Name: Patrick Allen

Age: 18

Hometown: “the ‘Burgh”, Romford

Degree: English Language

Instrument: ‘cello

Post Symphony Drink: Jager

Favourite Symphony: Mozart’s 40th

Hey Patrick, so you’ve just finished a rehearsal with Symphony and it was sounding pretty epic. Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your background as a ‘cellist before you came to Edinburgh?

Well, where do I start? I’ve been playing since I was small. I started in primary school – just had a teacher right up until I was 17 and was in various orchestras in the “burgh” [not our burgh] and a few little things here and there and the last thing that I was in before EUMS was the LSSO [oooo fancy].

So I hear there’s a lot of gossip in Symphony Orchestra, what’s the biggest kept secret in the ‘cello section?

Oooooo, I don’t know if it’s a good thing if I say this… Well I suppose half of us don’t practice [that’s boring Patrick, tell us some juicy gossip]… Well you know everyone’s had a go at each other at some point and I hear there might be some juiciness with a certain 3rd desk ‘cellist… but I better not go there… You’ve got to watch out for us at the socials… you don’t know what we’re going to get up to…especially when the lager starts flowing!

It’s apparently a musician thing but everyone has a name for their instrument. What is your beautiful ‘cello called?

My current ‘cello doesn’t have a name, but I called my first one Oliver. [So we need to start a campaign to name Patrick’s ‘cello?] well I’ll just call him Gregory (it’s my middle name).

What other music do you take part in, in Edinburgh?

I’m part of a band, we play funk and sort of hiphop stuff… but I play bass guitar in that not ‘cello.

If you could play any other music in the orchestra what would it be?

Trumpet…my brother plays, but it’s something you can play anywhere and everyone loves the trumpet [we at EUMS don’t know about that but each to his own!]

What has been you most memorable EUMS experience so far?

Oh definitely VERDI… 100%… yeah. It was brilliant and playing in the massive venue which is the McEwan Hall and everyone really together in a great performance. It was awesome.

If you could swap roles with Russell for one rehearsal what would you like to conduct?

Something ‘celloy, [have we just created a new word] I guess, like a concerto or something like a ‘cello concerto, because like I play the ‘cello [we didn’t realise you play the ‘cello Patrick, how fantastic!]

So what’s your favourite ‘cello concerto?

I’d say Dvorak cello concerto because we did it in my orchestra years ago and we went to Prague and played it.

EUMS Symphony is currently working towards a big concert in our spring series. Where and when is it and what are you playing?

It’s ummmm the 14th March at ehhhh Greyfriar’s [long pause] Kirk… we are playing Tchaik 4, ehhhh some Wagner and some Canteloube… [what’s the Wagner you’re playing Patrick?] ehhh, I can’t remember even though we played it about 30 seconds ago!