Entry #6 - Harbour Symphony

Showing up to do the HS is becoming a regular thing for me, and I am becoming accustomed to seeing the same people (mostly, but always with some new faces) show up at the same time to do this really cool thing. I look forward to it, gathering around, waiting for Delf to assign parts, explain how it works, and then my favorite part, the group rehearsal. Delf records each and every vocal rehearsal, along with the actual symphony itself, over on the South Side hills.

This developing feeling of community is something I didn't really expect, but it's a pleasant feeling. I will miss the HS when the Symposium is over. Part of me sort of doesn't want it to be over.

Delf Maria Hohmann is REALLY into the Harbour Symphony. You can tell he has gone to a lot of trouble to make sure, enough players are coming, the harbour people and boat crews have been alerted, and that we all have our orange vests and photo IDs so we can be admitted into the secure area and on the boats. He grimaces when there are a lot of newbies, because it means explaining it again, VERY carefully and thoroughly. He really cares that everything goes okay, and that we are all having a good time doing it.
I don't think it's a stretch to refer to Delf as a Harbour Symphony scholar; he collects them, records them, knows all about them. Which is why I was a bit flattered when he invited me to write one (he knows I'm doing all this for the 7806 course). He gave me not only the Harbour Symphony CD, but also the same info kit that all the Symposium artists receive, complete with the timeline "staff paper" and "full score" sheets.

I'm going to give this a shot. I don't care if it doesn't get played this week. I can't remember the last time I actually sat down and composed music. This will require venturing outside of my comfort zone, which is a good thing, I think.

Here's the Harbour Symphony kit: