The Saint Louis University string orchestra, in conjunction with the Cancer Center and Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, will be hosting “No Strings Attached,” a rehearsal and reading of SLU’s newly expanding string orchestra.
This event is open to any undergraduate student, graduate student and faculty member who has at least three years of experience playing the violin, viola, cello or bass.
“There’s no audition required, which is pretty unique,” Chris Wintrode, a law student involved with the orchestra, said. “We’re looking to have a wide range of people.”
Everyone is encouraged to attend the event, to watch or to participate in the event.
“It’s a one time informal event to come and play and check it out,” Marc Thayer, Vice President for Education and Community Partnership for the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra and an adjunct professor of music at SLU, said. Several members of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra will be in attendance.
Participants in “No Strings Attached” are not obligated to stay with the orchestra in the next year, but Thayer hopes the event will motivate them to do so.
“That’s why we called it “No Strings Attached.” They won’t have to commit to the year,” he said. “Hopefully, a lot of students and staff will want to commit to the orchestra.”
Though SLU had a 12-person string ensemble in the past, this newly expanded group is the brainchild of a number of organizations, including the SLU Cancer Center and the School of Medicine.
“I got involved when I met [Thayer] in 2007,” Kathleen Luther, Director of Development at the Cancer Center, said. “[Thayer] said, ‘There’s some really great things going on at medical centers with symphonies . . . I know there are medical students who play instruments.'”
Thayer is still interested in reaching out to the medical students with a flair for music.
“A lot of musicians study medicine, and lots of doctors, and students at the medical center are involved in music,” said Thayer.
“No Strings Attached” will be held on Aug. 27 at 7 p.m. in The Refectory in DuBourg Hall. For those who decide to take part in the orchestra after the “No Strings Attached” event, there will be rehearsals every Thursday night from 7:30 until 9:30. The orchestra will also hold three to four concerts a year
Provided that the string ensemble continues to grow, Thayer has a number of plans he hopes to implement.
“I’m planning on having the symphony play in the Powell Hall in the spring and on campus and at various places around the St. Louis area,” he said. “We’re planning on having them perform at the Cancer Center for patients . . . We want to explore the therapeutic elements of music.”
His biggest hope, however, is to interest a range of people and grow too big for just one university’s talent pool.
“I am hoping that we have a good cross-section of faculty and staff and students . . . My ultimate goal is to get students from other schools involved.”
Wintrode, for his part, is enthusiastic about the up-coming year, and he hopes others will be as well.
“We’ll provide the music, the stands, all of that,” Wintrode said. “Just bring an instrument.”
Students who commit to the orchestra have the opportunity to earn one credit hour.
For more information about the special event, Mark Thayer can be contacted at (314) 268-7051 as well as [email protected].
