Each week the WCYO conductors, under the leadership of Music Director Eric Mahl, are providing on-line virtual rehearsals and video tutorials for our Symphony Orchestra, String Ensemble and Wind Ensemble. Students are asked to rehearse at home to a full ensemble recording then perform with their peers led by soloists in the on-line gatherings with their conductor. “We were all so happy to see the musicians again in our first virtual gathering,” said Executive Director, Ruth Feldman, “and we are learning how to navigate the technology, finding our way as an ensemble to keep making music together and enjoy the camaraderie that a youth orchestra like the WCYO offers.”
The program will continue to evolve over these next weeks with the addition of on-line conductors’ hours, similar to office-hours, for questions and sectional-based musical exploration. Assuming the continuation of current gathering restrictions, the season will conclude with a compilation of individual performances into a virtual ensemble video recording of select movements from Symphony No. 2 by Alexander Borodin for the Symphony Orchestra, Capriol Suite for Strings by Peter Warlock for the String Ensemble, and Second Suite in F by Gustov Holst for the Wind Ensemble and virtually viewed on what would have been the WCYO spring concert day, May 31st.
WCYO is based in Ridgefield, CT and serves youth musicians from over 20 area towns and offers concerts, music workshops and masterclasses for adults and youth through CIMF. To learn more about the WCYO or CIMF, please visit our websites at wctyo.org and charlesivesmusicfestival.org or email us at wcyo@wctyo.org.