Our third player profile for UYO2022 is clarinettist Rebecca Moore.
Rebecca was the first recipient of our new bass clarinet in 2020, purchased with funds from Arts Council of Northern Ireland. This year Rebecca is our Principal Clarinet and the bass clarinet has found a new home!
“My name is Rebecca Moore, I’m 18 years old, and I’m a current member of the Ulster Youth Orchestra. This is my third year in the orchestra and, despite never having been on a residential due to COVID-19, I have made lots of new friends, and developed existing ones from previous orchestras I have been part of. My audition for the 2020 summer course was pretty nerve-wracking! However, once I got into the room and started playing, I felt slightly more relaxed! I think one of the main things I have learnt through the audition process is to not let the nerves affect you. Instead, what I did was I tried to trick myself into thinking I was excited rather than nervous which really helped.
As the 2020 course was online, we used technology to our advantage. We performed Tchaikovsky’s Overture to Romeo and Juliet, and the final result sounded fantastic: just as good as a live performance! We also had ‘sectionals’ where we would perform tricky sections of the piece to our group and tutor for advice and guidance. Due to the amount of talent within the orchestra, this was not confined to, “Yeah just practice that a bit more” but instead, “If you try this fingering for this note it should be easier”. The specific advice really made it like a lesson which really developed my own personal performance! This was one of the main reasons I wanted to join UYO, and I’m glad to say I have learnt so much from it!
Apart from the intense performance side of things, we also have entertainment nights – this allows everyone in the orchestra to meet each other online without it being awkward! The games range from some chill quizzes to manic searches where one person would shout out an item and you would have to run and find it in your house! Additionally, we would split up into smaller groups during the games and were able to chat with people from other sections as well.
If I could give one piece of advice to anyone who is hesitant in applying for UYO is to just do it – we all have to start somewhere.
You have nothing to lose and everything to gain, even if it is just audition experience!”