Minnesota Youth Symphonies

Minnesota Youth Symphonies, commonly referred to as MYS, was founded in 1972 by Ralph Winkler. The program has four orchestras composed of students from elementary level through high school,^[1] with participation's based on an annual audition. MYS, led by co-artistic directors Manny and Claudette Laureano since 1988, performs at Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis, as well as other locations, and hosts workshops and classes.

The orchestras

STRING ORCHESTRA = this orchestra is for the intermediate playing level (violin, viola, cello, bass) 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.

PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA = this orchestra (strings, woodwinds, brass, percussion) is for the advanced-intermediate playing level. 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. (Badelt/Rickett) Pirates of the Caribbean; (Bizet) 'Carmen Suite No. 1 & No. 2; (Elgar) Pomp & Circumstance No. 1 & 4; (Gershwin/Sayre) Selections from Porgy & Bess; Offenbach: Orpheus in the Underworld; (Rimsky-Korsakov) Dance of the Tumblers from “The Snow Maiden”,“Procession of the Nobles: from Mlada; Sibelius: Finlandia; Stravinsky/Isaac: Dance Infernale and Berceuse & Finale; Strauss, J.: Radetzky March; Verdi: “Anvil Chorus” from Il Travatore; (Webber) Selections from “The Phantom of the Opera”; (Williams) Dry Your Tears, Afrika from “Amistad”

REPERTORY ORCHESTRA = this orchestra (strings, woodwinds, brass, percussion) is for the advanced playing level. 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. Repertory Orchestra repertoire includes: (Bernstein) Overture to Candide; (Brahms) Academic Festival Overture; Copland: Outdoor Overture & Rodeo; (Dvorák) Symphony No. 9, Symphony No 8, Slavonic Dance Opus 46; (Rossini) Overture to William Tell, Overture to Il barbiere di Siviglia; (Saint-Saëns) Symphony No. 3 Organ Symphony, Samson et Dalila; (Schostakovich) Symphony No. 5, The Gadfly Suite; (Tchaikovsky) Symphony No. 4 & 5, Swan Lake, Marche Slave; (Wagner) Prelude to Die Meistersinger, Rienzi Overture; (John Williams) “Hymn to the Fallen” from Saving Private Ryan and Star Wars; (Zequinha de Abreu) Tico Tico

SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA = this orchestra (strings, woodwinds, brass, percussion) is for the collegiate playing 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. A few highlights of pieces include: (Mahler) Symphony No 3, Symphony No 2; Rachmaninoff Symphony No. 2; (Rimsky-Korsokov) Scheherazade; Stravinsky Rite of Spring; Holst The Planets

Participation is based on an audition in which the prospective student must perform an appropriate solo, orchestral excerpt, scales and arpeggios, and must sight-read. Placement is based solely on audition results, rather than age.

The orchestras perform three major concerts in the Twin Cities area, primarily at Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis. There are also other performance opportunities throughout the year. Every fall the orchestras host the Symphony Solo Competition; the winners of the competition perform at the Symphony Orchestra's spring concert.^[2]

In addition to performances, MYS hosts workshops and classes, and an annual summer music program, that usually consists of a chamber string workshop and a composition workshop. The MYS Symphony Orchestra has historically, recently, and will continue to tour internationally. The most recent trip was to Cuba in the summer of 2017

Directors

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.^[1] 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), Bill McGlaughlin, Clyn D. Barrus and David Tuburgen. Under Winkler and Forner's initial leadership, MYS grew from a single orchestra to three ensembles ranging from beginning students to college-level musicians. Under Barrus' leadership, MYS grew to four orchestras and over 400 students. 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.

Alumni

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 Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra.

MYS

In 1972, the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra Society ended its sponsorship of the St. Paul Youth Orchestra, and Ralph Winkler established a new youth orchestra, the Minnesota Youth Symphony.

MYS toured Romania in 1973, becoming the first American youth orchestra to tour in a communist country. In 1992, the MYS Symphony Orchestra became the first orchestra to perform in the Super Bowl's half-time show, when Super Bowl XXVI was played at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis.^[1] 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 Vänskä, Butch Thompson, Charles Lazarus, Jorja Fleezanis, Bel Canto Chorus, St. Paul City Ballet, Minnesota Boys Choir, Ignacio "Nachito" Herrera, Doc Severinsen and the T.C. Swing Dancers.^[1] In the winter of 2007, MYS Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of Manny Laureano, performed Stravinsky's Rite of Spring in concert at Orchestra Hall, which was a first for MYS.

The 2007/08 season marked the 35th anniversary of MYS as well as the 20th anniversary of co-artistic directors Claudette and Manny Laureano. In honour 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.^[3]

In 2015, MYS was invited to take part in the opening concerts at the newly renovated Ordway Center for the Performing Arts. During the two-year renovation of Orchestra Hall, MYS performed in various venues around the Twin Cities, such as churches and concert halls.

In 2017, the MYS Symphony Orchestra toured the Cuba, on the heels of the Minnesota Orchestra's historic tour.

References

External links

• Official website