Minnesota Youth Symphonies

Minnesota Youth Symphonies
Origin Twin Cities, Minnesota, USA
Genres Classical
Occupation(s) Youth Orchestra
Years active 1972-present
Website http://www.mnyouthsymphonies.org/
Members Symphony Conductor
Manny Laureano
Repertory Conductor
Claudette Laureano
Philharmonic Conductor
Jim Bartsch
String Conductor
Patricia Kelly
Minnesota Youth Symphonies logo

Minnesota Youth Symphonies, commonly referred to as MYS, was founded in 1972 by Ralph Winkler. The program has four orchestras composed of elementary through high school aged musicians. Participation is based on an audition in which the prospective student must perform an appropriate solo, orchestral excerpt, scales and arpeggios, and sightread. MYS places each student into an orchestra based entirely on his or her skill level, rather than age. Students rehearse on Saturdays at Highland Park Middle School in St. Paul MN. In addition to the four orchestras, MYS has weekly music education classes led by Terry Burk that include Solfége, Composition, Theory, and Music History.

Symphony Orchestra: Conducted by Manny Laureano (collegiate level)

Literature includes works with artistic challenges for the collegiate-level player. Sectionals explore, in-depth, the interpretive and more complex aspects of orchestral music. Students in this orchestra also spend time sight-reading orchestral literature at each rehearsal. Compositions are commissioned and premiered. The annual Symphony Solo Competition, open only to students in this orchestra, features the winning soloist in concert with the Symphony Orchestra. String seating is rotated each trimester. Brass, woodwind and percussion usually rotate from piece to piece.

Repertory Orchestra: Conducted by Claudette Laureano (advanced level)

This full orchestra is for the advanced player. A broad mix of unedited literature challenges students as they refine advanced playing techniques in sectionals and full rehearsal. Sight-reading sessions are also included in this orchestra. String seating is rotated each trimester. Brass, woodwind and percussion seating usually rotate from piece to piece.

Philharmonic Orchestra: Conducted by Jim Bartsch (advanced intermediate level)

This full orchestra includes all instruments. Literature is a combination of arranged and unedited works designed to expose students to a diverse selection of orchestral music. Rehearsal include separate sectionals for strings, brass, woodwinds and percussion to work out problems specific to their instrument and explore the musical nuances that enhance the overall orchestration. String seating is rotated each trimester; brass, woodwind and percussion rotate from piece to piece.

String Orchestra: Conducted by Patricia Kelly (intermediate level)

The String Orchestra provides intermediate string players with a comprehensive ensemble experience. The Saturday String rehearsal includes theory and ear-training lessons. Literature is selected to broaden repertoire and learn more advanced techniques of following a conductor. Specific bowing techniques, such as spiccato, martelé, hooked bowings and legato, are included. Orchestral intonation is also covered. Students learn to work through difficult passages specific to their instrument.

MYS has been under the artistic direction of Manny Laureano, Principal Trumpet of the Minnesota Orchestra, and his wife, Claudette Laureano, Director of the Breck School's String Program, since 1988. Previous music/artistic directors have included Ralph Winkler, Ed Forner (former Assistant Conductor with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra and Professor of Music at Macalester College), William McGlaughlin, Dr. Clyn D. Barrus and David Tuburgen. Under Winkler and Forner's initial leadership, MYS grew from a single orchestra to 3 ensembles ranging from beginning students to college-level musicians. Under the Laureanos' leadership, MYS became known nationally as one of the nation's leading youth symphony organizations, adding a summer program and community outreach programs serving over 600 students. Several alumni of the Minnesota Youth Symphonies program hold positions with professional orchestras such as the Cleveland Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra.[1]

In 1972 the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra Society ended its sponsorship of the St. Paul Youth Orchestra. Many of the youth orchestra musicians and their parents were determined to continue the program. They persuaded its music director, Ralph Winkler, to establish a new youth orchestra, the Minnesota Youth Symphony. MYS was established as a place for serious young musicians to learn and be challenged.

The students’ hard work earned them an invitation in 1973 to perform in Romania, making MYS the first American youth orchestra to tour in a communist country. In 1992, the MYS Symphony Orchestra became the first orchestra to ever perform in the Super Bowl’s half-time show when Super Bowl XXVI was played at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis. MYS worked with one of the most distinguished film composers of the 20th century when Elmer Bernstein guest-conducted “The Magnificent Seven” with the MYS Philharmonic Orchestra in 1997. MYS has collaborated with many noted guest artists, conductors and performing groups including Minnesota Orchestra Music Director Osmo Vanska, Butch Thompson, Charles Lazarus, Jorja Fleezanis, Doc Severinsen, Nachito Herrera, The Minnesota Chorale, Bel Canto Chorus, St. Paul City Ballet, Minnesota Boys Choir, and the T.C. Swing Dancers, among many others.

The 2007-2008 season was particularly notable, as it marked the 35th Anniversary of MYS as well as the 20th Anniversary of Co-Artistic Directors Claudette and Manny Laureano. In honor of these events, each of the Minnesota Youth Symphonies’ four orchestras premiered original works by Minnesotan composers. Full orchestral pieces were commissioned from composers Stephen Paulus, Shelley Hanson and MYS alumnus Edward (Teddy) Niedermaier. To select the fourth work, MYS held a composition competition open to MYS students and alumni under the age of 21. Aaron Hirsch, of Sleepy Eye, Minnesota won this contest with his composition for string orchestra.

Since then, MYS has celebrated more than 40 years in existence, as well as the Laureanos continuing in artistic leadership. MYS has continued to collaborate with various artists and organizations from the Twin Cities and beyond. MYS in 2015 was invited to take part in the opening concerts at the newly renovated Ordway Concert Hall. During the renovation of Orchestra Hall for roughly two years, MYS has performed in various venues around the Twin Cities. The four orchestras continue to excel in artistic excellence season after season, and the MYS organization continues to expand in opportunities for youth to grow artistically and to be exposed to the best orchestral music education possible.

References

  1. ↑ MYS Alumni

External links

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