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Note from the Chair
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Ever wonder how to really
use your social media tools for the benefit of your organization? Or
how to keep your group’s vision on track? What about finding your
footing as a supportive partner in today’s new world of arts education?
These and more thought-provoking questions will inspire you during the
66th National Conference of the League of American Orchestras. The
drastic changes taking place today in our collective arts community is
forcing everyone to take stock of current methods, long-standing notions
and operational norms. The Youth Orchestra Division constituency needs
to marshal its forces and forge a collective brain-bank in order to
survive the onslaught of foundation cuts, less government support, and
greater scholarship need, and to stay on a consistently improving
artistic path. I hope you will join us in this endeavor and attend the
conference June 6-9 in Minneapolis. A heightened enthusiasm and a brain
bursting with new ideas for my own organization always accompanies me
back to my hometown. Let’s build a new artistic world together!
Melody Welsh-Buchholz
Executive Director
Louisville Youth Orchestra
Chair, Youth Orchestra Division
League of American Orchestras
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Carnegie Hall and Royal Conservatory
Achievement Program
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Earlier
this spring, Carnegie Hall and The Royal Conservatory announced their
partnership to create the Carnegie
Hall Royal Conservatory Achievement Program, a national
system of music study and assessment for students and teachers. The
program is designed to inspire excellence through individual student
assessments and allow students to celebrate accomplishment and track
their progress with others across the country. It also supports
teachers with high-quality and innovative resources. In addition to its
focus on performance, the program also encompasses sequential learning
in the areas of technique, musicianship, music theory, music history,
and pedagogy. Teachers and students can participate in The Achievement
Program anywhere in the United States. For registration information,
including details of fees, materials, and locations, please visit TheAchievementProgram.org.
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Third Class of Abreu
Fellows Announced
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The New England Conservatory
has announced its third class of Abreu Fellows, a cohort of ten
post-graduate musicians that will train as leaders of El
Sistema-inspired music education programs in the United States. Aisha
Bowden, Julie Davis, David France, Ben Fuller, José Luis
Hernández-Estrada, Stephanie Lin Hsu, Jennifer Kessler, Alysia Lee, Avi
Mehta, and Albert Oppenheimer will train through next May and
participate in residencies in several American cities and in Venezuela.
The Abreu Fellows Program at New England Conservatory is an official
program of NEC's Preparatory and Continuing Education Schools directed
by Dean and Executive Director Leslie Wu Foley. The Abreu Fellows
Program was created in response to El Sistema founder José Antonio
Abreu's 2009 TED Wish to Change the World and has produced young
musical entrepreneurs who are currently leading nucleos (music
education programs) in Juneau, Los Angeles, Durham, Atlanta,
Philadelphia, New York City, Boston and--shortly--Cleveland and
Cincinnati. For further information, check the NEC website.
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News You Can Use
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Federal Budget Update: How did the Arts Do?
Congress has at last closed the books on the budgetary process for
fiscal year 2011. After several months of grueling debate, the House
and Senate agreed to final terms for the FY11 budget, which includes
$155 million for the National Endowment for the Arts and $25.5 million
for the Arts in Education programs at the U.S. Department of Education.
Thanks to strong advocacy from thousands of constituents, Congress
voted to restore a portion of the Arts in Education funding and protect
the NEA from more drastic cuts. Orchestra supporters responded in
record numbers in contacting their members of Congress regarding FY11
spending priorities, and Congress will very soon tackle further cuts in
FY12. The League will continue to keep orchestras informed as action
unfolds, and in the meantime, music education advocates at local,
state, and community levels may find useful a new two-page resource that compiles the most effective
talking points to date.
Secretary
Duncan Offers Federal Support for Arts Education in State Budgets
The U.S. Department of Education has released promising practices to
state leaders about how to spend education dollars productively. U.S.
Education Secretary Arne Duncan urged state governors not to make
“short-sighted cuts” such as “eliminating instruction in the arts.”
Secretary Duncan’s letter to governors highlights guidance on the
flexibility of using federal funds to support different accounts and
school districts in need of financial assistance. Arts education
programs are eligible to be supported locally through federal funds, such
as Title I, since it is a core academic subject. The Secretary’s letter
and the Department’s guidance may be of help as music education
advocates seek to bolster support in state education budgets and when
speaking before local school boards. Various links can be found online and the Guidance on Productivity document
contains the arts education reference noted above, under the First, Do No Harm
section.
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Orchestra Notes
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Bellevue
Youth Symphony Orchestra
The Bellevue Youth Symphony Orchestra of Bellevue, Washington announces
the fifth C. Keith Birkenfeld Composition Contest for Young Composers
for 2012, up to age 22. Guidelines and deadlines are on our website, www.byso.org.
Carolina Youth
Symphony
The Carolina Youth Symphony has been designated a recipient of the 2011
Elizabeth O’Neill Verner award for an arts organization, This award is
given to recognize outstanding achievement and contributions to the
arts in South Carolina. The Verner Award is the highest honor the state
of South Carolina gives in the arts. It is given to organizations or
individuals that maximize their roles as innovators, supporters and
advocates of the arts. In 1980, the Verner Awards took on a special
significance with their designation as the official “Governor’s Awards
for the Arts.” The presentation of the award will be made in Columbia,
South Carolina on May 5th.
Chicago Youth
Symphony Orchestras
Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras (CYSO) will return to Chicago’s
Millennium Park for two free concerts at the famous Jay Pritzker
Pavilion this summer. Both programs highlight CYSO’s commitment to both
the time-honored pieces of the masters of classical music and
contemporary composers and artists. On June 12, CYSO’s Symphony
Orchestra will perform the perfect program for a mid-summer night at
the park—Michael Daugherty’s energetic Route 66, Philip Glass’s The Canyon,
Samuel Barber’s Symphony No. 1 and Igor Stravinsky’s masterpiece The Rite of Spring.
On August 8, CYSO members will join My Brightest Diamond for an
exciting collaboration as part of the Dusk Variations series, which
mixes pop and alternative genres with classical music. A project led by
singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Shara Worden, My Brightest
Diamond provides a seamless blending of rock, opera and chamber music.
CYSO will join Shara in performing a variety of her works newly
orchestrated for this concert.
Empire State
Youth Orchestras (ESYO)
In March, guest performer/composer Jin Hi Kim joined the Youth
Orchestra in a performance of her composition, Monk Dance (for Korean
Barrel Drums); the piece was an integral part of a program celebrating
cross-cultural influences on music. Kim returns in May when the Youth
Orchestra gives the final concert of the Albany Symphony’s American
Music Festival. This winter, ESYO introduced a pilot program of chamber
music instruction. Led by the Hyperion String Quartet, 19 musicians
formed 6 ensembles that met weekly over the winter. The successful
project concluded with a recital in March; plans are underway to
continue the program next season. ESYO’s 4th annual gala in March
honored three donors who have been instrumental in supporting ESYO’s
15-year old inner-city instrument training program, one component of
the diversity initiative ESYO highlighted this season.
Great Falls
Youth Orchestra
The Great Falls (Mt.) Youth Orchestra recently completed its third
artist in residence program. The artist in residence program was
inspired by the Orchestra Residency Program (ORP) in Great Falls with
Midori in 2005. The Youth Orchestra now hosts an artist in residence
biennially. This year composer/pianist John Harmon (Lawrence University,
retired) was our artist in residence. John wrote BISON; Sacred Nomad of the
Great Plains for the orchestra which played the premiere on
March 20, 2011. John was also in Great Falls for a week in November
when he led improvisation workshops in the public school. He also
gathered inspiration by visiting the C.M. Russell Museum’s bison
exhibit and First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park. When he returned in
March 2011 John continued his school outreach visits, coached chamber
ensembles, and attended the premiere performance of his composition by
the Great Falls Youth Orchestra.
Greater Twin
Cities Youth Symphonies
May 1 in Minneapolis, the Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphony and
Minnesota Chorale will present selections from Bizet’s Carmen. “This
will be a new sonic experience,” says GTCYS Artistic Director Amir
Kats. “The colors of an orchestra are already terrifically exciting—but
adding voices is something else!” Minnesota Chorale Artistic Director
Kathy Romey is passionate about her organization’s role in partnering
with programs like GTCYS. “This gives high school musicians a
foundation for the kind of choral-symphonic repertoire they may
encounter in a university, civic, or professional orchestra.” She
predicts the collaboration will provide a kind of “dual mentoring”
benefiting everyone. The singers’ years of artistic experience and
students’ youthful energy will result in a choral-orchestral dialogue
creating a powerful experience for all. And why Bizet? “Carmen proves
that the accessible can be first-rate,” says Kats.
Green Mountain
Youth Symphony
The Green Mountain Youth Symphony celebrated its 10th Anniversary this
spring. The advanced orchestras from Vermont and its satellite program
in New Hampshire collaborated on pieces GMYS has commissioned in the last
decade by composers Lydia Busler-Blais, Erik Nielsen, and Dennis
Bathory-Kitsz. GMYS will also be joining six youth orchestras from
Europe and Asia for the Eurorchestries Festival in Quebec City for a
week of concerts in August, and Vermont’s Governor Peter Shumlin has
declared August 14-21 Green Mountain Youth Symphony week.
Maryland
Classic Youth Orchestras
MCYO’s March concert was filled with exciting guests and repertoire.
“Tuned In” a community development program of the Peabody Preparatory
which offers Peabody Prep scholarships, performed with the MCYO Young
Artists. The Symphony had the honor of featuring tenor Rolando Sanz
singing “Nessun Dorma” from Turandot.
And Crystal Luo, winner of the piano concerto competition performed
with the Philharmonic on movement I of Rachmaninoff’s piano concerto 2
in c minor, Op. 18. MCYO, along with American String Teachers
Association (MD/DC), Potter’s Violins, and Black Rock Center for the
Arts offered an exciting workshop conducted by international recording
artist, performer, producer, inventor and Emmy-winning composer, Mark
Wood. String players were able to experience the alternative style of
electric strings, and performed a concert following the workshops. The
second day of the workshops was held for string teachers.
McHenry County
Youth Orchestras
The McHenry County Youth Orchestras (MCYO) have been awarded “Youth
Orchestra of the Year” by the Illinois Council of Orchestras. The award
winners were announced on Monday, 21 March 2011. The award is for the
2009-2010 season, the 30th anniversary season for MCYO and included
special guests Rachel Barton Pine in November 2009, the Chicago Brass
Band in February 2010, and about 40 returning alumni for the final
concert of the season, May 2010.
National Youth
Orchestra of Iraq
The National Youth Orchestra of Iraq is facing its first international
and diplomatic challenge. Collaborating with the National Youth
Orchestra of Germany, we are preparing our first foreign visit, to
Beethovenfest (www.beethovenfest.com) in Bonn this September.
During the festival’s Orchestra Campus, we’re premiering two Deutsche
Welle commissions—Desert
Camel by Mohammed Amin Ezzat and Invocation by
Ali Authman—and performing in local schools. Beforehand, our third
Iraqi summer course includes the premiere of A Reel of Spindrift
by the current Master of the Queen’s Music, Peter Maxwell Davies,
published by Schott. Meanwhile, our cello tutor, Dave Edmonds is
running a half marathon to raise funds for 2011: http://www.betterplace.org/groups/run-for-nyoi.
Come and join our journey at www.facebook.com/NYO.IRAQ.
New Jersey
Youth Symphony
The New Jersey Youth Symphony is pleased to announce Jeffrey Grogan
as the new Conductor of the Youth Symphony. Mr. Grogan will now take on
the Youth Symphony during the final concert period of this season,
culminating in a performance with the orchestra on June 11, 2011 at 7:00pm
at the College of Saint Elizabeth in Morristown, NJ. Applauded for
performances “high in energy, with close attention to ebb and flow,”
American conductor Mr. Grogan is hailed as a musical leader who “knows
what kind of sound he wants from an orchestra”—”rich and vibrant.”
Known for “shrewd programming, skillful rehearsing, and an energized
performance,” Grogan was chosen to participate in the prestigious 2009
Bruno Walter National Conductor Preview sponsored by the League of
American Orchestras. In addition, he spends a large portion of each
season working with school music programs, festivals, and conducting
All-State Orchestras throughout the country.
New York Youth
Symphony
Barry Goldberg, Executive Director of the New York Youth Symphony,
which has won numerous awards for its work with young musicians,
announced plans for his retirement at the close of the 2010-11 season.
Board Chair Leslie J. Garfield made the official announcement, saying
“Barry has been an exemplary executive director for the last 28 years;
we could not have asked for more. If we were a sports organization
rather than a musical one, we would retire his number.” Since joining
in 1983, Mr. Goldberg transformed the tuition-free program for young
musicians into an award-winning organization with 240 musicians in
orchestra, conducting, chamber music, jazz, and composition components.
Additionally, he created the First Music program which has since
commissioned 119 young American composers and catapulted their careers,
including Pulitzer Prize-winners David Lang and Aaron Jay Kernis.
Philharmonic
Association, Inc.
The Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce and the United Arts Council of
Raleigh and Wake County presented the Philharmonic Association with the
2011 Business Support of the Arts Award, in the category of Arts
Education. Eleanor Oakley, President of United Arts, offered the
following comments to an audience at the North Carolina Museum of Art
on January 6: “The Philharmonic Association is cited for its
‘extraordinary commitment to improving education through the arts since
1988.’ The Philharmonic now consists of the Triangle Youth
Philharmonic, the Triangle Youth Symphony, Triangle Youth Orchestra,
two Triangle Youth String Orchestras, and the Triangle Youth Jazz
Ensemble. The Triangle Youth String Orchestra was added just last year
in response to the growing loss of string programs in middle and
elementary schools. In its 23 years, more than 1,800 young people have
participated in these ensembles, all benefiting from the experience of
an exceptional music education program.”
Rochester
Philharmonic Youth Orchestra
The Rochester Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, led by its long-time music
director David Harman celebrated in March its 40th Anniversary in the
Eastman School of Music’s beautifully renovated Kodak Hall. The
Side-by-Side Concert with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra included
a performance of Mozart Sinfonia
Concertante by RPYO alumni Daryl Perlo of the Rochester
Philharmonic and Vivek Kamath of the New York Philharmonic; RPO Music
Director Christopher Seaman; and a 10th anniversary performance of
“Rush” composed by the Eastman School’s David Liptak and commissioned
for the RPYO.
Saginaw Bay
Youth Orchestra
The Saginaw Bay Youth Orchestra (Michigan) has been chosen as a
“project” of Deloitte and the Great Lakes Loons, minor league partner
of the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team that plays in the Midwest
League. The project is called “K’s for Kids.” Deloitte will donate $5
for each strikeout made by a Great Lakes Loons pitcher throughout its
season, which began April 7, 2011. The total funds from the entire
season will be split between the five groups participating in the 2011
“K’s for Kids” project.
San Diego
Youth Symphony and Conservatory
This month, the San Diego Youth Symphony and Conservatory completed an
innovative music camp for its El Sistema inspired program, the
Community Opus Project. Sixty-five third grade students learning
stringed instruments in Chula Vista engaged in music theory classes,
voice training, sectional workshops, and full ensemble rehearsals for
four hours each day for a week. As part of the experience students
wrote to pen pals at other U.S. El Sistema “nucleos” to connect
children from across the country through their interest in music. Musicians
from the San Diego Symphony assisted with sectionals and inspired the
young musicians to improve their skills. The camp culminated in an
amazing performance where students sang and performed the themes from
the DvoÅák’s “New World” Symphony, Mexican folk songs, and Orpheus in the Underworld
after only five months of instruction to a standing room only crowd.
Wisconsin
Youth Symphony Orchestras
The Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestras were invited for a third
consecutive year to be the featured performers at the annual Concert in
the Park. The community event brings thousands of spectators to the Old
Sauk Trails Park in Madison, and this year will showcase the talents of
the Youth Orchestra, WYSO’s premier performing group, under the baton
of Conductor James Smith. The concert will be held on Wednesday, August
10, 2011 at 7:00 p.m.
Youth
Orchestra of Bucks County
The Youth Orchestra of Bucks County (PA) is planning a special Gala
concert to celebrate 20 years of classical music enrichment for youth.
Chris Brubeck and his group Triple Play will be YOBC’s guest artists at
our 20th anniversary celebration this May. Chris Brubeck is recognized
as an innovative jazz-rock performer and an award-winning composer. In
March, Brubeck led a master class for YOBC students on odd meters and
rhythms. He and Triple Play will join the YOBC Wind Ensemble in a
performance of his own Concerto for Bass Trombone and Orchestra, and
the YOBC Symphony Orchestra as they perform some works by his father,
Dave Brubeck. The concert will be held on Saturday, May 21, at Patriots
Theater in the Trenton War Memorial. The concert, the first in our
“Crossing Classical Boundaries” series, will include members of all
YOBC ensembles, and 20 years of YOBC alumni.
Youth
Orchestras of Charlottesville-Albemarle
Premiere Gala
for our Youth Orchestras… On June 17, 2011, our Youth
Symphony, along with invited alumni, will perform the premiere of
Ephemera, an original piece by Charlottesville’s much-loved premier
jazz trumpeter, John D’earth. John was commissioned last summer to
compose a piece combining improvisational jazz and classical music. The
Youth Orchestras of Charlottesville-Albemarle will celebrate this debut
at a fundraising Gala at the Paramount Theater on June 17th. This gala
concert presents more than just the chance for the youth to perform a
high profile, commissioned work to a large audience; it also offers an
important opportunity to garner wider understanding of, and support
for, what Youth Orchestras offers its community. We will also announce
our new official name: Youth Orchestras of Central Virginia!
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Maestro’s Notebook
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Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras
Allen Tinkham,
Music Director
Jonathan
Newman’s Tree;
Instrumentation: string orchestra. Duration: 8-9’
In Newman’s words, “Tree
offers a chorale fragment, floating and transforming through an expanse
of sound.” It is a disarmingly beautiful little string piece. A
transcription of a triple quartet, Tree
is replete with divisi
playing and requires a minimum of 6.5.4.4.2 players to cover the parts.
I did it with an advanced string orchestra of 10.10.8.8.3. The rest of
the program was very difficult, so Tree
got only about two hours total rehearsal. Harmonic materials are
simple, but it is virtually an etude in string ensemble balance, and
there are many opportunities to discuss bow proportion and Newman’s
interesting and unique use of sul
ponticello. Top violins need good ears to pick out some of
the very high isolated pitches, and it is useful to have a bass with
low C. For further information or to hear the CYSO recording of the
piece, visit Jonathan’s website.
Minnesota Youth Symphonies
Claudette and
Manny Laureano, Co-artistic Directors
The Repertory Orchestra of the Minnesota Youth Symphonies replicated
the battle between Britain and France when performing Wellington’s Victory
by Beethoven. The piece uses several familiar themes, “God Save the
King,” “Rule Britannia” and “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow.” Claudette
Laureano staged the piece with half of the orchestra dressed in red,
representing the British, and the other half in blue, representing the
French. A color guard carrying the flags of the two nations entered Orchestra
Hall led by a cadre of snare drums. “I love interjecting this type of
drama and history into the works we perform,” says conductor Laureano.
“Not only does it make the entire rehearsal process more fun and
engaging, but the audience reaps the benefits with a spirited and
dramatic performance.” Advanced players. Timing: 16 minutes.
Instrumentation: full orchestra, including additional percussion for
artillery sound effects. To borrow the piece, contact
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Omaha Area
Youth Orchestras
Aviva Segall,
Music Director
The Omaha Area Youth Orchestras’ Youth Philharmonic recently performed
Roger Zare’s Lift-Off.
Originally commissioned by Andrew Lane and the Sarasota Orchestra Youth
Philharmonic, this piece is one of those valuable, rare commodities: a
good piece that also works for your second orchestra! Scored for double
woodwinds, two horns, two trumpets, three trombones, three or five
percussionists, harp and strings, the piece runs about 2 minutes and 45
seconds. We had the composer out during his spring break from
University of Michigan, where he is finishing his doctoral work, and he
was great to work with. Roger’s website is www.rogerzare.com. Last season, our Youth
Philharmonic performed another good piece for your second orchestra,
Carmel Raz’s OAYO,
commissioned by OAYO. She has since changed the title to Fern, to make
it less specific to our group. The piece is scored about 6 minutes long
and scored for double woodwinds, two horns, two trumpets, 2 trombones,
3 percussionists, harp and strings. Carmel, a doctoral student at Yale
University, is also approachable and great with young musicians. She
was even willing to sit on the floor with a class of pre-schoolers!
Carmel’s website is www.carmelraz.com. Both pieces took a similar
amount of rehearsal time as the usual repertoire that I program for
these groups.
Youth Orchestras of San Antonio
Troy Peters, Music
Director
An Acoustic
Evening with Jon Anderson (The Voice of YES)… After
concerts in 2004 and 2010 with Liza Grossman and the Contemporary Youth
Orchestra of Cleveland, rock musician Jon Anderson has begun to book
appearances with other youth orchestras. Youth Orchestras of San
Antonio (YOSA) presented him on March 14, 2011. The program consisted
of 15 songs; including some of the biggest YES hits, like “Owner of a
Lonely Heart” and “Roundabout.” Because the arrangements were
commissioned by the CYO, they were conceived for youth orchestra and
come together fairly easily. Brass must swing in complicated sharp
keys, and there are demanding mallet percussion parts. We put the
program together in four rehearsals, including three with Jon. In
addition to a full orchestra, a mixed chorus is essential. Our audience
loved the concert, and our student musicians had the time of their
lives! Ted Kurland Associates is handling bookings; contact Marilyn
Rosen at
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Midori’s Orchestra Residencies Program
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The Orchestra Residencies
Program is pleased to announce the recipients for the
2012-13 season: the Arkansas
Symphony Orchestra and Arkansas Symphony Youth Orchestra
in Little Rock, Arkansas and the Reading
Symphony Orchestra and Reading Symphony Youth Orchestra
in Reading, Pennsylvania.
Violinist Midori will spend five to seven days each in Little Rock and
Reading, working intensively with the youth orchestras, performing with
the adult symphonies, and participating in assorted community education
and outreach projects.
Any U.S. youth orchestra and its affiliated adult orchestra, with
combined budgets not exceeding $4.5 million, may submit an application
for an Orchestra Residency with Midori. The orchestras must apply
together. The applications are reviewed by a small committee of arts
professionals, and two residencies will be awarded each year. For more
information, please visit www.GoToMidori.com/orp.
Nathan Reiff, ORP Director
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/ 646-619-1181
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