VYOA Blog

My first two years as a VYOA member were spent in Chamber Winds on Saturday mornings, followed by a year in Philharmonia. The best two years of my life so far were spent as a member of the VYO.

Last year, I would listen to Kelly Herrmann (VYO flute, 2009) as she played. I was able to take a lot away from her vibrato and tone, which helped me to become a better musician. She really taught me how to lead a section. After she left, I thought, “It will only be a year until I have to leave,” although then, I never thought that the time would ever come when I would actually leave.

To be perfectly honest, it hasn’t quite sunken in yet. We played our final concert yesterday.  I emerged without a single tear. Prior to the concert, Lauren Muckstadt described a potential chain reaction that could have happened if one person started crying…that would be Maggie Connors. If Maggie started crying, Lauren Donnelly and I would have too, and if we started crying, Konrad Herath and Lauren Muckstadt would have, and then Sarah Winokur, Evelyn Reed and Allie Homziak. Within thirty seconds, the entire wind section of the orchestra would be wiped out. It would only take another thiry seconds until the strings were wiped out, too. Fortunately for the sake of the mental health of everyone in the orchestra, Maggie held it together! This shows the type of bond we have created with each other as members of the Vermont Youth Orchestra. Thanks to this Association and my friends here, I have created beautiful music with the best people in the world. There is nothing like it.

I will miss everything I did with the orchestra and everyone I met. Dearly. All of my experiences with the VYOA have built the person I am and I know that I’m ready to move on, however bittersweet it may feel when this reality finally hits me. Like the other seniors, I am about to take a huge step (college) and I wouldn’t be able to do it without the foundation of friendships and amazing memories that I’ve collected as a result of my experience with the VYOA.

Huge thanks again to Mr. Massey and to everyone who works behind the scenes of this organization. What a great five years.

Emily Wiggett, VYO flute, 2010

Photos:

Top: Emily Wiggett – photo by Stina Booth

Middle: VYO Performing at the Flynn Center 5/16/2010 – photo by                       L. Charlesworth