Workshops   Tutti   Additionnal Tutti   Street activities   Release of the balloons   Serenade to the mayor   Concerts   Final rehearsal   The final Concert   Meals

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Workshops The day after their arrival, the musicians start to sight- read the partitions that they will play at the final concert. Whatever their musical level, all the musicians need to participate at this preparation under the direction of the respective conductors, who are all music teachers. These sessions allow each musician to take notes, to warm up , and to discover the pieces, especially the contemporary piece. This also allows for an international exchange; we exchange techniques, we advise the younger and learn from the more experienced. The workshops are usually in French but often mixed with English.

Tutti At the end of the first week, the entire group of musicians have a general rehearsal. They work with the respective conductor of each piece . The ambiance is relaxed but nevertheless studious and focused. At the first rehearsal the musicians must mark their places on the podium (each assigned place will be their assigned place at the final concert). At first, with a lot of interruptions for directions and advice, the interpretation of the pieces progressively comes together. Another important moment for the musicians is to work with the composer of the contemporary piece.  Additionnal Tutti Depending on their progress, the conductors decide together with the musical director, Sébastien Billard, if additional rehearsals are needed in order to obtain the highest possible quality for the final concert.

Street activities The weather is nice in brive and it promotes concerts in busy places around the city. The young musicians can then reach the type of public that is not used to concert halls or is not available for night concerts. These activities are another way for the musicians to share what they have worked on all year.

Release of the balloons The release of the balloons is the opening ceremony of the Orchestrades. The 700 musicians, their escort and all the members of the organization are gathered around Mrs. Simone du Breuil, the President of the Orchestrades and the Mayor. Each musician is holding a balloon. They are all released at the same time. Each balloon has a card attached to it with the name of the musician and a request to the person who finds it to return it to Brive. The next year, the musicians whose names were on the three balloons found the furthest from Brive will receive a surprise. Some balloons have been found as far as 600 km from Brive !

Serenade to the mayor The serenade to the mayor is one of the events of the last day. It is in recognition to the Mayor of Brive and to the public at large for the welcome they have extended to the Orchestrades. For this occasion, one of the groups is chosen to represent the 700 young musicians to interpret some of their repertoire.

Concerts During their stay, the young musicians have many occasions to perform their program. Concerts in Brive Every afternoon, 4 groups perform in the following locations: Saint-Martin College, Saint-Sernin Church, Saint-Liberal Chapel and the Music School auditorium. Here, several hundred of people come to listen to the young musicians. Other performances, the concerts at the "patinoire". Each evening, two groups are scheduled to play in this location. This allows about a thousand people, including the Orchestradians, to come and listen to the music interpreted by the youngsters. It is a discovery of music as well as different musical cultures. Neighboring concerts Another great occasion for the Orchestrades, is the Neighboring concerts. The groups travel to one or two localities around Brive to perform their program. Here again is an occasion to allow the young ones and the public around Brive to come together and share one of those rare moments.

Final rehearsal The great event is approaching . The final rehearsal will reflect exactly the next day's final concert. The performance of the program will be uninterrupted.Sébastien Billard, Artistic Director of the Orchestrades, listens and takes notes of some final adjustments.

The final Concert 8:00 p.m.: the 700 musicians take their place on the podium. They look spiffy in their concert attire and wearing the colored scarves given to them at the beginning of the Orchestrades.In the hall, more than 3000 people are eagerly waiting, applauding. The first violin gives the A and the musicians tune their instruments, section by section.The lights go out, a voice announces the first piece, the conductor enters and takes a bow, and the show begins! The entire program that the young musicians have worked on since their arrival will be performed, including the world premiere of the contemporary piece as well as Brive's national anthem which will be played at the conclusion of the concert. After all this, the musicians will take a few hours for a well deserved celebration !

Meals Imagine how 800 people come together to eat. For the occasion, one of the sports room has been converted to a dining room and the meals are prepared by a caterer from the city of Brive. At their arrival in Brive, each person receives a booklet of tickets for each meal that will be taken during their stay.

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