Symphonic sketching

Sharpee pen, watercolor in Arches Travel Book

Bob and I went to hear our local symphony orchestra and choir yesterday.  To  my delight, our seats in the balcony were optimally located for sketching.  I mean I enjoyed the music too, although the Stravinsky piece was a bit atonal for my ears.  Some of this was done while the musicians were warming up, and most of it during the music with lights down (over my paper anyway).

Of course Beethoven’s 9th is a pretty catchy tune, thrilling actually.  But even though the music was superbly performed by the Santa Rosa Symphony and choir, I think my favorite part was watching Bruno Ferrandis conduct.  Sketching him in movement was an impossibility, but I had to try.  It’s a wonder to me that the audience, who we could clearly see from our balcony seats, were so very well behaved, with such impassioned music.  I have a very hard time sitting still, so it ‘s a blessing to be able to put pen to paper at least.

The piece was well over an hour, so I had lots of time to sketch more musicians.