Viva Brighton Issue #82 December 2019

UoS Symphony Orchestra
An intergenerational celebration
The University of Sussex Symphony Orchestra
are recreating their programme from 1969 – when
they performed as part of the opening season of
the Gardner Arts Centre – in a special show at
ACCA this month. The genesis for the concert
came from ACCA’s creative director Laura
McDermott conducting research in The Keep
archives relating to the history of the Gardner Arts
Centre. Laura unearthed the original programme
for the first USSO concert in December 1969 and
was thrilled to discover that the programme notes
were written by UoS alumnus Ian McEwan, who
will read aloud the words he wrote for the original
concert as part of the 2019 show.
I ask USSO’s leader, third year philosophy student
and violinist Jakob Masiak, about the history
of the orchestra. “Back in the 60s it was primarily
meant to be an outfit for the students who studied
music. Nowadays we’re an interdisciplinary
and international society. Which is incredibly
exciting every year… no matter what department
you’re from, no matter what country, it’s very
very fun.”
The three pieces in the programme are Brahms’
Academic Festival Overture, Beethoven’s Piano
Concerto No. 3 and Stravinsky’s Symphony in C.
Pianist and UoS graduate Shin Suzuma will also
be returning for the show. He’ll perform the Beethoven
piece on a Steinway grand piano, donated
to the university by fellow alumnus Tony Banks
(keyboardist from Genesis). “You normally get
at most two rehearsals with any soloist. Which
can be quite intimidating for the orchestra, and
maybe the pianist themselves. In this case we will
have three proper rehearsals with Shin.”
Jakob tells me that the USSO always tries to invite
as many friends, family members and former
orchestra members to performances as possible.
This time though, ACCA staff have assisted the
USSO in publicising the event and the Development
and Alumni Relations office at University
of Sussex have contacted alumni ahead of this
concert, to help make it a special occasion.
The interdisciplinary nature of the USSO gives
students a chance to meet all sorts of people from
across the university they might not otherwise
have met. “Some people have wildly different
schedules in their day to day lives. Some friends
only see each other once a week: at the rehearsal.
Having the opportunity of going to Falmer Bar
afterwards is quite helpful.
“We also put on dedicated social days: we’ve had
laser tag, ice skating, and we were planning on
having some beach time next term, that sort of
thing. Our Sunday rehearsals are more social.
It’s still productive of course, but we have a huge
break in the middle to eat cookies.” Joe Fuller
7th Dec, 7.30pm, attenboroughcentre.com
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