Keeping Tempo May 2014

Keeping Tempo Volume 5, Number 4, May 2014

Inside this issue: Changes to YOBC Percussion Staff

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Conductors’ Notes: Reinvent Music This Summer

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Student Spotlight: Rachel Zhang

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Don’t Forget Why We Threw the Party

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Crowded at the Kimmel

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Italy Tour Ensemble Master Class

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DVWS Music Scholarships

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YOBC Concerto Competition’s 20th Anniversary: Jill Fleming Drayer

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Important Dates: 

June 20: Registration Deadline for 2014–15

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July 18, BCCC: 8:00 PM. Italy Tour Bon Voyage Concert

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July 19–30 YOBC Italy Tour

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Saturday, September 6: YOBC Orientation and Curtain-Raiser

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Sunday, September 7: Fall Rehearsals Begin

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Sunday, September 14: YOBC Parents’ Meetings

YOBC Alumna Erin Busch Commissioned to Compose Music for Italy Music Festival Erin Busch started writing her own music in the fifth grade, and since then she has “never looked back.” Composing is something Erin has always enjoyed and has done without any intention of gaining glory; she simply composed because it felt natural to her.

After receiving an undergraduate degree in music, Erin, a YOBC alumna, now continues her studies at Temple University as a grad student in music composition. She is also passionate about playing cello, piano, and singing. Erin is involved in several music ensembles at Temple and performs in a wedding quartet.

Erin credits YOBC for solidifying her love of music. When she joined Concertino as a cello player in the sixth grade, she was exposed to challenging pieces of music that she feels only an auditioned group could play. Erin remembers that during all of the years that she was in YOBC, her conductors

made the experience of playing music really enjoyable.

This summer, her composing talents will be displayed in Europe during the YOBC Italy tour. Erin was commissioned by YOBC to write a piece of music that will be premiered at the 2014 International Florence Youth Orchestra Festival. Her piece is entitled “An American Fanfare,” and her intention is to capture the spirit of America. Erin was inspired by American composers such as Copland and Bernstein, and derived many of the harmonic and motivic ideas in her piece from their musical style.

The piece written for YOBC is not Erin’s only commissioned work; she has been lucky enough to have had several in her career so far. She is currently working on a unique composition based on Lord of the Rings.

As for the future, Erin plans to get a PhD

in composition and hopes to be a music professor.

Her advice to young musicians and composers is to “Never stop doing what you love. Even if you end up choosing a career outside of music, you can still find ways to incorporate it into your life if you want to. It’s a lot of hard work being a musician, but it’s such a privilege to work hard on something you truly love, and it’s always a privilege to share that love with others.”

—Dayle Magida

Changes to YOBC Percussion Staff As many of you heard at the YOBC spring concert, Joey D’Alicandro, Jr. is leaving his role as YOBC’s percussion coach. After founding our Percussion Ensemble and working with YOBC for the last three years, Mr. D. will be moving on to help with his wife’s expanding Rita’s franchise.

YOBC is pleased to announce the addition of Bill Trigg, Adjunct Joey D’Alicandro Professor of Mu-

sic (percussion) at The College of New Jersey (TCNJ), to our artistic staff. Mr. Trigg is working with Mr. D all summer to assure a smooth transition as he prepares to take over the YOBC Percussion Ensemble and percussion coaching roles in the fall.

Mr. Trigg is well known as a specialist in twentieth and twenty-first century music and has premiered over 100 solo, chamber, and orchestral works. He is also active as a conductor, composer, and educator, and is currently the conductor and music director for The College of New Jersey Percussion Ensemble.

Bill Trigg, YOBC’s new percussion coach

YOBC students may already know Mr. Trigg from master classes and side-by-side performances with the TCNJ Percussion Ensemble that have taken place in the last few years. We are thrilled to welcome him to YOBC staff.

Conductors’ Notes: Reinvent Music This Summer As summer approaches, I frequently find myself advising young musicians on different ways to continue their studies throughout the warm season. While summer break is always a welcome respite, students may be left without all the musical outlets they enjoy during the school year. With public school programs and youth orchestras alike on hiatus, student musicians may wonder how to maintain a level of musical involvement beyond simply practicing at home.

Fortunately, there is a wealth of opportunities in the form of workshops, institutes, camps, or for some very lucky musicians, even international ensemble tours.

I do my best to encourage students to pursue some of these activities—not only to help keep their skills sharp, but also to expose them to new concepts, techniques, ensembles, and repertoire. One of the biggest advantages of summer programs is that they offer intensive instruction which is often focused in a particular area.

Some programs concentrate on individual instrumental technique, while others may work only on chamber music. There are orchestra camps, chamber music festivals, opera workshops, and even programs geared toward a particular Page 2

genre or style: early music, sacred music, jazz, or anything in between.

Summer is a chance to expand one’s musical horizons by trying something new. It is an opportunity to explore an area of musical interest more in depth than ever before.

Whether or not you choose to attend a festival, camp, or any other program, summer recess is one of the best times for musical studies to flourish rather than simmer.

The immediate reaction of classical musicians to the word “improvisation” is fear.

Recently, I had the good fortune of attending a seminar on improvisation. I have since begun to incorporate more improvisation into my own practice and teaching.

And while the concept of improvisation as both a technique and a musical form deserves a whole discussion of its own, I would simply like to present a single idea in the form of a game I have been experimenting with in my own classes.

The immediate reaction of classical musicians to the word “improvisation” is fear. Fear of uncertainty, of experimentation, and of making mistakes. A fear resulting from years of being trained to play

the right notes the right way, every time. The idea that there is no one right way to do something is downright scary. Yet it gives us a way to make music without ever being “wrong”; to freely create sound in any way we choose.

And so I challenge you to step outside what is familiar and comfortable. Find a partner (or three) and, one note at a time, improvise. Start with a single pitch—any note will do.

Go back and forth among the participants, with each person adding one single note (or sound of any kind) to the composition each time. Limit yourself to four notes the first time.

Then eight. Then 16. Invent a rhythm to go with the melody. In 20 minutes, you have become a composer, a performer, an improviser, and an attentive listener who can listen, repeat, and respond to what you hear.

There is no right or wrong, only success. Explore, experiment, invent.

But most importantly, keep playing, practicing, and making music. Use summer as a chance to try something new or reinvent something old.

Whether or not you try the improvisation game (one of many!), stay musical, and I'll see you in the fall!

—Colin Oettle Conductor, YOBC Prima Strings, Concertino, Honors String Quartet Keeping Tempo

tudent

potlight: Rachel Zhang

Rachel Zhang, an ambitious and talented violinist, feels that the best part of being a member of YOBC’s Symphony Orchestra is the opportunity to play captivating music, while at the same time meeting people who share similar interests. Ever since joining the group six years ago, she has not only become a better musician but has also made lifelong friends.

The YOBC Symphony Orchestra takes learning and performing music seriously, but under the direction of conductor Robert Loughran, the group still has fun. What Rachel admires most about Mr. Loughran is the way he expresses his passion and spirit through his conducting. He always has a positive attitude, and it’s easy to tell how much he loves music. It also should be mentioned that “his musical puns are hilarious!”

The chance to intern with the YOBC Junior Division musicians was something that really caught 16-yearold Rachel’s attention. She loves working with children, so the opportunity to assist the conductor was some-

thing she felt she could not pass up.

Rachel serves as a mentor for Prima Strings and gets to experience the great feeling of working with young musicians who look up to her. As an intern, Rachel learns about conducting and assisting an orchestra. Her job also includes helping the younger musicians tune their instruments, warming them up with scales, as well as playing alongside them in rehearsals. “Thanks to conductor Colin Oettle, I have been given the chance to conduct a few compositions for the children. These are examples of moments that I will never forget from my wonderful intern experience.”

This organization has changed Rachel’s perspective on music, and she now finds that playing her instrument is more enjoyable. She is thankful that YOBC has provided her and her fellow YOBC musicians with so many great opportunities, such as learning from renowned musicians and being taught how to work together and collaborate.

The insightful advice Rachel

Rachel Zhang, right, helps tune for the Junior Division concert.

gives to younger musicians is to “always try your best but make sure to enjoy the music at the same time!

Most people spend so much time mastering a composition, perfecting each note and rhythm, that they don’t take the time to truly appreciate the music.”

Whether it was playing in a sideby-side rehearsal with the Philadelphia Orchestra or rehearsing with Philharmonia outside on a windy day with music flying everywhere, one thing is for sure: YOBC has given Rachel some amazing experiences that she will always remember.

—Dayle Magida

Executive Director’s Corner: Don’t Forget Why We Threw the Party I feel like the mother of the bride after the wedding reception. After the planning, events, and flurry of activities…the party is over. Rehearsals have ended. Students and parents are gone.

We have bid our seniors a fond goodbye with well wishes for their next great adventure in life. Another season at YOBC has ended, and the moment is filled with happy memories and reflective contemplation.

What a year we’ve had! YOBC has been on a remarkable guestartist roll, including clinics with the Ying Quartet, one of the most prominent string quartets in the world; a Curtis String quintet, from one of the most prestigious music schools in the world; and David Kim, one of the most accomplished violinists in the world. In a whirlwind of wild winter weather, Dr. Quincy Hilliard, worldrenowned clinician, composer, and Volume 5, Number 4, May 2014

educator visited YOBC and gave wind and percussion students the opportunity to rehearse original compositions with the music’s composer. YOBC’s season ended on a high note with a rehearsal on stage at the Kimmel Center with the Philadelphia Orchestra, under the baton of maestro Donald Runnicles.

This year also brought unprecedented restructuring of YOBC’s ensemble program designed to better meet the needs of individual students.

New large ensembles and chamber groups were added, and the scope of existing ensemble goals was changed.

In response to student requests, we explored “new waters” by offering a master class in music composition, presented by alumna Erin Busch.

Like the elegant reception halls, sumptuous food, and beautiful flowers that make a wedding special,

YOBC’s educational programs, guest artists, and new musical adventures are the big things that distinguish a season. But we don’t want to forget why we threw the party in the first place. Each program, ensemble, artist, and event is carefully selected to fulfill our mission: To create opportunities for young musicians to achieve artistic excellence through enriching classical music experiences. Exciting programs are important, but it isn’t all about the programs. It’s about the students and giving them opportunities to grow – musically and personally – through those programs. As the YOBC artistic and administrative staff “sweep up” the remains of this year’s musical party, we are looking ahead to spending another season with YOBC students.

—Colleen Sweetsir YOBC Executive Director Page 3

Crowded at the Kimmel How many upright double basses are there in your orchestra? Compare that to the number of violins or cellos in the YOBC Symphony Orchestra, for example.

“When you’re talking about something as burly as the bass, two is a crowd, and eight is enough for any respectable orchestra. What, then, can you expect of five dozen?” wrote Peter Dobrin, Music Critic of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

He covered such a rare occasion in his newspaper article, “They Had a Double-Bass Ball” under—to my surprise—a picture in the Sunday edition On Saturday evening, May 3, 2014, sixty (6-0 or more!) basses, all different types and sizes, came together on the Kimmel Center stage. Imagine it! As fellow foundation members of many musical groups, we shared “deep tones and even deeper meaning.” Players of all ages from around the tri-state area participated in this whatcould-be recordbreaking, powerful event. Some of the professional bass players from the Philadelphia Orchestra section like David Fay, Joseph Conyers, and Robert Kesselman stood to the left and right of me downstage instead of in the back where bassists usu-

ally set up, sometimes alone. The principal bass player of the Philadelphia Orchestra, Harold Robinson, and internationally-known jazz bassist and author, Rufus Reid, performed an exciting, jazzy riff for us

on stage. Mr. Henry Scott led the group through most of the music with funny stories and direction. He even remembered me from the YOBC side-by-side rehearsal in March!

Music selections on various levels went from folk tunes, to Bach, to Gershwin, to the Beatles, to “The Elephants” from Carnival of the Animals, and finally, to Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 9” conducted by a personable Maestro Yannick NézetSéguin. Along with this Bass PlayIn, there have been brass, woodwind,

harp, and others too. However, this Bass Play-In was the first to happen on stage in Verizon Hall.

YOBC was well-represented with alumnus Josh Carey, Ripieno’s Max Alberts with his bass teacher, and me. We met up with Mr. Loughran and our families in the lobby after this amazing experience.

Max noted “how much fun all the professional players have.” We agreed that this second trip to the Kimmel Center, our opportunities with David Kim, and the summer tour in Italy make this a most memorable and fortunate time to be in YOBC! I can tell you one thing: to have that many basses take over the stage to play what they love will be hard to repeat, and that’s what will stick with this bassist forever.

—Anastasia Lewis String Bass, YOBC Ripieno Anastasia Lewis played in Concertino with the wonderful Mr. Oettle last year, participated in the Mediterranean tour, and will go on the Italy tour this summer.

She is moving up to Ripieno in September.

Anastasia is 12 years old and will be a seventh grader at Penn Charter in the fall. Her musical big brother, Jonathan, is also a member of YOBC with his oboe.

However, this time, she was the one in the front row circle!

Italy Tour Ensemble Master Class During this summer’s Italy tour, YOBC students will be participating in a master class in Montecatini Terme, presented by the Italian-American maestro Gioacchino Longobardi. A graduate of the San Pietro a Majella Conservatory of Music in Naples, Italy, and the Hochschule Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria, Mº Longobardi is currently the conductor of the Saratoga Springs (NY) Youth Orchestra as well as the Neapolitan Symphony Orchestra and the NeaPage 4

politan Chamber Ensemble. Mº Longobardi is also the president and artistic director of the nonprofit Neapolitan Music Society devoted to the study of the works of the Neapolitan School Masters of the Eighteenth Century. His interest in these littleknown composers and their largely unheard music hasled to a lifelong love for an extraordinary area of musical study. He has been described as a “musician with a dramatic, intense, and deeply-felt approach to life and to music-making.”

The repertoire for this summer’s master class with YOBC will be Schubert's Unfinished Symphony.

Keeping Tempo

Delaware Valley Wind Symphony Awards Music Scholarships To Three YOBC Students Recently, three YOBC seniors were awarded music scholarships from the Delaware Valley Wind Symphony (DVWS). At the DVWS spring concert in early May, Calum Devaney (oboe), Rachel Jones (French horn), and Benjy Young (bassoon) were all presented with this annual award in recognition of their musical talent and dedication. All three high school seniors graduated from YOBC earlier this year, where they participated in both Fanfare Winds and Symphony Orchestra. Calum Devaney from Pennsbury High School, Rachel Jones from Neshaminy High School, and Benjy Young from Council Rock North spent a combined total of 15 years in YOBC ensembles. In addition to YOBC and school ensembles, Calum has been performing with the Delaware Valley Wind Symphony this past year. The DVWS scholarship is awarded to high school seniors who distinguish themselves musically.

Additional consideration is given to students who plan to continue their study of music in college.

The Delaware Valley Wind Symphony is a 60-piece wind symphony comprised of accomplished amateur and professional musicians from all walks of life residing in Bucks County. The DVWS performs symphonic music of the highest caliber

for the enjoyment of audiences from the surrounding community.

The group is led by Jerry Nowak, a Professor Emeritus of Music at Bucks County Community College, where he taught from 1969 to 2005. He is one of the most widely published composers and arrangers of the past 40 years. He has appeared extensively throughout the United States as a guest conductor, clinician and adjudicator and has lectured at many colleges and universities throughout North America and Australia. Jerry has an international reputation for his innovations in the techniques and teaching of expressive phrasing.

YOBC’s Steve Sweetsir and Colleen Sweetsir also serve as associate conductors of DVWS. The Delaware Valley Wind Symphony was formed and incorporated in Pennsylvania in the summer of 2006. Its charter includes the provision of scholarship monies to graduating music students in schools where the DVWS performs. They hope to grow these scholarship grants with increased ticket sales, taxdeductible donations, and the receipt of grant funding. For more information visit their website at www.delvalwinds.org.

Calum Devaney, oboe

Rachel Jones, French horn

Join YOBC! Tell Your Friends!

YOBC will schedule special auditions later this summer for high-need instruments:

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Percussion

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Trumpet

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Tuba

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Viola

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Bass

Request an audition at www.yobc.org Benjy Young, bassoon Volume 5, Number 4, May 2014

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252 Hollow Branch Lane Yardley, PA 19067 Email: info.yobc@gmail.com

yobc.org

The YOUTH ORCHESTRA OF BUCKS COUNTY, Pennsyl vania (YOBC) was founded in 1991 with the sponsorship and support of Bucks County Community College . Its mission is to create opportunitie s for young musicians to achieve artistic excellence through enriching classical musical experiences. In 23 seasons the organization has grown fro m a single, 60-member ensemble to 14 ensembles with over 250 young musician s.

YOBC Concerto Competition’s 20th Anniversary: Jill Fleming Drayer Twenty years ago, Jill Drayer auditioned for YOBC’s first Concerto Competition. She performed the Bach Double Violin Concerto with her friend, Andrew Chung, another YOBC violinist. She was really nervous trying out for the competition because she wasn’t sure if she knew the music well enough. To her surprise, Jill found out that she had won and would get to perform the piece at the YOBC concert. As excited as she was to perform for a large audience, Jill was a bit apprehensive, because she feared the experience would be nerve racking.

However, the night of the concert

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turned out to be a wonderful time in her life that she will never forget.

Jill and Andrew played the Concerto “flawlessly” and she was really proud of herself for all of the hard work she had put into the performance. “It was an awesome feeling.”

Even after winning the competition, Jill really didn’t think that music would play a major role in her life.

When she was younger she loved playing the violin, but most of her time was devoted to sports. Jill credits her private violin teacher, Susan Ward, for encouraging her to audition for YOBC’s Concerto Competition when she was in high school and also for helping her to eventually realize that she should pursue a career in music.

Today Jill is a music teacher at the West Shore School District in central Pennsylvania, teaching sixth to eighth grade orchestra, string lessons, and seventh grade general music. She and her husband are parents to three young children who she encourages to be involved with music so they will gain all the benefits that come from learning an instrument.

Eventually Jill hopes to be able to put them in an ensemble like YOBC,

because she feels it will be an “invaluable” experience for them. It is a great way for kids to interact and perform with other kids who share a similar pasJill rehearsing in 1994 sion.

Jill tells young musicians to take their music education seriously because “who knows, it could wind up being your career like it did for me.” Now a conductor herself, Jill fondly recalls all the conductors and musicians she worked with over the years and learned so much from.

Jill is happy to have been a part of YOBC for four years, because it really helped her prepare for her music career and become the wonderful music teacher that she is today.

—Dayle Magida Keeping Tempo