Come Run or Walk with Us on May 19!

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Our third annual 5K Fun Run takes place Sunday, May 19 from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. at the Elley-Long Music Center.  Organized by VYO trumpet player Jake Kahn, the event is a walk/run that raises money to fund our school tour program — enabling VYOA music groups to travel to area schools and bring orchestral and choral music to schoolchildren.  It’s also a great way to prepare for the marathon!  Entry fees are $15 for adults; $10 for students; or $40 for families.  Register online at http://vyoafunrun.webs.com or at 9 a.m. the day of the run.

There are going to be some great prizes and giveaways!  Every participant will receive a $10 off coupon to Fleet Feet Sports in Essex, and we will be raffling off many other prizes to participants, including a 1-month membership to the Edge, gear from the Outdoor Gear Exchange, and gift cards to Advance Music Center, Ellis Music Company, Mexicali Grill, iTunes, Play It Again Sports, and more.

Vermont Youth Orchestra, VYO Chorus Present Season Finale May 5

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The Vermont Youth Orchestra and VYO Chorus will join together May 5 for a spring finale featuring masterpieces with themes of transformation and journeys into the unknown.

The concert takes place at 3 p.m. Sunday, May 5 at the Flynn Center, with conductors Jeffrey Domoto and Dr. Jeffrey Buettner. The VYO and VYO Chorus will present Ralph Vaughan Williams’ rarely performed masterpiece Toward the Unknown Region and Hector Berlioz’s Royal Hunt and Storm, among other selections.

Williams’ Toward the Unknown Region puts to music Walt Whitman’s poem “Darest Thou Now, O Soul.” The Royal Hunt and Storm is a symphonic interlude from Berlioz’s opera, Les Troyens, representing the fateful love of Trojan hero Aeneus and Dido, queen of Carthage, and the power of destiny.

In addition, featured soloist and Montpelier violinist Lydia Herrick will perform Johan Svendsen’s Romance in G Major, a lyrical, elegant piece that is one of Svendsen’s most popular compositions. The concert concludes with Paul Hindemith’s orchestral showpiece, the Symphonic Metamorphosis on Themes of Carl Maria von Weber.

This is the second year the VYO and VYO Chorus have performed together for the season finale.

“This is an inspiring program and a fitting end to a spectacular season,” said Jeffrey Domoto, VYOA music director. The final concert is also bittersweet as it’s the last time these students will play together before some of them move on to college and new opportunities, Domoto said. “It’s always an emotional time.”

The event also features the debut of a VYOA conducting apprentice and the awarding of the Hermance Prize — a $1,000 award given to one of the five 2012-13 VYO senior soloists, in memory of pianist Harry Hermance — and the Ann & Eliot Weathers Scholarship.

Tickets are $15 for adults/seniors; $10 for students. To purchase concert tickets, call 802-86-Flynn or visit www.flynntix.org.

2013 Hermance Prize Recital

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Join us on Monday, April 29 at 7:00 pm at the Elley-Long Music Center for the 2013 Hermance Prize Recital!  The Hermance Prize is awarded annually to a Vermont Youth Orchestra senior who has performed as a soloist with a VYOA orchestra during the concert season. Established in 1990 by the parents and grandfather of pianist Harry Hermance, this award is presented in honor of his commitment to musical excellence.  The gift of $1,000 is intended to fund the recipient’s future study in music.

The 2013 Hermance Prize recipient will be chosen from among the student finalists who will perform at this recital.  The performances will be rated by a panel of judges seated within the audience.  Mitchell Goff (piano), Ryan Wolbach (clarinet), Lauren Zwonik (flute), and Lydia Herrick (violin) will be performing.  This performance is free and open to the public.

The winner of Monday’s competition will be announced during the VYO Spring Concert on Sunday, May 5 at 3:00 p.m. at the Flynn Center for the Performing Arts.

More Audition Information Sessions Added!

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We’ve added two more audition information sessions! An information session hosted by Dr. Jeffrey Buettner specific to choral auditions will be held on Tuesday, April 30 from 6:00-6:45pm. Prospective students and their families are welcome to attend the session and then observe the final rehearsal of the VYO and VYO Chorus’ Spring Concert.

VYOA Music Director Jeffrey Domoto will lead an additional audition information session on Wednesday, May 1 at 5:30 pm. Topics such as effective practicing, mental preparation, and improving sight reading will be discussed and your questions about the audition process will be addressed.

Sessions will take place at the Elley-Long Music Center at the following times:

Tuesday, April 30 from 6:00 to 6:45 pm

Wednesday, May 1 from 5:30 to 6:30 pm

For directions to ELMC, click here: www.vyo.org/contact/

For more information about VYOA auditions, click here: www.vyo.org/ensembles/auditions/

Cancelled: Friday 4/12/13 VYOC & VYCC Concert in Montpelier

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Sadly, tonight’s VYOC and VYCC concert in Montpelier has been cancelled due to road conditions. However, you will still have a chance to see our choruses perform on Saturday night!  Saturday’s concert will be at the Elley-Long Music Center at 7:30 pm, following concerts earlier in the day by Presto, VYS, and Sinfonia.  For more information about our Spring Concert Weekend: /blog/vyoa-spring-concert-weekend-april-12-13-14/

Audition Information Sessions

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Interested in joining the VYOA?  Music Director Jeffrey Domoto will be holding three audition information sessions in the next week to answer your questions about our placement audition process:

Sunday, April 14th at 4:15 pm

Tuesday, April 16th at 4:30 pm

Tuesday, April 16th at 7:00 pm

While these sessions are not mandatory in order to sign up to audition, they can be helpful to give you and your child an idea of what to expect at their audition, how and what to prepare, and to answer any questions that you might have.  No need to register, just come to the Elley-Long Music Center at St. Michael’s College (find directions here: /contact/).  Please note that there is NO fee to audition for the VYOA.  Our goal is to provide placement in our programs for every qualified student and help all students to participate regardless of financial need.

You can find more information about VYOA auditions at /ensembles/auditions/

VYOA Spring Concert Weekend – April 12-14

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Join us this weekend for six concerts of beautiful music by five of our ensembles.  The weekend will kick off with the Vermont Youth Orchestra Chorus and Concert Chorale performing their concert, “Toward the Unknown Region,” at the Unitarian Church in Montpelier.  On Saturday, join us at our home, the Elley-Long Music Center at St. Michael’s College, for concerts by Presto, Vermont Youth Strings, Vermont Youth Sinfonia, and the choruses running all afternoon and evening.  Wrap up the weekend on Sunday night with a concert by the Vermont Youth Philharmonia featuring VYO senior soloist Ryan Wolbach performing Weber’s Concertino for Clarinet, and with special guests the Vermont Youth Saxophone Ensemble.  For full details, see below.

We hope you’ll join us this weekend to help celebrate the accomplishments of these fine young musicians!

Friday, April 12

7:30 pm—VYO Chorus & Concert Chorale
“Toward the Unknown Region”
Dr. Jeffrey Buettner, conductor
At the Unitarian Church in Montpelier
Tickets available at the door—$5 Adults/Seniors, $2 Students

Saturday, April 13

11:00 am—Presto—Asiat Ali, conductor
FREE concert!

2:00 pm—Vermont Youth Strings—David Gusakov, conductor
Tickets available at the door—$5 Adults/Seniors, $2 Students

4:30 pm—Vermont Youth Sinfonia—Jeffrey Domoto, conductor
Tickets available at the door—$5 Adults/Seniors, $2 Students

7:30 pm—VYO Chorus & Concert Chorale
“Toward the Unknown Region”
Dr. Jeffrey Buettner, conductor
Tickets available at 802-86FLYNN or www.flynntix.com
Adults/Seniors $12; Students $7

Sunday, April 14

7:00 pm—Vermont Youth Philharmonia
Yutaka Kono, conductor
Featuring Ryan Wolbach, clarinet soloist
With special guests, the Vermont Youth Saxophone Ensemble
Tickets available at the door—$5 Adults/Seniors, $2 Students

All concerts at the Elley-Long Music Center unless otherwise noted.

VYOA Woodwind Day – Saturday, April 6

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Join Heliand Consort & other special guests for Woodwind Day on Saturday, April 6th from 12:30 to 5:00 pm.  The event includes master classes for flute, oboe, clarinet, and bassoon players of all ages and levels of experience.

There will also be woodwind vendors with instruments, music, and supplies for sale; a panel discussion; an opening performance by Heliand Consort’s woodwind quartet and guest artist Kenneth Andrews; and a large woodwind ensemble for all participants.

Everyone should bring their instrument!  Event is FREE & open to the public.

For a printable PDF of this poster, click here:  https://docs.google.com/file/d/0Bwq3D4K1qOSiUHlNQ2p5LWZhWmc/edit?usp=sharing

 

VYOA Showcase at the Old Brick Church in Williston

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On Friday, March 15 at 7:00 p.m., come to the Old Brick Church in Williston to watch VYOA members perform instrumental and choral chamber works.

All proceeds benefit the VYOA!

Tickets at the door are $12 for adults, $8 for children 12 and under, and $10 for seniors.