O
n a rainy Saturday, boisterous notes fill the parish hall at St. John the Divine Anglican Church as the Greater Victoria Youth Orchestra warms up. The pluck of strings, toot of trumpets and high soprano pitch of the oboe bring warmth to the cool room as the young musicians tune their instruments. At the centre is maestro Yariv Aloni, a gifted musician who’s performed at concert halls all over the world. Now an acclaimed conductor, Aloni says the orchestras he leads are like his children. He loves them all fiercely and can’t pick a favourite. “I love how different they are and the different challenges 42