VYOA News & Updates

Tommy Bergeron, horn

Essex High
VT Youth Orchestra – 5 years
VT Youth Philharmonia – 1 year
VT Youth Sinfonia – 1 year

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                             

Grace Bellino, violin

Essex High
VT Youth Orchestra – 3 years
VT Youth Philharmonia – 1 year
VT Youth Sinfonia – 2 years
VT Youth Strings – 1 year
Presto – 2 sessions

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What do you love about being in an orchestra and/or chorus?

Bellino: I love that VYO gives me a chance to collaborate with instruments other than strings, which I might not have learned about or worked with had I not been in the VYO. Hearing the power of all the different instruments together is truly inspiring.

What has been your biggest musical breakthrough?

Bergeron: I would say my “Biggest musical breakthrough” was when I first got into music directing theater productions. Until I started participating in this side of musical theatre, I had just been on stage in shows. However, once I started to music direct, I found that it was a really neat way to give back to the community. I get to help others sing onstage and give joy to so many people in the audience. There really is no other feeling.

What role has the VYOA played in your musical career?

Bellino: Going to orchestra every weekend and making music with my friends has been a wonderful constant throughout my musical career. The friendly competition has encouraged me to practice my parts and has subsequently made me a better musician.

What has been your most inspiring or memorable musical experience?

Bergeron: I think the most inspiring and memorable musical experience I’ve had was being part of the National Youth Orchestra 2 this past summer. I got to perform with the best orchestral students across the nation, as well as perform side by side with the Philadelphia Orchestra. But the biggest moment of the whole experience was getting to perform at Carnegie Hall in NYC.

Bellino: My most inspiring musical experience was meeting Itzhak Perlman. He was so humble and eager to share his knowledge and love of music.

What is your favorite VYOA memory?

Bergeron: My favorite VYOA memory has to be performing Beethoven’s full 9th symphony as an 8th grader, or getting to perform as part of the VYO while they toured Iceland

What other activities do you participate in?

Bellino: I am a ballerina with the Vermont Ballet Theater Company. It is always fun to dance to music I have played in VYO.

Bergeron: I do a lot of Musical Theater. I have been on stage in numerous productions, but have also music directed and played the pit for many shows as well. This art form combines my love of acting and music into one.

What do you plan to study in college?

Bellino: Biology

Bergeron: I plan on pursuing a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Musical Theater next fall.

 

 

 

This week’s Senior Spotlight includes two of our VYO Senior Soloists! Malachi Witt will perform in the upcoming Winter VYO Concert on Jan. 28, while Israel Patterson was our Fall VYO Concerto soloist this past September.

Malachi Witt, tuba
Homeschool
VYOrchestra – 3 years
VYChorus – 3 years
VYPhilharmonia – 1 year
VYSinfonia – 2 years
VYWinds – 1 year

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Israel Patterson, flute 
Essex High
VYOrchestra – 3 years
VYO Senior Soloist, Fall 2017

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What do you love about being in an orchestra?
Patterson: I like the challenge that I’m brought in receiving difficult music that I can play with my peers. To see so many dedicated musicians my age is a humbling, inspiring, and amazing feeling, and I think the sense of community has been instrumental in my growth as a performer, pun intended.

What role has the VYOA played in your musical career?
Witt: The VYOA has been part of my life for the last seven years. I have enjoyed growing musically with other students in Chamber Winds, Vermont Youth Sinfonia, Vermont Youth Philharmonia, Vermont Youth Orchestra as well as the Vermont Youth Chorus. I am grateful for the excellent conductors and sectional coaches who have introduced me to a variety of composers and musical works.

Patterson: The VYOA has fostered a lot of my growth where school bands and practice on my own could not. It pushed me outside the box in terms of difficulty of the materials I played, and it broadened my range of knowledge about music, specifically regarding orchestral repertoire.

What has been your most inspiring or memorable musical experience?
Witt: Preparing for the senior solo has been a memorable experience. I am excited to have the opportunity to play with the VYO!

What would you like to change in the orchestral/choral world?
Patterson: I think that the representation of music from people of all backgrounds – ethnicity, gender, and age – should be more emphasized and celebrated in the classical music world. There are incredible works that have been created for centuries that have been sorely ignored by our current establishment, due to unfair prejudices that I think underlie much of the classical music world, however subliminally.

What other activities do you participate in?
Witt: I have enjoyed participating in the school musical productions, especially playing Bert in Mary Poppins. Recently, I had the opportunity to present research at the American Geophysical Union in New Orleans. I also volunteer with a group of second and third graders. It was great to see some of the students attend the VYO/ VSO link up concert last year.

Patterson: I’m an avid theater junkie, and I do a lot of singing outside of the VYO – playing at festivals, participating in competitions, and jamming with my friends and family.

What do you plan to study in college?
Witt: I hope to double major in Music Performance and Ecological Agriculture.

Patterson: Music of some sort, of which kind right now I’m undecided. I’m heavily considering flute performance, but I’m also quite drawn to singing. It really depends on what programs I can get into.

 

Vermont State Homes offers resources for every step of the home buying process because they understand what a big purchase and decision a home is. That’s why S. Mathur wrote an article about the invaluable opportunities we, the Vermont Youth Orchestra Association (VYOA), provide young Vermonters right here in Colchester. As people start to think about where they’d like to settle down, it’s nice to know what each community has to offer. Thank you, Vermont State Homes, for recognizing that, “music is a way for children to learn life skills and citizenship.” Click here to read the Vermont State Home article, “Vermont Youth Orchestra Offers Transformational Learning for Children”.