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TempoOnline Newsletter of
MarylandClassic Youth Orchestras Volume II October 09
Featuring. . .
Conductors' MusingsA Spectacular Season Startup
Meet our...
Recent Performances
SectionalCoachesManagers
NewChamberEnsembles
Alumni News
Admininstrative Staff
Executive Director... . . . . . . . . . .Cheryl JukesArtistic Adviser... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jonathan CarneyDirector ofMusic Ed... . . . . .David Levin
Associate Executive Director...Christine CoxOperations Manager... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .John ParkAccountant... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Julie Hamre
MCYO |
MCYO Tempo www.mcyo.org
MCYO Staff and Board of Directors
Chair... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sunny KapoorSecretary... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Bette Eberly-Hill
Vice Chair... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .David PhillipsTreasurer... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Suzanne Rosetti
Eric Anderson, Kevin Beverly, Nan Cooper, Linda Ferrara, Bill Ford,Jon Liu, Tony Ni, Pamela Thompson, Anita Segreti
Become a Friend ofMCYO!Your contribution ensures that our young
musicians, regardless of financialcircumstances, have access to a full orchestralexperience. Participation stimulates theirmusical growth and provides them withunique performance opportunities. Donate toMCYO and become a “Friend” in one of ourmember clubs.
Maryland Classic Youth Orchestras is a501(c)(3) Nonprofit Corporation and iseligible to receive tax-deductible charitablecontributions.
Please make checks payable to MCYO andmail your donation to:
Maryland Classic Youth OrchestrasThe Music Center at Strathmore
5301 Tuckerman LaneNorth Bethesda, MD 20852
Concert Program Advertising2009-1 0 Seasons!
Advertising in the Maryland Classic YouthOrchestra program booklets is a great way toshow your support for youth arts in our area.There will be three concerts this year, with adistribution of approximately 1 ,500 programseach time:
•Winter Concert – Dec. 6, 2009•March Concert – March 10, 2010•Spring Concert – May 23, 2010
SUBMISSION DEADLINES ARE FOUR (4)WEEKS PRIOR TO CONCERT DATE!
Directors-at-Large
Conductors
Board ofDirectors
Jorge Orozco, Jacomo Bairos, Scott Herman, Pablo Saelzer, David Levin
Managers
Niki Flanders, Ashleigh Townsend, Tim Beadle, Janet Wolfe, Linda Kuhn
Executive Director... . . . . . . . .Cheryl JukesArtistic Adviser... . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jonathan CarneyDirector ofMusic Ed... . . . .David Levin
Operations Manager... . . . . . . . . . . . . . .John ParkAssociate Executive Director...Christine CoxAccountant... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Julie Hamre
Staff
Contents | MCYO
www.mcyo.org MCYO Tempo 1
Table of Contents
Conductors' Musings
A Spectacular Season Startup
Meetour...
RecentPerformances
Upcoming
2
2
3
7
9
6
9
1 0
Alumni News
5
MCYO Financial News7
Audition Volunteers
MCYOMentoring Initiative9
10
10 An Invitation to London!
Founded in 1946, Maryland Classic Youth Orchestras is the oldest and most establishedyouth orchestra program in the Washington, DC metropolitan area.
MCYO “nurtures, develops, and advances young talented musicians in a quality orchestralprogram” by offering three full orchestras, one chamber orchestra and one string orchestra andchamber ensembles to over 400 talented musicians in grades 4-12 throughout Maryland.
For additional information, contact the MCYO administrative offices (301) 581-5208 or 5209
Cover Design by Cathy Dobos
MCYO | A Spectacular Season Startup
MCYO Tempo www.mcyo.org2
A Spectacular Season Startup - Cheryl Jukes, Executive DirectorFor all those taking part in this 64th season ofMCYO, congratulations on your success and thank you for your
hard work and dedication! The level of talent and increasing numbers of students auditioning for MCYO from all
around our metropolitan region--five MD counties, the District and Virginia--make it quite an accomplishment to
be selected for a seat in one of our ensembles. You should be very proud. We are privileged to have such
outstanding members and look forward to a musically rich year!
After only 6 weeks of rehearsals, I am impressed by the sounds emanating from each room. The music is
demanding, but it is also very exciting repertoire for our young musicians at all levels. In addition to programming
more rigorous literature, you may have noticed several other initiatives underway this season:
•trimmer full orchestras to attain more appropriate and better instrumental/musical balance;
•our new Chamber Orchestra with its select wind section, enabling more authentic performance of chamber
orchestra repertoire;
•a Chamber Strings concerto competition for a Vivaldi soloist in December concert
•four additional chamber groups: a Flute Choir, a Clarinet Choir, a Harp Ensemble, and a Young Artists
PreparatoryWind ensemble.
•Special guest artists: soloists on piano, trumpet & trombone; vocalists and children’s chorus members; BSO
Beethoven Trio, Classical Jam residency in spring, rehearsal guest conductors
•Outreach performances for various association or corporate conventions; also with BSO Orchkids, as well as at
Children’s Inn and St. John’s Church, to name a few
•Additional master class collaborations with Strathmore partners
•Student mentoring
How is it possible?
The direct involvement ofmany different people make it possible for MCYO to maintain its standard of excellence
and provide valuable musical opportunities. First, the bright and talented young musicians, who work hard with their
dedicated private teachers to develop skills and master music for auditions and performances, and their families, who
enthusiastically support this endeavor. Next, our wonderful artistic staff: the MCYO conductors, who thoughtfully
plan challenging and rewarding programs to train these young musicians and to provide enjoyable concerts for our
audiences; the orchestra managers, who take care of each group, interfacing with conductor, parents, and office to
ensure that all needs are met; the artistic advisement, coaching and master class opportunities provided by MCYO
Artistic Adviser, Jonathan Carney, BSO concertmaster; the sectional and rehearsal coaches, who work with specific
instrumental groups to hone repertoire and develop musicianship. Thirdly, the Board ofDirectors, which oversees
the well-being of the organization together with office staff, who manage all operations involved in running the
program at our world-class facility, the Music Center at Strathmore, as well as at satellite and outreach locations.
Grantors and donors also provide necessary funding. Finally, our Strathmore partners--BSO, National Philharmonic,
Levine, CityDance, and WPAS --who make possible additional unique musical collaborations for our students and
staff. MCYO is grateful for the dedication and involvement of all of these factions, without whom the program
would not be what it is today.
Audition Volunteers: We couldn't do it without you!!MCYO relies on a small army ofvolunteers to help us run the audition process, which went smoother than ever
this year! MANY students volunteered their time all-week long to help with jobs such as managing the check-in desk,
monitoring the warm-up rooms and “running” the auditioners up to their proper locations at the right times.
Our fantastically enthusiastic student helpers this August included: Sherman Leung, Brian Tien-Street, Sharona
Yen, Sherri Zhang, Laura Song, Tanya Shi, Kristin Jones, Melissa Yang, Ehden Sinai, Elizabeth Leung, Giselle and
Celine Nakpil, Andrew Shebest, Arjuna Subramanian, Kelley Jo Wallace, Michelle Yuen, Alexander Zhang, Cindy
Zheng, Eric Slesinger, Ariana Yeatts-Lonske, and our dedicated Board member RosemaryWebster.
Conductors' Musings | MCYO
www.mcyo.org MCYO Tempo 3
Philharmonic - David Levin, conductor
It's great to be back in full rehearsal mode. We have
just completed a round of sectionals and the coaches have
all reported that a lot was accomplished in that very
special time period. I am very excited about our first
program in December. The music is quite challenging for
everyone in the orchestra. Some of the selections will be
new to most of you and several of the selections will be
instantly recognizable. Additionally, we are excited to
welcome Lura Johnson, concert pianist with the Baltimore
Symphony,and highly regarded soloist in the professional
world, to our opening concert. The Philharmonic
Orchestra will be accompanying her performance of
Brahms' Second Piano Concerto. This is a terrific work, a
standard in the piano repertoire, and a tour-de-force for
any orchestra to perform.
Attendance has been quite good, overall. I want to
extend a special note of appreciation to those who have
joined us from areas outside ofMontgomery County. I
realize that many ofyou must travel quite far and are
making special arrangements to be at rehearsal each
week...and on time, at that. Your special efforts, and the
efforts of everyone to make MCYO a major commitment
in their lives does not go unnoticed.
Finally, a special mention to the orchestra members
that gave MCYO their Saturday morning to perform for
an audience of 2,000 physicians in Washington D. C.
several weeks ago. Musicians from the Philharmonic,
Chamber, and Symphony Orchestras combined to make
the Annual National Pediatricians Conference open with a
warm tribute to the hard work and dedication that
children...YOUR children...have for the music in their
lives.
Chamber Orchestra - Pablo Saelzer, conductorChamber Orchestra Inaugural Performance.
The new MCYO Chamber Orchestra is preparing its
first concert ever. This is a momentous occasion for
MCYO and in particular for the Chamber Orchestra. This
orchestra consists mainly of the top 10th grade players in
the MCYO program and works on repertoire written for a
"classical orchestra," a medium size symphonic ensemble
with a string body of the right size to achieve a balance
with its eight woodwinds, two horns, two trumpets, and
timpani. Its a "classical" because most symphonies,
concerti, and overtures by composers like Haydn, Mozart,
Beethoven, Schubert, and Mendelssohn where written for
this type of orchestra. And as this roster of celebrated
composers imply, this is fundamental music, not only for
a student orchestra, but for any orchestra! Many
composers during the 20th century also chose to write for
this medium size ensemble, so we have the option of
combining older and newer music in our programs.
For our first public appearance on Sunday, December 6
concert, the Chamber Orchestra will present a program
containing a variety ofmusic that represents the
possibilities of this new ensemble. We will open with the
"Impresario" overture by Mozart, followed by the overture
and aria 'una voce poco fa' from Rossini's opera The
Barber of Seville. The spectacular young soprano that will
sing with the orchestra is under the tutelage ofmaestro
Carlos Rodriguez, the coach of the Placido Domingo
program for Young Artists. We will continue with
"Winter's Passed" music by 20th century American
composer Wayne Barlow and will finish with the iconic
first movement ofBeethoven's Symphony number 5.
In the spring the Chamber Orchestra will perform
Beethoven's concerto for violin, cello, piano and orchestra
with Jonathan Carney (BSO concertmaster and MCYO
Artistic Advisor) and the BSO new principal cello Amit
Peled and the Director of the Peobody Institute, pianist
Jeffrey Sharkey.
These are very exciting times for MCYO and for me to
be conducting this extraordinary group ofyoung
musicians called the Chamber Orchestra.
MCYO Projected on HUGE Screen!
MCYO | Conductors' Musings
MCYO Tempo www.mcyo.org4
Symphony - Scott Herman, conductor
A Terrific Start!
The MCYO Symphony has had a terrific start to the
2009-2010 Season. After a very competitive round of
auditions, the Symphony has started the season with some
of the best talent and depth in almost every section of the
orchestra. Careful consideration and planning has been
given for each program so that the orchestra will develop
and mature throughout the season, and present exciting
and varied repertoire at each ofour concerts. Special care
has been taken to utilize our full instrumentation, in
addition to exploring works which are authentic to the
composer's pen. Our December program will open with a
great full symphonic sound from the "March and
Procession ofBacchus" by Delibes. Included in the
program will be the lush and lively "Hungarian Dance No.
4" by Brahms and the beautiful contemporary Irish tune
"Yorkshire Ballad" by James Barnes. Our strings will be
highlighted in the "Overture to Lucio Silla" by Mozart, and
we will cap our program with the well known "Russian
Sailors Dance" by Gliere.
Some Exciting New Challenges for March and May!
If our weather cooperates for our winter rehearsals, we
will move onto more substantial orchestral works for our
March program such as "Finlandia" by Sibelius. This will
be a great stretch for our orchestra, but I am hopeful our
musicians are ready for the musical challenge. The rest of
the program will be very nice with "Nimrod" by Elgar,
"Slavonic Dance No. 7 by Dvorak, and the "La Belle Helene
Overture" by Offenbach. We are also going to feature a
trumpet soloist from the "Presidents Own" United States
Marine Band on a flashy rendition of the "La Virgen de la
Macarena." May will bring some exciting surprises to close
the season.
Young Artists - Jacomo Bairos, conductor
I am so excited for our upcoming concert with Young
Artists! In a short amount of time, the orchestra has
grown musically by leaps and bounds. Our music is
challenging, and I am impressed with how well our young
musicians have worked together, truly showing that they
can meet this challenge. I feel proud that everyone is
becoming a better listener and ensemble player. Students
performing solos are also doing a fabulous job. Getting to
know my musicians has been a treat! As this year
progresses, I look forward to getting to know everyone
even more personally.
Our concert is going to be fun. Full of beauty, colors,
and passion, our French composers offer us a chance to
learn different styles, listen in new ways, and understand
how to perform in an ensemble that is moving in perfect
harmony. Other works offer a chance to play with
character and joy! Overall, this concert is going to be a
great new leap for the artistic growth ofYA, and I'm so
happy and privileged to part of it! Oh yeah, we may have a
holiday surprise on our concert as well!
My Best Wishes, Jacomo
Chamber Strings - Jorge Orozco, conductorI am delighted to welcome the Chamber Strings
musicians and parents to this new season of exciting
music making and learning. What a talented and energetic
group! We will present this year, for the first time, the
Chamber Strings concerto competition. 17 of the CS
violinists are auditioning! ! The winner of this competition
will be Chamber Strings’ featured soloist in the December
6th concert. The music ofVivaldi and Mozart will kick off
the first program. A variety of colorful and contrasting
musical pieces will follow after. This is official, the
conductor has promised pizza if all CS musicians learn
how to tune their instrument before the end of the
season...
Consider Playing Viola! - An appeal from Mr. HermanDespite the hundreds of violinists who audition, it is completely surprising and
puzzling that only a dozen or so violas try out. MCYO needs many more violists.
Many violinists would make fabulous viola players, and would enjoy the
experience to play viola in the full orchestra; those unable to make the cut on
violin would make top tier viola section players! Yet, violinists continue to audition against hundreds of others for
the 32 violin seats in our orchestras. Consider trying viola! The switch is very easy and likely be very rewarding!
Meet our... | MCYO
www.mcyo.org MCYO Tempo 5
Meet our Managers
Chamber Strings -Nikki Flanders
Chamber Orchestra -Janet Wolfe
Philharmonic -Linda Kuhn
Young Artists -Ashleigh Townsend
Symphony -Tim Beadle
These two managers also coach the
Young Artists Prep Winds
Meet our Sectional Coaches
First Violin -Adrian Semo
Cello -David Cho
Second Violin -Shelley Mathews
Viola -Maria Montano
Bass -Lynn Fleming
Percussion -Ken Krohn
Woodwinds -Dr. James Badolato
Brass -Chris Gekker
Our wonderful YA/Sym Winds and Brass coaches, Andrea Cameron and Robert Isle, are not pictured.
MCYO | Meet our...
MCYO Tempo www.mcyo.org6
Young Artists Preparatory Winds -Tim Beadle & Ashleigh Townsend, co-coaches
The YA Prep Winds Ensemble is off and running!
Started as a training ground to get more wind players
involved in the MCYO organization at the entry level, the
group has had tremendous success in the first few
rehearsals. The group has be focusing on the skills needed
to perform as an orchestral wind section, including sound
projection, intonation, articulation and musical style as an
ensemble. They have been working on everything from
Bach chorales to transcriptions ofmajor orchestral works.
Look forward to hearing Brahms "Academic Festival
Overture" and Saint-Saen's "Marche Militaire Francaise"
on the December 13th Chamber Recital. The Prep Winds
have a lot of fun and we would love to welcome some
select new talented wind players (especially horns and
bassoons) to join for the next semester.
Meet our Chamber Ensembles for 09-1 0
Clarinet Choir - Dr. Albert Hunt, coach
It has been a real pleasure to work with these talented
musicians. In a few briefweeks, we've gotten to know
each other musically and we are beginning to develop a
wonderful ensemble sound. We have sightread many
pieces over our first few rehearsals and have settled on
two wonderful arrangements of the music ofMozart for
the concert. One of the selections, an Adagio, was
originally composed for a trio of clarinets and basset horn
(the basset horn is a kind of early alto clarinet.) Another,
"Eine Kline Nachtmusik," is a lot of fun to play, and, we
hope, for you to hear. Next time we meet, we will
discover the rest of our program. We are looking
forward to our inaugural concert in December.
Harp Ensemble - Elizabeth Blakeslee, coach
The harp ensemble is off to a great start! We are
working on a variety ofmusic for the December 6 concert,
including “At the Tori Gate” by Renée Quinn. This piece
is everyone’s favorite as it uses some fun special effects.
We will close our program with “Virginia Sampler” by Ray
Pool, an arrangement of two tunes: Shenandoah and an
old Virginia Reel. The harp ensemble has four dedicated
players and would welcome new members.
Flute Choir - Janese Sampson, coach
The MCYO Flute Choir began rehearsal for it's Debut
Season with the Orchestra Program on September 30th.
This season finds 12 very talented young people playing
music written for flute choir/ensemble. All of the music
to be performed at our December 13th, 2009 concert will
be taken from different eras and musical styles. As with
any new ensemble, the students, who are coming from
various backgrounds and musical training, are learning
how to musically "speak" with one voice, both stylistically
and with a sense of firm musical balance. The students
are very enthusiastic and are working very hard and we
expect to perform fabulously on the Winter Concert.
Several outside performances are being explored and we
are eagerly looking forward to performing whenever we
have an opportunity. We are psyched and ready to strut
our stuff. See you in December!
Clarinet Choir with Dr. Hunt
Flute Choir with Ms. Sampson
YoungArtists Prep Winds Ensemble with Mr. Beadle & Ms. Townsend
Alumni News | MCYO
www.mcyo.org MCYO Tempo 7
MCYO Financial NewsAs is the case for almost all non-profits in this tough economic climate, MCYO needs to continue to closely
monitor finances throughout the season. So far, we are off to a strong start with first quarter numbers right on
target. Nearing completion is the annual audit, which is now under review by MCYO Board financial officers.
Thanks to the good work ofour Financial Assistance/Scholarship Chair, Bette Eberly-Hill, MCYO was able to award
over $23,000 need-based scholarships for tuition, lessons and work-study to 32 students so far this season.
Recently, and quite fortunately, MCYO was designated a recipient of two new grants. We are very grateful to the
Montgomery County Community Foundation and the Wiegand Family Foundation for their financial support.
Mark your calendars for the month ofFebruary for our annual Practice-a-Thon! In recent years, only the
younger orchestras have been involved, but this has proven to be such a great success that we plan to involve all of
the orchestras in this easy but worthwhile and beneficial fundraiser. Look for more details next semester!
Meet our Alumni
Ari Allal:I was the principal bassoonist in the Philharmonic in
1999-2000. I went to the University ofMaryland where I
earned degrees in both bassoon performance and music
education. I then went to the University ofMichigan and
earned a masters degree in bassoon performance. My
career path finds me playing and gigging around town,
teaching bassoon students privately, and teaching for
Montgomery County Public Schools. I'm recently
married to my wonderful wife who I met at the University
ofMaryland. We both then went to the University of
Michigan together. She is an oboist and has a masters
degree from Michigan in oboe too!
I'm still playing my bassoon has taken me to many
places including the Sarasota Music Festival in Sarasota
Florida, the BanffCenter for the performing arts in Banff,
Alberta, Canada, and most recently to southwest France
where I was principal bassoon with Opera du Perigord's
production ofOffenbach's La Vie Parisienne and La
Perichole last summer. Locally I've been playing with the
Alexandria symphony and the Kennedy Center Opera
House Orchestra in their productions of Siegfried and Le
Corsaire with the Bolshoi Ballet.
I am currently an Artist in Residence at Strathmore for
the month ofMarch 2010. I'll be giving 2 recitals there
and 1 educational program (the bassoon masterclass)
during the month. The Kennedy Center has also invited
me to come and perform on the Millennium stage as part
of the Artist in Residence program as well.
My fondest memories ofMCYO are just getting to be
in that rehearsal setting, going to rehearsal, and
collaborating with other people who cared as much about
music as I did. I didn't expect to walk in as a senior not
having been in MCYO before and find that I had won the
principal chair. That memory was particularly rewarding
because it let me know that the work I was putting into
the bassoon was paying off.
My advice to young musicians is to always strive to
improve. Get a good teacher and listen to them! Do
everything that you can to be a better musician. Buy
CD's, listen to recordings, go to concerts, take lessons
from more than one teacher on occasion to get a different
opinion about your playing. Learn about colleges and
conservatories and what they have to offer. Try to get a
lesson with the teacher at the college you want to go to
before you decide to go there! Maybe you will click with
that teacher, and maybe you won't! Also, practice doesn't
make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect! You must
practice carefully and with a purpose. Don't sit in a
practice room for 2 hours playing anything without trying
to improve something.
Gavin Fallows:I was in the Junior orchestra in 1993/4 and 94/5 under
David Levin. At that time I was in Sligo Middle School. I
went on to Albert Einstein High School in Fall, '95 and
continued studying privately with Amy Horman. I was a
participant in the Kennedy Center Young Soloist
competition in '98, playing the first movement of the
Brahms Violin Concerto.
continues on page 8
MCYO | Alumni News
MCYO Tempo www.mcyo.org
Meet our Alumni continued...After high school I began a career as a jazz bassist,
which allowed me to attend the Amsterdam Conservatory
in the Netherlands for a year in 2004 before moving to
New York City, where I made some of the biggest
accomplishments ofmy career, performing and touring
with many renowned jazz musicians. I have performed
extensively in Italy, France, Germany, Belgium and the
Netherlands, as well as in many American Cities. I have
led masterclasses in improvisation in Azerbaijan, Brazil,
and the Netherlands. I am a current member of the Jeremy
Pelt 'Wired' Quartet, on whose 2007 MaxJazz release
"Shock Value: Live at Smoke" I am featured on electric
bass and upright bass. I still appear regularly as a sideman
in New York's jazz scene.
In 2008 and early 2009 I performed in New York as a
section violinist with the String Orchestra ofBrooklyn and
the Broadway Bach Ensemble. Since moving back to the
DC area this spring, I have participated in several
masterclasses and recitals for Amy Horman's studio.
Some ofmy favorite pieces to this day are pieces I
performed under Mr. Levin. The Finale from Beethoven's
fifth was virtually the soundtrack to my eighth-grade year!
The variety in material was very beneficial to my
technique, and it really helped my reading skills. I always
felt excited to find people my age who were as dedicated
and enthralled as I was by the great music we worked on
in MCYO. My advice to anyone involved in music
performance would be this: Try to identify what it is that
you really love; specific composers or pieces, time periods,
styles. The more you know for yourselfwhat entices and
moves you in music, the less phased you will be by the
obstacles and choices along the way to a career in music.
Ted Gordon:During my senior-high years, my conductor was the
legendary Chester Petranek. During my Jr. High years,
Mr. Bauer wielded the stick.
I attended Albert Einstein High School in Kensington,
and during my senior year, spent half the day at the music
dept at Montgomery College. In 1976, I graduated and in a
few weeks joined the Navy Band—first stop, Guam. The
duty station after that, San Diego. After four years I exited
the Navy and headed off to college. Just married, I
doubted my chances to make a living as a musician, so I
entered University ofMaryland in electrical engineering.
And more lately, in my dotage, I’m studying for a master’s
of theology at Wesley Theological Seminary.
I make my living today as an electrical engineer at the
Consumer Product Safety Commission. Here we design
and conduct tests to prove the safety of electrical products.
What sticks in my memory about MCYO are some of
our venues. We performed routine concerts at Blair High
School, the only school at the time that boasted of an
auditorium. But now and then we hit the road—the
Kennedy Center, where we played Aaron Copeland, St.
Matthew’s Cathedral, where we played more baroque
stuff. The architectural grandeur (plus the fine acoustics)
made a big impression. And toward the end ofmy tenure,
we set off for the glitzier—the Convention Hall in Atlantic
City. The concert isn’t vivid in my memory. Rather we
had a different kind of adventure. We headed for home in
three buses. Several friends and I were in one bus along
the very back row. Out of the blue, a flash of light, a
thunderous boom, and the tinkle of glass. We leaped and
turned. Nothing between us and the road but the back of
the seat. Seems the bus behind had struck ours, and off it
went careening off in the distance sideswiping cars and
guard rails. The cab caved in on the poor driver, later
rushed to the hospital, and as the story went, Mr. Petranek
in the forward seats of the careening bus, had to help the
driver wrestle the controls and bring the thing to a stop.
No kids were hurt. We all got out and hiked to a
payphone to let our parents know we were alright. I guess
new buses hauled us the rest of the way. Not a fond
memory, by any means, but a memory. Ask other alumni
from the 1975-76 season—they’ll confirm the story.
As I think back, the richness of the MCYO experience
was its own reward. How else can a teenage boy get in
touch with feeling, learn taste and style, develop subtlety
ofmind? And on top of that, be part of something grand. I
recall during concerts, sometimes having to play notes a
major third higher than those written on the page—no
small mental feat—it would pass through my mind: “I
can’t believe I’m part ofmaking this glorious sound.” No,
I have no advice but to admonish this attitude: If you have
the chance to do it, you’re lucky.
8
Recent Performances | MCYO
www.mcyo.org MCYO Tempo 9
We Commend our MCYO Musicians!Despite being barely two months into our season, many
MCYO students have already performed at the following
Fall events:
September 26 - Magical Montgomery Arts Fair:
Special thanks to Symphony violinist Kristin Jones for
volunteering her time to play to the crowd!
October 1 - MCYO/BSO Concertmaster Master Class
with Jonathan Carney: Kudos to our newly appointed
concertmasters for their splendid playing to a 50+ member
audience in our first master class of the season. Thanks to
all who attended this wonderful class, where invaluable
individual coaching and information was offered by Mr.
Carney. Our student performers included: Andrew Lu
(Chamber Strings), Celine Nakpil (Young Artists), Giselle
Nakpil (Symphony), Julianna Hsing (Chamber Orchestra),
and Kenneth Liao (Philharmonic).
October 16 – Clarinet Master Class with Richard
Stoltzman, sponsored by the National Philharmonic: Two
MCYO PHIL clarinetists, Seyoun Kim and Devin Zhang
performed magnificently for the virtuosic and charismatic
Mr. Stoltzman, who offered (comical) coaching tips such
as standing tall on a chair to play out!
MCYO thanks our partner, NP, for enabling us to be a
part of these wonderful classes! Attendees at this class
included the MCYO Clarinet Choir and our special guests,
the Potomac Valley Youth Orchestra (PVYO) Clarinet
Choir. We were thrilled to have our friends join us!
October 17 – National Pediatrics Conference Opening,
Washington Convention Center: MCYO was invited to
open the plenary session of this huge convention with
some music and the national anthem. Under the direction
ofMr. Levin, a 25-member string orchestra of volunteers
(including staffer John Park) from our Philharmonic,
Chamber Orchestra and Symphony orchestras played for a
crowd of 1800 enthusiastic and appreciative conference
participants! With just one rehearsal and some warm up
time the day of, the group performed superbly and earned
MCYO a nice contribution from the Academy and some
high visibility marks. Thanks to Mr. Levin and our terrific
students for their time and effort in making this
appearance such a success for MCYO! We commend the
following students for their participation:
Chamber Orchestra: Andrew Hu, Kristin Jones, Maggie Dixon,
Alisa Hahn, Paul Kim, Jerome Glick, Cynthia Gan
Symphony: Zeya Luo, ChristopherWoo, Prashan
Dharmasena, Milo King, Ellen Gira, JenniferWang, Sarah
Abernethy
Philharmonic: Elena Perry, Elizabeth Leung, Colleen Swink,
Karisi Tso, Josh Coyne, Aurora Wheeland, Clara McCreery,
Isabella Nogues, Alison Zhang, Hyerim Hong, Kevin Yang
Clockwise from top left:-ConcertmasterMaster Class with Jonathan Carney-Seyoun Kim at ClarinetMasterclass with Richard Stoltzman-Devin Zhangat ClarinetMasterclass with Richard Stoltzman-Academy ofPediatrics National Conference Opening
NEW! MCYO Mentoring InitiativeThis season, select older string students will serve as mentors for our younger orchestras. These PHIL and
Chamber Orchestra musicians will arrive early to help conductors and managers with rehearsal and concert tuning,
as well as occasionally joining in to play in sections during rehearsals. Many ofour older students have expressed a
desire to be more actively engaged in helping and teaching other students. We are happy to provide a chance for
them to do so in a way that directly benefits our program. Kudos to our wonderful role-models!
MCYO | Upcoming
MCYO Tempo www.mcyo.org
First Concerts of the SeasonPromise to delight and surprise!
Sunday, December 6 Concerts at the Music Center at Strathmore:3PM: Chamber Strings, Harp ensemble, Young Artists and Symphony
7PM: Chamber Orchestra and Philharmonic, with pianist Lura Johnson
Tickets on sale now! Call 301-581-5100 or purchase on-line here.
Please invite guests—neighbors, friends and relatives-- to join us for a wondrous day ofmusic. What better
way to show appreciation for your children’s talent and hard work? Let’s fill the concert hall!
Sunday, December 13 Chamber Recital at the Mansion 5PM:
Includes Prep Winds, Clarinet Choir and Flute Choir
Reserved seating only, please contact office 301-581-5209
Preference given to seating for perfomers’ families/teachers.
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Upcoming EventsWednesday, November 4, 6:30-9 PM, Strathmore Education Center Lobby:
String Day by Thomastik-Infeld
Monday, November 16, 7 PM, Strathmore Education Center, Room 309:
Levine Percussion Master Class with master teacher, Nick Petrella, Education Director of Sabian Cymbals
Special MCYO performers include Kurtis Fedde, Jan Nguyen, Sharon Ong and Sam Um.
Tuesday, November 17, 7:30 PM, Montgomery College Rockville Campus, Music Recital Hall:
Montgomery College presents Recital by Jonathan Carney with Lura Johnson, featuring MCYO’s Lauren Song,
Elena Perry and Julianna Hsing as special guest performers ofMozart G Major Duo.Call Montgomery College to reserve 240-567-5209
Thursday, November 19, 5-6:15 PM, Strathmore Comcast Lounge:
BSO/MCYO Viola Master Class with Karin Brown, featuring MCYO violists from each orchestra.
An Invitation to London!!On October 28, MCYO was pleased to receive a visit
from the Lord Mayor of the City ofWestminster,
Catherine Longworth and her contingent (festival co-
directors Robert and Geraldine Bone) to officially invite MCYO to participate in the 25th Silver Anniversary New
Year’s Day Parade and Festival in London in 2010-2011 . Thanks to Dave Levin’s initiatives, MCYO hopes to pursue
this wonderful opportunity with our orchestra students in the upper grades. Along with MCYO Board ofDirectors
officers and staff, Strathmore President and CEO Eliot Pfanstiehl and Community Relations Director, Bill Carey,
helped greet and receive our London guests. They enjoyed an official tour of the Music Center and concert hall, plus
visits to each of the MCYO orchestras to see our program in action. Quite impressed by they saw, the Londoners
said their visit to Strathmore and the MCYO program was the highlight of their trip to the U.S.
In her address to the PHIL students, the Lord Mayor noted that only exceptional U.S. orchestras and bands are
invited to participate in this grand London festival and that she hoped to see many, many of the talented MCYO
musicians she visited sign up to go. More details about planning for this exciting trip will be announced as our
season continues. Stay tuned. . .
MCYO welcomes the LordMayor Catherine Longworth!
MCYO gratefully acknowledges ourmajor funders: