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The Really Terrible Orchestra Of the Triangle (RTOOT)
The Really Terrible Orchestra Of the Triangle (RTOOT) is an American amateur orchestra founded in 2008 by W. Sands Hobgood to encourage reasonably competent musicians who have been prevented from playing music together with others, either through lack of talent or some other factor, to rehearse and perform in an ensemble of similarly afflicted players in the environs of the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill area of North Carolina (USA) known as Research Triangle Park, or The Triangle (not be confused with the Bermuda Triangle).

The mission of the Really Terrible Orchestra Of the Triangle (RTOOT) is twofold: 1) to provide a unique opportunity for musicians in the Triangle who want to play music with a group, regardless of their level of talent; and 2) to attract an audience of all manner of listeners from the entire community - who may never otherwise be lured inside a symphonic concert hall - to come along and enjoy a both cultural and entertaining show...



'' Inspired by Scotland's Really Terrible Orchestra, the group has pursued players who aren't quite competent enough for the area's established ensembles. RTOOT may never win a Grammy or a local battle of the bands. But clearly these questionably skilled musicians serve to remind all of us that everyone can find a place in the arts.''1

Founder W. Sands Hobgood is also the conductor (music) of the Really Terrible Orchestra Of the Triangle (RTOOT) and the My Strow uses the term "Culturtainment" to describe the unique and often zany nature of the orchestra's performances.

The orchestra's somewhat bizarre antics include having assigned the principal clarinist as the concertmistress to lead the tuning of the orchestra, arguably because the group didn't realize that in a nonterrible orchestra (with strings) the role of concertmaster traditionally belongs to the principal violinist in the first violin section.

There are auditions, but these are partially an attempt to weed out players who are too competent. Professional musicians may be accepted into membership if they pick up an instrument never played before and if they play it badly enough.

The Assistant Conductor of The Really Terrible Orchestra Of the Triangle (RTOOT) is Michael Lyle. The orchestra believes it is the only civic orchestra in the Triangle (not to be confused with the Bermuda Triangle) with an Assistant Conductor.

The inaugural performance of the Really Terrible Orchestra Of the Triangle (RTOOT) occurred on December 10, 2008 in Hill Hall on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.2

''Hobgood says the Terrible Orchestra isn't thumbing its nose at more established ensembles. "But we are kind of spoofing the music and the music establishment, people who are a little bit stuffy about their classical music". ''3

''"We try to get the music as best as we can. And then we add the schtick". Hobgood worked three weeks to get his mobile phone to ring in the middle of the famous silent section near the end of Strauss' The Blue Danube. "I answered my phone from the podium," he said. "The audience loved it." ''4

During the extemporaneous remarks made during a concert "audience members are requested to turn their cell phones ON to cover up any terrible noises that might emanate from the stage." 5

Also worthy of note is RTOOT's concert programs which (in addition to the usual greetings from the conductor, programme notes, singalong lyrics, and the history of the orchestra) contain diversions such as coloring book pages (for which Crayon Girls hand out crayons), puzzles, and excerpts from great literature (such as Tale of Two Cities and Huckleberry Finn). All in all it is a rather large program for an amateur group, and includes these many features in a further effort to take the audience's attention away from the terrible events that may take place on stage.