Well it was an exciting evening, a couple of weeks ago - I attended an early rehearsal of the orchestra and heard them play through my piece...  I enjoyed hearing the live instruments SO much!  Plus, finding out that the beginning motif in the strings that I was worried about - it sounds fine!  Although I guess the urge is to make tremolo sound sinister instead of playful waves, but it seems to WORK, and that is the main point.

The horns were all together for the first time playing my piece, and again they sounded good.  Cayenna is having them move to the front of the orchestra like soloists do who are featured, which I hadn't imagined for some reason... maybe I think the instrument is not easy to carry so we shouldn't make them move.  But is is great to be able to see AND hear them play.

Not all parts were represented, I'm not sure when the full personnel will be able to attend rehearsal - and I was musing how it must be tricky to be playing the piece, having no idea how it will all sound when the string bass, trumpets and trombone are missing, not to mention the xylophone/marimba, the timpani, and who knows what else.  The balance is off, as is natural!  So that's a good sign.  If it sounded perfectly balanced now, I would need to worry! :)