. this performance too was very special, and exciting… ! what a great opportunity for us to have performed this symphony with some great players !

And lastly MARCO ! you are an amazing conductor, and more importantly a great musician ! and we, I feel very lucky and privileged to have performed under your musical leadership !

My horn section after the concert! from Left to Right- Christina Wotherspoon, Steve Seiffert, Emily Cavers, Cory van Allen, Me, Janet Anderson and James MacDonald

Despite our many attempts to persuade the bus driver to stop at a liquor store for some much needed, bus time, refreshments, we only had a disappointing 5 minute stop at Tim Hortons’ which did not satisfy anyone at the back of the bus !

Next time, we must remember to bring a cooler !

( click on any picture to enlarge the picture view)