who are we? -- strings section

The strings section of The Really Terrible Orchestra Of the Triangle (RTOOT) has at last achieved critical mass, with some enthusiastic new members and some adjustments from one section to another by our more versatile members. We actually now have more violins than cellos. But more strings are always welcome they are sufficiently Terrible. In particular, in order for us to be an orchestra, rather than a band (with all due respect to our heritage orchestra, the RTO of Edinburgh Scotland whose website is http://thereallyterribleorchestra.com ), we need lots of strings and so if you are a very good string player on one particular instrument, you are invited to join us and trade your instrument with another string player (who plays something different) and get them to show you how to play it. If you play it Terribly enough, you may join one of the string sections.

When we were organizing ourselves The Really Terrible Orchestra Of the Triangle (RTOOT) did not realize that the concertmaster is supposed to be a violinist. Consequently, we got together and figured out who was the best and made Shirley Baerman our concertmistress. See the woodwinds section for her background information. We believe this arrangement to be in the best tradition of the RTO.

However, after all is said and done, we would like to introduce on violin one of our first RTOOT members, Holly Wanna Crackya, who is a jammer -- # 999 -- with the Carolina Rollergirls (for real), a professional roller derby team (http://carolinarollergirls.com ) that performs at Dorton Arena in Raleigh when they play home games. Ms. Crackya was recently recognized as Jammer of the Year for 2008 and also received the distinction of “stinkiest pads” (reference to knee pads, we are told). Another member of the violin section, Susan Nelson Myers, of Mayodan, NC, remembers an interview with Allison Krauss regarding the difference between a violin and a fiddle, and she replied, "Some people say tomatO, some people say tomatOE, some people say 'mater". With this inspiration in mind, Ms. Myers says, "I could play a fiddle in your string section....badly." A late addition to the strings is professional violist Patrice Barley, who will play Mr. Hobgood's cheap student violin, since our rules prevent her from playing something that she's truly competent upon. Not long ago, we conducted an audition over the celfone with Amanda Gilmore, who was playing in Colorado. One of Mr. Hobgood’s assistants present at the Chapel Hill end of the audition commented that she sounded like she was playing the harmonica. But we overlooked the timbre since the celfone probly cut out 85% of the upper harmonics. After a brief consultation, we accepted her in the Violin I section. Frank Field was welcomed to the violin section from the Durham auditions, as was his wife Carolyn, in the viola section. Michael Lyle, who comes way way over-qualified with an MM in Music, has won the endowed Joseph and Rosemarie Gulla violin chair. We are extremely grateful to the Gullas for making it possible for Michael to join our strings. The Chapel Hill auditions rounded out the violin section with Amanda Fox. Several violins were welcomed at the Grand Opening Rehearsal who distinguished themselves by not standing out like sore thumbs; amongst them were Mary Annonio and June Tirpak. Rochelle Sparko also ignites our strings section (so to speak). Julia Gartrell, who recently joined us, is a Durham native, waitress-cum-starving artist, and recent graduate of Kalamazoo College.  She has played violin since the age of 8, but never particularly magnificently.  She welcomes any life advice, community arts job offers, or scraps of rusty metal. 

The violas are coming on strong and we are happy to welcome Kathryn Baerman, Alison Nack, Rennie Martin, and Carolyn Field.

Our principal cellist, Douglass Little, played valiantly with the University of North Carolina symphony orchestra for four years under the baton of Tonu Kalam, and occasionally under the baton of Mr. Hobgood. She first learned cello in 5th grade and after discovering the secrets of how to read music decided to stick with it. Doug is also a blue belt in Taekwondo and anticipates her black belt testing in December 2009. She lives in Raleigh with her favorite cat, Teaspoon. Christopher Homick is another cellist alumnus of the UNC Symphony Orchestra. Also in the cello section is Andrew Wissick, brilliant Cutco salesman (try the cheese knife), who has appeared in the University United Methodist Church Haute Couture Chambre Ensemble under the baton of Mr. Hobgood. Jj Van Vickle has applied and comes highly recommended by her teacher, Jane Salemson, who is very aware that her sense of humor supercedes her sense of intonation. A recent inductee from the Chapel Hill auditions is Kelcey Thirtle. John Barille joins The Really Terrible Orchestra Of the Triangle (RTOOT) with a pedigree from Scene of the Crime Rovers (Durham's rag-tag community band) and the innovative Triangle Soundpainting Orchestra . Jack Page distinguished himself at the Grand Opening Rehearsal in Chapel Hill by not standing out like a sore thumb and was promptly welcomed into our midst.

Also in the strings section we have Ted Ehrhard at string bass. Mr. Ehrhard, who hails from Bynum, NC, is an electrician, piano technician, and expert in car emission. Furthermore, he is a Bach enthusiast and the founder, music director, sound man, and general roadie for the Pittsboro Bach Society.