Hi Daniel,

Congratulations on your first planned symphony! Nice start! I can't wait to hear the progress. Tchaikovsky is also one of my favorites. I might suggest you use an instrument sound change for the timpany in the beginning, then another to change it back to String Ensemble 1. You would need to add one blank measure in the beginning in order for it to not mess up your staff setup. Again, congrats! You are in for a lot of enjoyment.
Cheers,
Fred