Baltimore Symphony Youth Orchestra includes a wealth of Friends musicians: Coincidence? Hardly. BY SARA FRANKLIN ROLLFINKE
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hat does a typical teenager do on a Sunday afternoon? Perhaps finish their homework, catch up on a favorite Netflix show or join some friends for a friendly pick-up game? If you’re a member of the BSYO, however, you will most likely be hard at work in a rigorous three-hour rehearsal, perfecting your performance of works by composers such as Tchaikovsky, Mahler and Strauss. The BSYO, or Baltimore Symphony Youth Orchestra, is comprised of three orchestral ensembles, including over 200 of the MidAtlantic region’s best young musicians: The YO, or Youth Orchestra, is the most advanced group, made up of students in grades 10 through 12. The CO, or Concert Orchestra, is the middle group, with students ranging from grades 7 through 10. The SO, or String Orchestra, is comprised of young string players, age 8 to grade 6. Students audition in late spring and are required to prepare a series of scales and assigned orchestral selections as well as a solo piece of their choice. Friends School is well-represented in the orchestras, with eight students participating. In the YO, musicians include Bo Brand ’15, cello, Maria Park ’15, Matt Musachio ’16 and Max Jacobs ’17, violin, and Max Rollfinke ’17, trumpet. The CO includes Sam Little ’17 and Renée Audette ’18, violin, and Leah Dumaine ’20, viola. BSYO operations manager Alicia Kosack notes that while there are “a few schools with groups of four or five kids and a couple that have a few more than Friends, including Dulaney High School (11), Ridgely Middle School (9) and Towson High School (9),” Friends is near the top for student participation in the orchestras, which is notable given our relatively small size compared to these large public schools. Preparation may be one reason for this. Friends students begin playing an instrument in third grade and are encouraged to continue through Upper School, where they often
clockwise from top: max Jacobs ’17, max rollfinke ’17, reneé Audette ’18, matt musachio ’16, maria Park ’15, Sam Little ’17 and Bo Brand ’15. missing from photo: Leah dumaine ’20.
supplement in-day instruction from Kirsten Walsh, John Gifford and Michael McVey, respectively, the School’s dedicated Orchestra, Band and Choral Music Directors, with after-school private music lessons. “Mrs. Walsh is very supportive, and at the same time understands in which areas I need to improve,” says senior Maria Park, who plays first violin at Friends. “Her feedback on my playing and suggestions on how to relax during auditions and performances prepared me well for the BSYO.” Sophomore Max Rollfinke views his time in the Upper School Wind Ensemble and Jazz Band, and the individual feedback he receives from John Gifford, as integral in his preparation. He also takes music theory with Michael McVey, noting, “I often have to transpose from F trumpet to Bb trumpet, which means going a perfect fifth up on each pitch. Learning key signatures and intervals in [that] class has made this process easier.” One unique feature of the BSYO is that it is the only youth orchestra in the nation that has
direct ties with a professional orchestra. In addition to weekly rehearsals in the spacious and modern George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology, BSYO musicians participate in sectionals — rehearsals with only violins, only violas, only trumpets and so on — led by BSO musicians; they also enjoy side-by-side rehearsals with the BSO on the Meyerhoff stage as well as opportunities to participate in intensive chamber music classes and access to exclusive BSO performances. BSYO conductors are demanding and hold high expectations for their young musicians, many of whom practice from 30 to 90 minutes a day. “The best thing about being a part of an orchestra such as the BSYO is that you get to collaborate with friends who play a diverse assortment of instruments to create something beautiful,” says Maria Park. “It’s like playing a team sport with various positions assigned to different people, except for the fact that you’re not competing against anyone — everyone’s on the same team with the same purpose: to make good music.” FS
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