Seventeen musicians have been in preparation for months to bring the music of Les Misérables to life in Taree Arts Council’s production, which opens this Friday, November 2.
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While the audience may not be able to see them, their role is a pivotal part of the storytelling and complements what is happening on stage.
“The music is cleverly constructed,” said musical director Don Secomb.
He brought together the musicians from across the Manning, Great Lakes and Port Macquarie (17 in total although only sixteen play at one time) from people he knew and recommendations.
“We have two people doing the oboe part, one doing five performances and one doing six,” he said.
The musicians have been learning their parts since April, although the first orchestra rehearsal wasn’t until about June.
“They all had their books as soon as we received them, about when we started cast rehearsals.”
It’s extremely challenging music written for extremely competent players.
- Musical director, Don Secomb
It’s a massive task, with two and a half hours of music to be played for each performance.
“It’s different for each instrument but the strings are playing constantly and the keyboards play all the time,” said Don.
“There’s more than 100 pages of music for them. It’s a lot of music to get under your belt.
“It’s extremely challenging music written for extremely competent players.”
Members of the orchestra are Annette Lee, Abi French and Tony Rutter on violin, Mary Townsend on viola, Louise Rourke on cello, Rob Cowley on bass, Natasha French on flute, Ian McLeod and Lindsay Kaul on oboe (sharing performances), Carol Irving on clarinet, Maryvonne Campbell on horn, Glenn Moore on trumpet, Ron Boaden on trombone, Mitchell Brown on keyboard one, Tanya Brown on keyboard two, Michael Eyb and Riley Brown on percussion.
They’ve been challenged and they’ve worked hard. They’ve put in their all and want to play well.
- Musical director, Don Secomb
Carol Irving, Glenn Moore and Ron Boaden were part of the original orchestra for Taree Arts Council’s 1995 Les Misérables, while Annette Lee and Maryvonne Campbell have played it elsewhere.
Oboe player Lindsay Kaul is at a tertiary level and aims to be a musical director and is currently musically directing Shrek the Musical in Gosford and fitting in Les Misérables around that commitment.
For some it is a family affair with Tanya Brown and her two sons Mitchell and Riley involved, as well as mother and daughter Natasha and Abi French.
Don said he’s been blessed everyone is so diligent.
“They’ve been challenged and they’ve worked hard. They’ve put in their all and want to play well.”
“It’s a pretty challenging score and the challenge is that the music is continual,” he said.
“Then there’s the nature of the way it tells a story and the moods and the feeling. When what’s being said in the text changes, the music is constructed to follow.
“The tempo changes a lot, the time signature changes a lot and the key signature changes a lot. I think they get to play every key signature there is.
“The orchestra members have to really be on their toes and have to have their brain turned on 100 per cent of the time.”
The orchestra members have to really be on their toes and have to have their brain turned on 100 per cent of the time.
- Musical director, Don Secomb
Don said it’s about being really open and ready for any eventuality.
“When it comes to the more expressive songs, such as I Dreamed a Dream, On My Own and Bring Him Home, they also need the ability to follow the singer and not be too rigid.”
The Manning Entertainment Centre brings its own challenges.
“There’s the physical problem of fitting into the orchestra pit, adjusting to that space and the musicians watching me from their position. I’m about a metre above them,” said Don.
The return of the theatre’s air conditioning system is also under the orchestra pit, with air flowing down where Don stands and can be problematic for the instruments.
“There’s a decent breeze the whole time. After it passes me it hits the wind players. The wind instruments have to stay in tune and if they get warm then cold, it effects how well the instrument stays in tune.”
Some of the orchestra members play regularly with Sinfonia and Don said Sinfonia had allowed the musicians to use their rehearsal space.
“It meant we could leave the huge drum kit set up and they loaned us a timpani and bass drum.”
Les Misérables is on at the Manning Entertainment Centre from November 2 to 18. Tickets available from www.theMEC.com.au, visit or call the MEC Box Office from Tuesday to Friday between 10am and 1pm. Tickets are also available from Stockland Forster.
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