Introducing Symphony of the Vines
By Kathryn Bumpass
Let me introduce you to a relatively new classical music group in our area, Symphony of the Vines. Established in the summer of 2010 the ensemble has performed in numerous venues, especially in north San Luis Obispo County. I was eager to know more about them, so I got in touch with the founder and music director, Dr. Greg Magie.
Kathryn: Tell me a little about the founding of the Symphony of the Vines.
Greg: It began as an idea I had to bring live classical music to the North San Luis Obispo county communities. I moved to SLO County in 2007, leaving a conducting and teaching position for family reasons. Eager to return to orchestral conducting, I saw a need and opportunity for North County residents to have their own orchestra.
I approached some of the musicians I knew in the area about the idea, and with their help we put on a small concert at Cass Winery in August of 2007. The response was overwhelming, and we soon had a “steering committee” that helped with planning, outreach, marketing, and putting on performances. The first season we presented four concerts at various locations throughout North County. We have since incorporated and have a Board of Directors that runs the symphony.
What were your specific purposes in establishing the symphony? Was there, as the name might suggest, a wish to perform at wineries and similarly intimate venues, or for other reasons?
The purpose of forming Symphony of the Vines was to bring live classical music to the North County communities. We are also different from any of the other musical ensembles in the county. We are a chamber orchestra. This means we are smaller than a full orchestra, like the SLO Symphony, and perform music specifically written for 10-30 players. This gives the local musicians an opportunity to play different repertoire in smaller and more intimate venues.
Honestly, I didn't know where we would perform when we first formed. There are some very nice performance spaces, such as the Performing Arts Center at Templeton High School. Some of the churches, including the Mission San Miguel, also have proved good for the group. We have performed at the Atascadero Lake Pavilion where the views over the lake make a stunning setting for concerts. As we grow as an organization it is our goal to begin incorporating concerts at wineries and other intimate venues for smaller ensembles.
Our name is meant to be inclusive of the region rather than taking the name of a single community (for example “Paso Robles Chamber Orchestra”) It also has a somewhat romantic sound that really appealed to me.
Do you specialize in any particular repertories?
We perform music from around 1650 to the present time. Music composed before about 1810 was conceived to be performed by small orchestras of up to 35 players. After that time some composers have written smaller ensemble works. In the 20th century there was a resurgence of interest in smaller ensembles. For example, most people have heard Aaron Copland's “Appalachian Spring” performed by an orchestra. However, it was originally composed for 13 players, not full orchestra. Copland later re-orchestrated the work for full orchestra. It is music such as this that we specialize in.
Do most of your players come from the Central Coast?
All our musicians live on the Central Coast, and the majority live in SLO and North County communities. We are so blessed to have such talented and capable musicians in this area. One of the hallmarks of this group is the passion and joy they show in performance. They truly love what we do and being a part of this orchestra.
What would you say is the symphony's biggest achievement so far?
It almost sounds cynical to say that our greatest achievement so far is that we are still here. It is not easy, or inexpensive, to rehearse and perform live classical music. We have many who support us financially, but since ticket sales don't cover the expenses, we are always looking for donations and business sponsors. We know that our mission adds tremendous value to the community, and affords students the chance to see and hear local musicians perform to exacting standards. Another achievement we are proud of is our collaboration with other local groups and musicians.
What are your goals for the future?
We will start a youth concerto/aria competition. This will give talented students the chance to compete for the honor of performing with a professional orchestra. Many orchestras in the country do this, but at this time, no local professional group has a concerto competition. We would also like to extend our reach by offering performances in other communities in Santa Barbara, SLO, and Monterey counties.
It would be wonderful to add an executive director to our staff to help chart the future and reach the goals the board would like to achieve.
Any other thoughts?
Music can never be fully appreciated on recording¸ or the experience captured in words. This is something that needs to be heard and experienced. I invite everyone to visit our website (Symphony of the Vines) to see what exciting events we have coming up, such as our concerts on April 6 and 7. Our program on those days includes piano soloist Torsten Juul-Borre performing Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 5. The orchestra will also play Schumann's Symphony No. 2. The concerts are at 3pm each day at Trinity Lutheran Church, 940 Creston Rd., Paso Robles. Tickets are available at our website, at BooBoo Records in SLO and at Matt's Music in Templeton. Come join us and experience the passion and precision of the Symphony of the Vines.
