Really Terrible Orchestra Comes to Chappaqua

From Bizet to a Mexican overture, the Really Terrible Orchestra was anything but when it performed a collection of classical pieces at the Chappaqua Library, getting rounds of applause and benefitting from the acoustics on Saturday.

The group, which started with members primarily from the Rivertowns, includes people all across Westchester County, and even beyond.

Conductor Ben Niemczyk, who lives in Brooklyn and is active in the county's music scene, described the orchestra as having an inclusive ethos: “No judgments, very little critique, just a lot of encouragement.”

The group welcomes anybody to join, including beginners and people who haven't picked up instruments in years.

“We don’t turn anybody away," said Julia Grosberg, who lived in Chappaqua for 24 years and now lives in Yorktown Heights.

The orchestra was founded in 2009, inspired by another Really Terrible Orchestra that is based in Edinburgh, Scotland.

However the orchestra, which includes about 35 members, faces challenges when it is short on some instruments. As a result, its members had to become creative. For example, Dobbs Ferry's Jeanne Velonis, who plays the accordian, has used it to take on the role of an oboe.

This attitude reflects a "can-do spirit," according to Niemczyk.

During the performance, Niemczyk, who also works with the  Westchester Oratio Society, made light of the orchestra's circumstances. In between performances, he gave listeners a primer on the sound range of some of the instruments. For example, he described the bassoon as having a "wonderful haunting sound," and the acoustic bass as having "a really deep, rich sound." On the higher sound,  he noted a flutist, describing the instrument as having "sort of a breathy sound."

If you missed the weekend performance, don't worry, as there are more chances near by. The group will next perform on August 20 at the Hartsdale Farmers Market, according to its website, and on September 17 there will be a performance at Patriot's Park in Tarrytown.

For more information on the Really Terrible Orchestra, for our regional profile on the group, which was made in April.

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