Tonight is the first Knoxville Symphony Youth Orchestra concert of the year. Actually, five ensembles will perform tonight: the Junior Philharmonia, the Philharmonia, the Sinfonia, the Youth Chamber Orchestra, and the Youth Symphony. The 250+ young musicians who participate in the KSO Youth Orchestra program range in age from early elementary school all the way to seniors in high school. The level of playing also varies from students who have studied just a few years to kids who plan to make music their career. The quality of the playing is high across the board, though. The younger kids always impress me just as much as the kids in the more advanced ensembles. Also at peak levels are the energy on stage and the excitement and passion these kids have for making music. It is truly something to see. The future of classical music is in great hands.
Tonight's concert starts at 7:00 and will be held at the Tennessee Theater. Seating will begin at 6:30. The concert is open to the public and is free.
Showing posts with label Youth Orchestra. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Youth Orchestra. Show all posts
Monday, November 16, 2009
Monday, November 2, 2009
November in a Nutshell
There is a lot going on with the KSO in November!
Last week the KSO performed educational concerts for thousands of area school children. Beginning this week and continuing through the month, small ensembles of musicians will be touring the Knox County Public Library branches for special musical story time presentations. These are always very entertaining. I have participated in story time concerts both as a musician and as an audience member with my daughter. It's hard to say which was more fun. There are many opportunities for the children to participate, from singing along with familiar tunes to playing small percussion instruments. It is a great (and free!) way to introduce young children to live classical music. The full story time schedule can be found here.
This week is also the KSO's debut Chamber Classics Series performance of the season. Sunday afternoon's concert is a concert of string serenades by Tchaikovsky, Elgar, and Suk. Don't let the parking situation around the Bijou deter you from attending this concert. Once again the KSO will be providing a shuttle service from the State Street Garage (behind the Tennessee Theater) to the Bijou.
On the 16th the Knoxville Symphony Youth Orchestras will give their first performance of the season. These kids work incredibly hard and their concerts are not to be missed.
Later in the month is the November Masterwork's Concert featuring pianist Benjamin Hochman playing Mendelssohn. We'll also be playing Der Rosenkavalier Suite by Strauss, the gorgeous Prelude and Liebestod from Wagner's Tristan und Isolde and Haydn's 16th Symphony.
Also mid-month is our first Family Concert of the season. Picardy Penguin will be back in a program entitled, "Shall we Dance?" Our family concerts are more like events than concerts. There are plenty of activities for children and their families to participate in before the actual concert. It's a nice way to spend a cold afternoon.
Finally, the end of the month brings two free community performances. On November 27th (aka, "Black Friday") at 6:00 the KSO Brass Quintet will be performing in Krutch Park near Market Square for the City of Knoxville Celebration of Lights. The next day a string quartet will be at West Town Mall playing holiday music.
Last week the KSO performed educational concerts for thousands of area school children. Beginning this week and continuing through the month, small ensembles of musicians will be touring the Knox County Public Library branches for special musical story time presentations. These are always very entertaining. I have participated in story time concerts both as a musician and as an audience member with my daughter. It's hard to say which was more fun. There are many opportunities for the children to participate, from singing along with familiar tunes to playing small percussion instruments. It is a great (and free!) way to introduce young children to live classical music. The full story time schedule can be found here.
This week is also the KSO's debut Chamber Classics Series performance of the season. Sunday afternoon's concert is a concert of string serenades by Tchaikovsky, Elgar, and Suk. Don't let the parking situation around the Bijou deter you from attending this concert. Once again the KSO will be providing a shuttle service from the State Street Garage (behind the Tennessee Theater) to the Bijou.
On the 16th the Knoxville Symphony Youth Orchestras will give their first performance of the season. These kids work incredibly hard and their concerts are not to be missed.
Later in the month is the November Masterwork's Concert featuring pianist Benjamin Hochman playing Mendelssohn. We'll also be playing Der Rosenkavalier Suite by Strauss, the gorgeous Prelude and Liebestod from Wagner's Tristan und Isolde and Haydn's 16th Symphony.
Also mid-month is our first Family Concert of the season. Picardy Penguin will be back in a program entitled, "Shall we Dance?" Our family concerts are more like events than concerts. There are plenty of activities for children and their families to participate in before the actual concert. It's a nice way to spend a cold afternoon.
Finally, the end of the month brings two free community performances. On November 27th (aka, "Black Friday") at 6:00 the KSO Brass Quintet will be performing in Krutch Park near Market Square for the City of Knoxville Celebration of Lights. The next day a string quartet will be at West Town Mall playing holiday music.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
How to Practice....
Judging by the feedback I've gotten, Monday's post about practicing struck a chord (ha!). (By the way, I love getting feedback. Sometimes I feel like I'm talking to myself here. Comments are always welcome.) As the Knoxville Symphony Youth Orchestra is gearing up to start in a few weeks I thought I would expand on how to practice well when you aren't crazy about practicing.
Practice every day. Practice every day. Practice every day. Practice every day. The repetition of daily practice creates muscle memory. It's the same process as learning to shoot free throws. The only difference is the use of fine motor skills vs gross motor skills. Muscle memory is not something you can cram at the last minute. If you wait to practice until the day before your lesson most likely you will wind up having “played it better at home.” You don't need to slave over your instrument for hours every day. On super busy days even 10 minutes of quality practicing is better than nothing. The bottom line is that you need to practice every day. You have time, trust me.
Have a plan when you practice. How long are you going to practice? What do you need to accomplish this week? How does that translate to today's practice session? When you practice without a plan you tend to wander. Things will get done but not nearly as quickly as when you have a plan. And when you are busy and don't particularly enjoy practicing, it's best to get things done as quickly and efficiently as you can. Your plan should be as specific as possible. Planning to practice your youth orchestra music is too general. Identifying the piece, section, and problem within the section that you need to practice in your youth orchestra music is much better.
Go slow and start small. I'm considering printing this on a tee shirt because this is, by far, the phrase I say to students the most. (It is also, by far, the most unpopular thing I tell my students.) Can't play a section without crashing and burning? Slow it down. Still having trouble? Identify the problem and break it down into smaller parts. Really listen and pay attention as you play. Ten minutes of concentrated work like this is tedious but at the end of the ten minutes you will be miles ahead of where you were when you started and certainly in better shape than if you had spent ten minutes muddling through.
Make the best of it. Practicing is not inherently fun because practicing is work. Realizing that playing an instrument doesn't have to be fun all the time can go a long way in reshaping your attitude toward practicing. Find ways to make it fun. When I was in college a group of us always hit the practice rooms at the same time. After awhile we would take a break, hole up in someones practice room and have tea and chocolate. We also had scale parties where everyone got together to practice scales, but that's another story... See if you can practice 100 days in a row or compete with a friend to see who can go the longest without missing a day. Record yourself playing a piece or section when you first start working on it and then record yourself playing the same thing a few weeks later. It is very motivating to hear your progress, especially if you feel like you're at a standstill. Find recordings of great artists playing your instrument and listen to them often. Attend live performances for even more motivation.
The better you practice, the better you will play and the more you will enjoy your instrument. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go practice.
Practice every day. Practice every day. Practice every day. Practice every day. The repetition of daily practice creates muscle memory. It's the same process as learning to shoot free throws. The only difference is the use of fine motor skills vs gross motor skills. Muscle memory is not something you can cram at the last minute. If you wait to practice until the day before your lesson most likely you will wind up having “played it better at home.” You don't need to slave over your instrument for hours every day. On super busy days even 10 minutes of quality practicing is better than nothing. The bottom line is that you need to practice every day. You have time, trust me.
Have a plan when you practice. How long are you going to practice? What do you need to accomplish this week? How does that translate to today's practice session? When you practice without a plan you tend to wander. Things will get done but not nearly as quickly as when you have a plan. And when you are busy and don't particularly enjoy practicing, it's best to get things done as quickly and efficiently as you can. Your plan should be as specific as possible. Planning to practice your youth orchestra music is too general. Identifying the piece, section, and problem within the section that you need to practice in your youth orchestra music is much better.
Go slow and start small. I'm considering printing this on a tee shirt because this is, by far, the phrase I say to students the most. (It is also, by far, the most unpopular thing I tell my students.) Can't play a section without crashing and burning? Slow it down. Still having trouble? Identify the problem and break it down into smaller parts. Really listen and pay attention as you play. Ten minutes of concentrated work like this is tedious but at the end of the ten minutes you will be miles ahead of where you were when you started and certainly in better shape than if you had spent ten minutes muddling through.
Make the best of it. Practicing is not inherently fun because practicing is work. Realizing that playing an instrument doesn't have to be fun all the time can go a long way in reshaping your attitude toward practicing. Find ways to make it fun. When I was in college a group of us always hit the practice rooms at the same time. After awhile we would take a break, hole up in someones practice room and have tea and chocolate. We also had scale parties where everyone got together to practice scales, but that's another story... See if you can practice 100 days in a row or compete with a friend to see who can go the longest without missing a day. Record yourself playing a piece or section when you first start working on it and then record yourself playing the same thing a few weeks later. It is very motivating to hear your progress, especially if you feel like you're at a standstill. Find recordings of great artists playing your instrument and listen to them often. Attend live performances for even more motivation.
The better you practice, the better you will play and the more you will enjoy your instrument. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go practice.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Concert Smorgasbord
The Knoxville Symphony has several concerts coming up this week, including two free concerts.
Tonight at 7:00 the Knoxville Symphony Youth Orchestra will perform their final concert of the season at the Tennessee Theater. Several orchestras of all levels will perform from kids who have only been playing a few years to high school students who have been seriously studying their instruments for many years. All the ensembles present a polished performance. This concert is free.
Tomorrow string players from the KSO will partner with the orchestra students at Farragut High School to present a side by side performance at Farragut High School. The concert begins at 7:30 at Farragut High School.
Wednesday at 6:30 we will be playing on Market Square. This concert was rescheduled from last Friday due to rain. This concert is free.
Finally, on Saturday Peter Cetera is coming for the KSO's final pops concert of the season. This is the concert I'm looking forward to the most this week. Peter Cetera has written hit after hit after hit. It should be a great evening.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Remembering Brahms
Last night we rehearsed Brahms' Second Symphony in preparation for our Masterworks concerts on Thursday and Friday. I love all of Brahms' symphonies, but the second has a special place in my heart. It was the first CD of orchestral music that I owned (and wore out), and it also represents my first experience playing real symphonic music with a group of my peers. I first played this symphony at a summer camp when I was 14 years old. Prior to attending that camp my orchestral experience had been with my school orchestra where none of my peers were quite as excited about playing the violin as I was, and the local community orchestra, where I was by far the youngest player: my stand partner was a biology professor nearing retirement. I enjoyed both groups, but they were nothing like that week at summer camp. For the first time, I was surrounded with peers who were just as passionate about making music as I. It was an incredible experience, and one that solidified my desire to make music my career.
Kids in Knoxville don't have to wait for summer camp to play in an orchestra with peers who love music. Knoxville has a youth orchestra program that is supported by the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra League and the Knoxville Symphony Society. The Knoxville Youth Symphony Orchestra is made up of five ensembles of varying levels with over 250 students participating each year. The orchestras meet once a week to rehearse and give around three concerts a year. These are not the typical student music performances that you may have suffered through as a child (or as a parent of a child in band or orchestra). The kids work hard in rehearsal and on their own to really master the music. The result is a polished, exciting performance. As it happens, the Knoxville Youth Symphony Orchestras are performing tonight at 7:00 in the Tennessee Theater. The concert is free and open to the public. I would advise you to get there early to stake out your seat because these concerts are quite popular and often fill the house. It's a wonderful way to spend an evening.
Kids in Knoxville don't have to wait for summer camp to play in an orchestra with peers who love music. Knoxville has a youth orchestra program that is supported by the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra League and the Knoxville Symphony Society. The Knoxville Youth Symphony Orchestra is made up of five ensembles of varying levels with over 250 students participating each year. The orchestras meet once a week to rehearse and give around three concerts a year. These are not the typical student music performances that you may have suffered through as a child (or as a parent of a child in band or orchestra). The kids work hard in rehearsal and on their own to really master the music. The result is a polished, exciting performance. As it happens, the Knoxville Youth Symphony Orchestras are performing tonight at 7:00 in the Tennessee Theater. The concert is free and open to the public. I would advise you to get there early to stake out your seat because these concerts are quite popular and often fill the house. It's a wonderful way to spend an evening.
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