Maple Valley Youth Symphony Orchestra’s Philharmonia completes first solo performance

The Maple Valley Youth Symphony Orchestra’s Philharmonia has completed its first solo performance. The concert was May 22 at Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church. Philharmonia is MVYSO’s intermediate orchestra group designed to provide instruction and training for intermediate musicians preparing them to play in more advanced groups.

June 6, 2010 7:05 pm
The Maple Valley Youth Symphony Orchestra’s Philharmonia completed its first solo performance May 22.
The Maple Valley Youth Symphony Orchestra’s Philharmonia completed its first solo performance May 22.

The Maple Valley Youth Symphony Orchestra’s Philharmonia has completed its first solo performance. The concert was May 22 at Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church. Philharmonia is MVYSO’s intermediate orchestra group designed to provide instruction and training for intermediate musicians preparing them to play in more advanced groups.

The philharmonia orchestra began in the fall of 2008 as a feeder program for MVYSO’s more advanced orchestra. Until this year, the focus has been on providing them with the extra time and training to prepare to play with the symphony orchestra.

“We wanted to give them something to work for on their own and a chance to perform on their own this year,” April Whyte said, MVYSO’s conductor. Earlier this season, Philharmonia students played along with symphony students for holiday performances and to play the national anthems at a Thunderbirds hockey game. In addition to music preparation, philharmonia students have participated music theory as part of their rehearsal time.

“I am so excited that these kids are getting it and are able to compose simple pieces of music on their own,” Whyte said.

The philharmonia orchestra’s performance included, “Dance of the Tumblers” by Rimsky-Korsakov, “Finale from Surprise Symphony” by Haydn and “Medieval Legend” by Michael Story.

“They did great. I am so proud of them because I know how hard they’ve worked on this,” Danny Shin said, MVYSO’s president. For the rest of the season, the students will be working on music to play along with the symphony orchestra for opening day of Maple Valley’s Farmer’s Market and for MVYSO’s performance at Maple Valley’s Fourth of July fireworks celebration.

Maple Valley Youth Symphony Orchestra, which began in the fall of 2007 with only eight students, now boasts three orchestra programs with close to 70 students involved in the programs on a weekly basis. They will also be hosting a Summer Camp Program August 16-20 at the low cost of only $10. For more information about MVYSO’s Beginning Strings Program, Philharmonia Orchestra, Symphony Orchestra, or Summer Camp Program, visit www.mvyso.org or call 425-358-1640.