About 40 students who needed concert attendance credits for general education music classes did not take no for an answer when they were told the hall was completely full at the Sacramento State symphony orchestra’s November concert.

Events manager Glenn Disney called campus police when the students tried to force their way into the already packed room.

Conductor Leo Eylar has seen a gradual rise in concert attendance over his 21 years of teaching. “I think our name is getting out there. Symphony music in the Sacramento area is itself a rarity,” he said.

Ben McClara, senior bass major, thought it a testimony to the caliber of the musicians and Eylar’s teaching.

“The reputation of this orchestra has grown and grown which is why at the last concert we literally had a riot. People were wanting to bust down the doors to get in to see us. I was shocked,” McClara said.

The department has now recognized the seating dilemma might be getting out of hand.

Besides the family members of the 65 or so orchestra members, faculty, non-orchestra music majors, alumni and patrons all clamor to attend the two concerts each semester.

Adding non-music majors who need concert attendance credit for music appreciation classes just puts the numbers over the edge.

For last night’s concert, Eylar said they allowed any students who needed concert credit to attend the 5:30 p.m. rehearsal before the actual performance.

The department is also considering adding another performance for the spring if the overflow does not diminish. The musicians would be repeating a performance, not playing entirely new pieces.

Department chair Ernie Hills said he would love to see a performing arts center to complement the excellence of the arts programs themselves.

“We’ve followed through with the administration to look for ways for funding for this, but the truth is that the performing arts center has never risen to the number one spot that is required for it to get the nod to be the next thing built on campus,” Hills said.

Hills said a project like this would cost about 100 million dollars.

And that’s a pity according to Hills. “It would play very nicely into the strategic plans and goals of being a welcoming campus being involved with the Sacramento community,” he said.

Paulo Reyes, junior violin major, said he was impressed when he came to Sacramento State and saw the orchestra playing well-known masterpieces in music such as Brahm.

Reyes works part-time 12 hours a week, teaches violin eight hours, and tries to practice on his own at least two hours a day. He also has other classes and homework.

McClara was in the practice rooms playing his bass on Thanksgiving and the day after.

“It is not uncommon to find musicians up here until midnight, one o’clock in the morning, practicing. This is a 24-hour department. We’re relentless here,” McClara said.

Cello professor Andrew Luchansky also remembers practicing on Thanksgiving Day as a student.

Hills said the department considers four hours a standard mark for students to practice their instrument a day.

“I’ve known many students who practiced eight hours a day or more, so it really depends on the level of commitment that the student is able to give to the art,” Hills said.

Anne Suda, graduate student at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, said she tries to practice two to four hours a day. Suda received her bachelors in music at the Vanderbilt University in Nashville.

“One of the biggest differences between a conservatory education and a university education is musical focus,” Suda said. “Virtually every student at a conservatory enrolls with the intent to become a professional musician, while at university music schools students might have other goals in mind.”

Luchansky said a typical cello student will practice 20 to 30 hours a week. On top of their personal practice time they have an hour lesson, an hour and a half repertoire class and ensemble practices.

That’s not counting orchestra and other music classes.

Several Sac State students hanging out near the practice rooms said they take general education classes together to motivate themselves to attend.

Reyes said he isn’t motivated to go to his general education classes. “It’s really kind of taxing, when you think, ‘Should I go to my G.E. class?’ You think no, I want practice more,” Reyes said.

Luchansky said the program at Sac State is incredibly demanding. “At a music conservatory you get six units for lessons, two or three units for orchestra – maybe three units a semester on general education,” Luchansky said.

At Sac State, orchestra is a one unit class. Repertoire is also one.

“The difference here is we’re are trying to give them a conservatory and liberal arts education. It’s (kind of) like going to two colleges at a time,” Eylar said.

Michael Schroeder, orchestra manager at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, said the orchestra meets three days a week for two and a half hours. Students receive two credits per semester for the class.

Hills believes that though students may complain about G.E. requirements, it makes them well rounded, not shallow and insulated like he has seen at conservatories.

But despite the benefits of G.E. classes, Luchansky and Hills still think perhaps the G.E. requirements are a bit much.

“Changes are very hard to make regarding regulations. There should be some type of major that’s a performance degree that makes a significant adjustment to the G.E.,” Luchansky said.

“I can’t afford even to take the time to go to my classes. It would be great if they did something about this,” Reyes said.

Eylar said that over the last six or seven years, only one or two music majors have actually graduated in four years.

Sac State’s music program focuses on performance according to Hills.

Several of the pieces at last night’s concert were by Brahms and Rossini. McClara described them as “extremely intense.”

“We study this music like it’s microbiology because if we don’t, then we fail as an orchestra; failure is not an option,” McClara said.

Schroeder said a conservatory training is “definitely more intense than a liberal arts college.”

“Our orchestra plays everything from the standard repertoire for symphony orchestras–from Haydn through Beethoven and Brahms up to Stravinsky, Bartok and John Adams,” Schroeder said.

During rehearsal last week, Eylar, perched from his chair overlooking the orchestra, stopped the music and looked at the brass section.

“It’s unacceptable playing all around,” he said.

Tension seemed to fill the room and one brass musician apologized for zoning out. Eylar then asked if she would zone out during the concert.

“What am I supposed to say to that? OK?” He asked.

McClara was right, failure is not an option. Eylar works them hard for a reason.

“After we finished our last concert, Leo told us that he thinks that this is the best symphony orchestra out of all the CSUs,” McClara said. “He personally ranks us No. 1 above Northridge, above Long Beach. He thinks highly of us and he works us really hard.”

Chloe Daley can be reached at [email protected]