The Really Terrible Orchestra of Westchester
The Original NO-AUDITION Amateur Community Orchestra in Westchester
"All you need is an instrument and a pulse!"
Biographies
Nathaniel Chase Conductor
Nathaniel Chase is active as a conductor, bassist and teacher throughout the tri-state area. In addition to conducting the Really Terrible Orchestra of Westchester, Mr. Chase has led perfomances of the Mimesis Ensemble and on the New England Conservatory Composers' Series. Mr. Chase is a graduate of the New England Conservatory and the Yale School of Music.
Barbara Rosenthal
Founder
Irvington resident Rosenthal is an amateur violinist who has played in community orchestras and helped jump-start the Irvington schools' orchestra program several years ago. A friend told her about the Really Terrible Orchestra Of Scotland
which was created by best-selling author Alexander McCall Smith in 1995 as a way for adults with some youthful musical experience to play music together. Rosenthal contacted The RTO Of Scotland and got its blessing to start a group here. In addition to the Westchester version which started with five people in March 2009 with Rosenthal as the conductor, there are versions in North Carolina and Pennsylvania, and a Really Terrible String Orchestra in San Francisco. "Part of the vision is to have fun, to practice, to play and to perform," she said. Members "find a place where they can play without having to audition, without being perfect, without being nervous they won't do well enough. The name brings people in. It brings in absolutely the people that we want."
Norm Weiss
Founder
Weiss, a Scarsdale psychiatrist, created the Dixieland Band to satisfy a life-long love for this musical genre. He has frequently gone on Dixieland-themed cruises to play with other musicians. He plays the tenor banjo and wanted a local group to play with. He started with a banjo, a clarinet and an accordion and has expanded to include a dozen musicians. The Jazz Band performs frequently at private and public venues and invites inquiries re' bookings. Contact him at 914-723-4343.