Rhythms is WYSO's monthly electronic newsletter, sent on Tuesday before the first rehearsal of each month. Rhythms is an essential communication link containing important news, updates, volunteer opportunities and the monthly schedule. A paper version of this issue is available at rehearsals! You may also view current and archived issues on our website: wyso.music.wisc.edu/rhythms.html.

Please help keep our e-mail list updated! Inform the WYSO office directly of any address changes. wyso@wyso.music.wisc.edu

WINTERFEST CONCERTS

Looking for a fantastic diversion from the mid-winter blues?? Come celebrate the warm timbres and fabulous sounds of each of the four Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestras.

WYSO's annual Winterfest Concerts will be performed March 8 & 9 in Mills Hall (Humanities Building) on the UW-Madison campus.  Tickets are $8 for adults, and $5 for youth 18 and under. Tickets are sold at the door and are general admission.

Saturday, March 8, 2008

• 11:30 a.m.  Sinfonietta
• 1:30 p.m.    Percussion Ensemble and Concert Orchestra
• 4:00 p.m.    Harp Ensemble and Philharmonia Orchestra

Sunday, March 9, 2008

• 1:00 p.m.    Pre-concert talk with composer Joseph Koykkar
• 2:00 p.m.    Youth Orchestra

Sinfonietta and Concert Orchestra will each perform their first full concert of the season. Sinfonietta will perform works as diverse as "Schottisches," "Ben Franklin Suite," and "Selections from the Wizard of Oz."  Concert Orchestra will perform works by Rossini, Holst and Dukas.  Philharmonia Orchestra, an advanced high school level orchestra, will perform works by von Suppe, Bernstein and Khachaturian.  For a complete repertoire listing, visit the Winterfest Concerts web page.

Sunday's Youth Orchestra concert will feature concerto competition winner Leah Latorraca, performing the first movement of Dvorák's "Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in A minor, Op. 53."  The concert also features the premiere of "Beyond Circumstance," written for WYSO's Youth Orchestra by UW professor Joseph Koykkar.  He will give a pre-concert talk in Morphy Hall.

NOTE: The WIAA State Boy's Basketball Finals will be held at the Kohl Center in Madison on March 8. Please allow some extra time for travel and parking to ensure you arrive on time.  

These concerts are sponsored by Endres Manufacturing Co., Wisconsin Capital Management, Webcrafters-Frautschi Foundation and the Dane County Cultural Affairs Commission with additional funds from the American Girl's Fund for Children, the Madison Community Foundation and the Overture Foundation.  The commission and premiere of "Beyond Circumstance" are funded in part by the Madison Arts Commission with additional funds from the ASCAP Foundation, and Meet the Composer's MetLife Creative Connections program.

MUSICAL NOTES WRAP-UP

WINTERFEST CONCERT REMINDERS

Rehearsal times, call times, and performance times for the Winterfest concerts are listed in the schedule at the end of this newsletter.

NOTE: The WIAA State Boy's Basketball Finals will be held at the Kohl Center in Madison on March 8. Please allow some extra time for travel and parking to ensure you arrive on time. 

ALSO: Daylight Savings Time begins at 2 a.m. on March 9. Youth Orchestra members: Don't forget to "spring forward" your clocks!!

CONCERT DRESS - Please be in concert dress at your call time*.  Members who are not dressed properly will be asked to change or they will not be permitted to play in the concert.

*Call time is the announced time before the performance begins when members of the orchestra warm-up, tune, and possibly rehearse as a full orchestra.  Members go directly from this warm-up to the stage.  Therefore, they must be in concert dress by call time.

Concert Dress for SINFONIETTA, CONCERT ORCHESTRA AND PHILHARMONIA

Girls: Solid white long-sleeved top with conservative neckline, solid black skirt below knees or elegant solid black pants, BLACK hose or socks, black closed-toe shoes with flat bottom or conservative heel.  No sandals or strappy shoes.  No midriff-baring shirts or pants, especially when seated.  No colors or bare legs.  You must wear BLACK hose or socks so there is solid black from your waist to the floor when seated.

Boys: White long-sleeved button-down shirt tucked in, solid black dress pants with black belt, long conservative-colored tie, black socks and black dress shoes.  No athletic shoes, jackets, or brightly colored ties.

Concert Dress for YOUTH ORCHESTRA

Girls: Solid black, long-sleeved top with conservative neckline, solid black skirt below knees (preferred) or elegant black dress pants; OR long-sleeved black dress below the knees.  BLACK hose or socks, black closed-toe shoes with flat bottom or conservative heel.  No sandals or strappy shoes.  No midriff-baring shirts or pants, especially when seated.  No colors or bare legs.  You must wear BLACK hose or socks so there is solid black from your waist to the floor when seated.

Boys: Black or dark navy blue jacket and pants (or suit), white long-sleeved dress shirt, long conservative-colored or patterned tie, black socks and black dress shoes.

TICKETS - Mills Concert Hall doors will open to the public 30 minutes before each concert.  A separate ticket is required for each concert.  Members may attend concerts for free by identifying themselves as an orchestra member at the door.

AFTER THE CONCERT - Members should be picked up after their concert at a pre-arranged meeting place or from their orchestra's assigned room (room numbers are posted on the announcement board downstairs). Members of Youth, Philharmonia and Concert should turn in their music folders in the boxes backstage or in their rehearsal room. Sinfonietta members should turn in their folder at the end of the tour on March 12.  All members will have their folders returned containing the new music on March 15.   

NOTE TO ALL YOUTH ORCHESTRA FAMILIES:  A reminder about the post-concert reception as part of the commission project with Joseph Koykkar. Please bring an item according to your last name for the reception on March 9.

A-F  : Cookies
G-O : Bars/Brownies
P-Z  : Crackers/Cheese

WYSO will provide paper supplies and beverages.

You may drop off your item in Strelow Lounge before the concert.

Thank you!!

CONCERT CDs

CD order forms for the Winterfest Concerts will be available on the announcement table and in the WYSO office beginning March 1, and will be available in the lobby during each concert.  CDs are $15 each and orders are due March 15.  WYSO will only order the number of CDs that have been paid for in advance.  Turn in your order by March 15 so you don't miss your chance to have a copy of your concert performance!

LOCAL COMPETITION FINALISTS

ART OF NOTE 2008

THEY'RE BAAAAAACK!

Those fascinating fiddles of Art of Note will once again be raffled off to raise funds for WYSO programs. Check out the Art of Note violins during the Winterfest Concerts as they'll be on display in the lobby.

And why is this important to you?

Selling raffle tickets for the Art of Note violins gives you another chance to fulfill your $100 fundraising commitment to WYSO if you haven't already.

Also, if you're planning on the China 2009 tour with the Youth Orchestra, you can bank any dollars earned after you sell your first $100 in raffle tickets. In other words, sell three books of tickets at $50 per book or 25 solo tickets for $6 each, you'll have a $50 head start on your tour account!

Plus, for every $50 in Art of Note raffle tickets you sell, you earn a chance to win an iPod Shuffle. Two winners will be drawn during a special student drawing.

Ticket packets will be available from the concert monitors at the Winterfest Concerts and can also be picked up near the message board during rehearsals or at the WYSO office.

Be sure to check out Emily Lutz's violin. She won the student Art of Note painted violin contest, announced in December. A senior from Memorial High School, Emily's design consists of very detailed paintings of birds and can also be viewed on the Art of Note web site.

BUCHHAUSER SCHOLARSHIP COMPETITION

APRIL 12, 2008

Applications Due: Saturday, March 29, 2008

The Thomas Buchhauser Honors Orchestra Scholarship Competition is open to WYSO members who successfully audition into the WSMA State Honors Orchestra and are committed to playing in WYSO during the following season.  The winner will receive a $250 scholarship to attend the Honors Orchestra summer camp. A panel of judges will choose the scholarship recipient based on merit demonstrated during the audition.  Results will be mailed the week following the audition.

Audition Requirements:

 •   10 minutes of a prepared solo
 •   An accompanist is not required, but is recommended

Applications are available on the WYSO announcement table and may be downloaded from the bottom of the Competitions web page. Completed applications are due March 29.

Note: If you apply for this audition and then learn that you have not been accepted into the Honors Orchestra, please call the WYSO office to cancel your audition.

March

1 SAT   Regular rehearsals
            Audition Excerpts available on the Auditions web page

8 SAT   Youth Orchestra: Regular rehearsal
            Winterfest Concerts
            Sinfonietta: Rehearse 10:00-11:00am, Call time 11:20, Perform 11:30.
            Concert: Rehearse 10:00-11:30am, Call time 1:00pm, Perform 1:30.
            Philharmonia: Rehearse 9:30-11:30am, Call time 3:00pm, Perform 4:00.

9 SUN  Winterfest Concert
            Youth Orchestra: Call time 12:15, Perform 2:00

15 SAT  Regular rehearsals
             DUE: Member Application & Fee 2008-2009 Auditions
             DUE: String Intent Form (all strings) & Commitment Fee (if applicable)

22 SAT  NO REHEARSALS - SPRING BREAK

29 SAT  Regular rehearsals
             DUE: Buchhauser Scholarship Applications

April