Rebecca Roudman built a regional reputation as a versatile crossover cellist after studying and performing at Cal State Hayward. She returned to Cal State East Bay for a master's in jazz in 2021 and discovered there was no orchestra. After completing her degree she persuaded the music department to relaunch an ensemble with important differences. The Cal State East Bay Chamber Orchestra restarted in winter 2024 with 11 members, half students and half non-students, and an eclectic repertoire that reflects Roudman's wide musical vision. Rehearsals emphasize fun and accessibility, and membership has grown to nearly three dozen with expanded instrumentation.
Just before the turn of the century, when Rebecca Roudman was anundergrad at Cal State Hayward studying music, the cellist loved performing inthe school orchestra, though she was also exploring styles far afield from theclassical canon. Over the next quarter century she did well by her alma mater, now known asCal State University, East Bay, establishing herself as one of the most visibleand versatile crossover cellists in the region.
Rebecca Roudman is spearheading the return of the Cal State East Bay Chamber Orchestra. (Courtesy of Rebecca Roudman) From the first Wednesday night rehearsal, it was a very promising startand also scary, she said. I wanted to create something that wasn't yourtypical college orchestra, focusing on demanding classical music. I wantedit to be all about fun, so we've been playing video game music, rock,zydeco, and yes, some classical too.
Collection
[
|
...
]