Once upon a time, the Tufts Symphony Orchestra (TSO) was far from being the well-known and internationally recognized orchestra it is today. In the past two years, the TSO has proved itself to be the little orchestra that could.
With approximately 60 musicians, ranging from non-majors to New England Conservatory dual-degree students, two international tours under its belt, and a third major intercollegiate performance slated for later this spring, there's no denying that the TSO is making some big strides. TSO co-president Ted Shevlin put it best: "It's an exciting time to be an orchestra member."
One of the main reasons the TSO has changed so much in recent years has to do with the students it now attracts. Joining the TSO once meant simply being part of another student organization. With the vast number of projects the orchestra now takes on each semester, however, students not only have to be talented but also enormously dedicated and inspired.
"In the past I almost had to take any freshman that auditioned," orchestra conductor Malka Yaacobi said. "Today, I think the orchestra is very competitive, so the quality of the players is far better." This shift in both caliber and motivation since Yaacobi first came to Tufts five years ago has allowed the TSO to undertake more difficult musical projects, as evidenced by the selection of Mahler's Symphony No. 2 as the orchestra's major performance this semester.
Also known as Mahler's "Resurrection" Symphony, the concert marks another milestone for the orchestra. According to Shevlin and co-president Kenny William, this year's performance will be largest and most complex undertaking to date for the TSO.
"One movement from any of Mahler's symphonies - but especially this one - is longer than many other composers' full symphonies," William explained.
What makes this semester's concert so special is that, in addition to the Tufts Chorale, the TSO will be collaborating with the choruses and orchestras of Brandeis University, Wellesley College, and MIT. "[Performing with other colleges] allows TSO and also the Tufts Chorale to do larger works, because we don't have the numbers," William said. "I know it's very enriching to work with other college students."
That adds up to approximately 300 choral members and 200 musicians. Due to the group's sheer size, Cohen Auditorium cannot accommodate all the musicians. Like last year's performance of Beethoven's 9th Symphony, this year's concert, slated for April 22, will be held in Cousens Gym.
The scope of this spring's performance would have been unthinkable for the TSO only a few years ago. In the past, Tufts has not been especially known for its music, and as a result the TSO was considered just another campus performance group. Within the past two years, however, the orchestra has succeeded in making a name for itself in New England as a reputable and well-known orchestra. William and Shevlin credited Yaacobi with this shift in the scope of the TSO.
"There was apparently a lot of complacency in the orchestra," William said. "[Yaacobi] decided that it was going to be better, so she started to fix things and make us more prominent. She made a lot of these changes behind the scenes."
In addition, Yaacobi is also credited with giving TSO the opportunity to perform internationally. She was the organizational force behind last year's tour in Portugal as well as last fall's tour in Jamaica. "The whole idea of touring other countries and creating international contacts was Malka's," Shevlin said. "We're building international relationships by performing internationally."
As if international tours and a major intercollegiate performance weren't enough, the TSO has a few other tricks up its sleeve this semester. March 4 marks the Concerto Competition Concert, during which competition winners Pamela Chu, Shou Min Tan, and Christopher Lee will be performing various pieces. In a unique approach to both teaching and conducting, the students from Yaacobi's conducting class will be conducting various sections of the concert.
With Yaacobi's help the orchestra has also been getting more involved with the local community with concerts especially designed for children the last two years. The program has allowed the TSO to establish connections with community and continue to become more well-recognized.
By the end of the semester, the TSO will have performed a total of 11 concerts. For an orchestra that was once barely acknowledged by the Tufts community itself, this is no small accomplishment. The TSO is proving itself not only to Tufts, but anyone else who's willing to listen.
