They will rock you!

On 30 September, CERN will be the venue for one of the most prestigious events of the year: the concert for the Bosons&More event, the Organization’s celebration of the remarkable performance of the LHC and all its technical systems, as well as the recent fundamental discoveries. Topping the bill will be the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, the CERN Choir, the Zürcher Sing-Akademie and the Alan Parsons Live Project rock group, who have joined forces to create an unforgettable evening’s entertainment.

 

The Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, directed by Maestro Neeme Järvi, artistic and musical director of the OSR. (Image: Grégory Maillot).

>>> From the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande

Henk Swinnen, General Manager of the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande (OSR), answers some questions for the CERN Bulletin, just a few days before the event.


How did this project come about?
When CERN invited us to take part in the Bosons & More concert as part of the Open Days, we jumped at the opportunity.

Of course, we were also very excited about working with the Alan Parsons Live Project (see article in this issue). Playing alongside a master of symphonic rock is completely in line with the image we want to project of the OSR: an orchestra which is open to many different musical genres and rooted in contemporary musical society. We want people to know that our concerts are not elitist, but open to everyone.

Who is taking part in the concert?
Around 70 OSR musicians will be taking part, directed by Neeme Järvi, the OSR’s Artistic and Musical Director. Planning has been quite complicated from a logistical standpoint, but everyone has been so motivated that things have kept moving along. And even in spite of the tricky organisation, we’re always happy to be able to put on concerts in venues away from the Victoria Hall, where we usually perform.

The rehearsals with Alan Parsons will take place on the weekend of 28 and 29 September, just before the concert. But that’s not unusual at this level because everyone is very professional and extremely well-prepared.

How do you feel with just a few days to go until the concert?
We’re really happy to be part of this big celebration! It’s one of the main events of the season. It’s a real honour to share this special event with the CERN audience, who we hope will be part of future OSR audiences too.


For more information on the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, visit the OSR website.

 



>>> From the CERN Choir…

Haude Morel, President of the CERN Choir Committee, gives us a backstage view of the CERN Choir’s preparation for the Bosons & More concert.

 

Has the CERN Choir performed at this type of event before?
To my knowledge, no. We organise concerts on average twice a year in cathedrals, churches or concert halls, with an audience of several hundred people on average. We have never performed in the open air in front of thousands of people, as we will at Bosons & More!

How are you preparing for the event?
We have been rehearsing since mid-May (with a break in the summer) every Wednesday evening from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. in the CERN Main Auditorium. We have also had two full weekends of rehearsal. We have really enjoyed preparing for this event with our Director, Gonzalo Martinez. We also had a rehearsal with Tim Brown, the Director of the Zürcher Sing-Akademie choir, with whom we will have the pleasure of singing on 30 September.

How do you feel at the moment? A bit nervous?
We are very excited and a bit nervous as well. It will be an amazing and unique opportunity for us to sing alongside professional groups like the OSR, the Zürcher Sing-Akademie and the Alan Parsons Live Project in front of such a large audience.  

Anything to add?
It’s going to be a fantastic night! We hope the audience will enjoy Bosons & More as much as we have enjoyed preparing for it.


The CERN Choir is always happy to welcome new members. Currently, they are looking for sopranos, tenors and basses in preparation for their next event: celebrating 40 years of the Choir and 60 years of CERN in 2014.

For more information, go to the CERN Choir website.

by Anaïs Schaeffer