Some are students, retirees or high school students. Others work in insurance, hospitals, department stores, IT or communications. But whatever their daily life, every Wednesday since January, they have met with their instrument in a room at the Tours Conservatory to take their place within the Popular Orchestra.
“I wouldn’t miss this moment for anything in the world. It’s a need like sport for some,” smiles Margaux, the double bassist, who came as a neighbor from her office as director of communications at the Opera.
Refusal of elitism but search for excellence
“It’s like a bridge between our professional obligations and our desire to play in an orchestra,” says Loïc, the radiologist-flautist, who as many have had to put the practice of their instrument on hold during long years of study. Just like the former law student, Liv, who does not hesitate to travel the 100 km every week between her insurance marketing office in Le Mans and her concertmaster.
But everyone says it “we are largely rewarded by the joy of playing but above all by the kindness and energy that our leader Benjamin Garzia inspires.” Enthusiastic connoisseur of Gustav Mahler whose work is a “alloy between popular and scholarly”, Benjamin Garzia always has an idea in advance to make music accessible to everyone.
Passion, work and kindness
It is not surprising that in the management team of the Conservatoire, he is “in charge of partnerships and new audiences, Minister of Foreign Affairs, if you prefer “, he jokes. Launched at the end of 2023, the Popular Orchestra project was a success that exceeded the wildest expectations. At the beginning of January, after auditions, there were seventy of them, from 16 to 76 years old for the first rehearsal. “After a surreal first quarter of an hour, where everyone was convinced of playing worse than their neighbor”, the orchestra, “with perfectly balanced and so motivated desks”, made, week after week, spectacular progress in a climate of “contagious kindness”.
Benjamin, who refuses elitism but always seeks excellence, immediately set the bar very high with two great works from the repertoire, Romeo and Juliet by Tchaikovsky and The New World Symphony by Dvorak. To discover for the Fête de la Musique, this popular orchestra, “ambassador of the desire for openness of the Conservatory and the Opera”.
Friday June 21, 2024 at the Tours Opera. At 5:15 p.m.: À Voix Haute choir (free, without reservation). At 6 p.m.: concert by the Popular Choir, the Popular Masters and the Opera Choir. (€5). At 9 p.m.: concert by the Popular Orchestra (€5). Reservation required at 02.47.60.20.20 or www.operadetours.fr
