Final Concert of 2007-2008 Season on May 18! Interlake High School Performance Center. 3:30 and 7:00 p.m. C. Keith Birkenfeld Composition Winners.
BYSO Summer Music Camps,
Session One-July 14-18; ages 7-13, all orchestra instruments need.
Session Two-July 21-25, ages 14-20, Recording Project with composer/conductor Hummie Mann of Pacific Northwest Film Scoring Institute.
Click on our "Summer" page for information about tuition, activities, themes, and location.
Press Release: May 9, 2008
Bellevue Youth Symphony Orchestras team up with Music Works Northwest to train percussionists.
Two of the oldest music education organizations on the eastside have begun what should be a very compelling partnership. The Bellevue Youth Symphony Orchestra (BYSO) and Music Works Northwest (MWNW) are teaming up to create a percussion ensemble program to train young percussionists. The program will be administered through the BYSO orchestra programs. Rehearsals will be held at Music Works. Students who participate will perform on traditional percussion instruments, Marimba, hand drums under the direction of Scott Ketron, Artistic Director at Music Works.
Ruth Brewster, Executive Director of the BYSO had the idea is to create a program that would attract more percussionists into the orchestras and build well rounded percussionists who will be able to play the more than 25 different percussion instruments that are often called for in orchestral music. In addition to the orchestral training, students will form a percussion ensemble where they will be able to explore literature that incorporates not only fundamental classical techniques and styles but music and instruments from around the world. The percussionists will become better readers and musicians as a result.
“This is a healthy model where two musical organizations are using their strengths to create a stronger program then they could do by themselves. The students really win in this case,” says Ketron who is clearly excited about this relationship. The Bellevue Youth Symphony Orchestra has been running ensembles since 1964 and Music Works charter dates back to 1966. Music Works has a large base of private students who eventually need to play in an ensemble to move forward. There are well established percussion studios as well as some great equipment for students to learn on.
For information about the new program or to contribute to support this exciting new program please visit www.byso.org. You will also find information posted at www.musicworksnw.org. Both organizations are 501 (3) (c) nonprofit organizations. All donations are tax deductable.
