IN THIS ISSUE

Rhythms is WYSO's monthly electronic newsletter, sent on Tuesday before the first rehearsal of each month. Rhythms is a critical communication link containing important news, updates, volunteer opportunities, and the monthly schedule. You may also view current and archived Rhythms on the WYSO website: http://wyso.music.wisc.edu/Rhythms.html

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

WELCOME BACK TO WYSO!

Welcome to the 2009-2010 season of the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestras. 2009 begins my 25th season as a member of WYSO's conducting staff, I am still amazed by the musical development and technical growth in our four orchestras during the concert season. I know that each orchestra will sound great on the first concert of the year, but by the last concert, the orchestras sound fabulous. The musical growth from concert to concert is quite rewarding to hear.

The history of the symphony orchestra spans more than three hundred years, so when we make music together we become a part of a very distinguished artistic tradition. In addition to the excellent music we'll rehearse and perform during the year, Saturday rehearsals are also a time to make new friends, young musicians from other schools or even other parts of the state. So as we begin the new concert season together, I hope you enjoy your time in our orchestral program and look forward to the weekly rehearsals and seeing your WYSO friends.

Sincerely,

Jim Smith

FIRST REHEARSAL DAY: INFO FOR PARENTS

The first day of WYSO, Saturday, September 12, is full of activities for everyone! Students should arrive between 8:30 and 8:45am for the 9:00am rehearsals. PLEASE ALLOW EXTRA TIME FOR PARKING AS THERE IS AN 11:00 AM BADGER FOOTBALL GAME AT CAMP RANDALL.

Beginning at 8:45am, parents are invited to the Strelow Lounge for coffee and conversation with other parents. All parents should plan to attend the required parent meeting at 9:30am (Returning Parents in room 2650; New Parents in room 1111). The meeting will acquaint new and returning parents with WYSO's activities and expectations for the year ahead and provide a forum for parents to ask questions of WYSO staff and Parent Leaders. Conductors will be available after the meeting to meet with parents.

Members and families are also invited to the Pizza Party in Strelow Lounge (Youth and Philharmonia Orchestra 12:00-12:30pm; Concert Orchestra and Sinfonietta at 12:30-1:00pm.) Parents are encouraged to find the WYSO member roster in their child's music folder after the first rehearsal.

READ THE ANNOUNCEMENTS!

Prompt and thorough communication with families is a priority for WYSO. All members are expected to read and understand the weekly announcements for their orchestra, posted each Saturday on the announcement board near the rehearsal office (room 1336) and on each orchestra's rehearsal room door.

Beginning on Friday afternoons, parents and members may view the announcements for the upcoming week on the Member's Area of the WYSO website. Important fliers and forms may be available for download and will be available for pick-up from the tables by the announcement board. Parents are encouraged to check their child's music folder regularly for fliers or forms picked up at rehearsal. Many valuable opportunities available to WYSO members, from scholarships to master classes will be presented through these announcements.

CONDUCTOR HEARINGS

What is a Conductor Hearing? Mr. Smith (Youth Orchestra), Mr. Buchhauser (Philharmonia Orchestra), and Mrs. Eckel (Concert Orchestra) hold "conductor hearings" every fall for string players who would like to be heard individually by their conductor. The hearing is not mandatory, but an opportunity for string players to display leadership skills as well as musicality and technique. Required excerpts always come from the music currently being rehearsed. A list of excerpts will be distributed on the first rehearsal day. Hearings take place after rehearsal on the dates listed below. Sign-up sheets will be posted on rehearsal room doors, or members may e-mail Joe (jbernstein@wyso.music.wisc.edu) to be assigned a time. Sign up will end one week before each hearing date.

Youth Orchestra Conductor Hearings
September 19 Youth Viola/Cello/Bass
September 26 Youth Violin 1 & 2

Philharmonia Orchestra Conductor Hearings
September 26 Philharmonia Violin 1
October 3 Philharmonia Violin 2/ Bass
October 10 Philharmonia Viola/Cello

Concert Orchestra Conductor Hearings
(Concert violins do not participate in conductor's hearings.)
September 26 Concert Viola/Bass
October 3 Concert Cello

CHAMBER MUSIC PROGRAM

Hello WYSO Musicians and Parents,

I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself. My name is Karl Lavine and I am the Director of the Chamber Music Program for the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestras.

The WYSO Chamber Music Program is optional and provides musicians of all four orchestras the chance to work with their peers in small ensembles without a conductor. The Program offers a variety of experiences, including working with coaches and performing in semester recitals, as well as opportunities to be ambassadors for WYSO in the community at large.

Students can form groups with other fellow musicians that they have known and have worked with before or they can be placed in groups by the Program Director.

The WYSO Chamber Music Program has been in existence now for several years and has developed into an important component of what WYSO offers to the community. The benefit of working and performing in the smaller ensembles has a direct effect on the experience of playing in a full orchestra.

One important element of playing in a small ensemble is developing the skills to rehearse, refine, and verbalize musical ideas with other musicians. Communication as musicians is essential in chamber music. It is also imperative for the success of the program and for your benefit to exercise good communication with your peers, coaches and parents with regards to scheduling rehearsals and coachings.

Over the next few weeks I will be working with the coaches to establish a system of communication between the students, coaches, parents and myself. As anyone who plays an instrument knows, consistent productive practice is the key to success. Regular rehearsals and coaching along with timely communication between the musicians, coaches, parents, and the Director are essential for the Program to be a success.

WYSO's Chamber Music Program is open to all WYSO musicians. Applications, mailed in August, are due September 19 and rehearsals begin October 3. The $175 program fee includes regular coachings with a professional teacher and at least two performances during the season. To learn more about the Chamber Music Program and to download an application, click here.

For more information regarding the Chamber Music Program, look on the WYSO website (wyso.music.wisc.edu) or feel free to email me (karllavine@gmail.com) or call me at 239-4131.

I look forward to meeting you all at the first rehearsal on Sept. 12. I will be speaking directly to all of the orchestras and will be available to answer any questions then as well.

Looking forward to working with all of you.

Karl Lavine
Chamber Music Program Director

MEMBER OPPORTUNITIES

WANTED: Electric Guitarist, Keyboardist & Celtic Dancers to Collaborate with the WYSO Percussion Ensemble

REQUIREMENTS:

GUITARIST

• Perform Bela Fleck's "Sunset Road" with WYSO Percussion Ensemble @ "Art of Note" fundraiser on Friday, November 13th @ First Unitarian Society. Gala begins @ 5:30-Actual Setup & Performance Time TBA
• Rehearsals for above gig--TWO Saturday mornings in October (WYSO PE rehearses between 7:45-9:30am--specific time TBA)
• Also Perform 'Sunset Road' @ WYSO Percussion EXTRAVAGANZA on Saturday, Feb. 20th @ 1:30pm PLUS Dragonforce's 'Through the Fire and Flames'. Rehearsals for Dragonforce Saturdays February 6, 13 & 20. Exact time TBA.

KEYBOARDIST

• Perform Dragonforce's "Through the Fire and Flames" @ WYSO Percussion EXTRAVAGANZA on Saturday, February 20th, 1:30pm Probable rehearsals on Saturdays, February 6, 13 & 20. WYSO PE rehearses between 7:45-9:30 a.m. Specific rehearsal slot TBA.

IRISH/CELTIC DANCERS

• THREE dancers featured in WYSO Percussion EXTRAVAGANZA...Saturday, February 20th @ 1:30...Probable rehearsals Feb. 6, 13 & 20. Music to be provided....arrangement "in the works".

CONTACT MRS. JENKS @ drumcats@centurytel.net or call (920) 622-3152 or (608) 577-9507

PARENT VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

As the season gets underway, WYSO will need those helpful hands again! Upcoming projects are listed in this section and parents are encouraged to volunteer on available dates. If spots haven't been filled voluntarily, Nicole Sparacino, Communications Manager will email/call looking for more volunteers based on information provided on the Parent Volunteer Form.

CAN YOU HELP?

** Rehearsal Volunteers: Philharmonia Attendance takers needed for September 19 and September 26 rehearsals.
**Saturday office work: September 19. A few parents needed to fold teacher newsletters during rehearsals.

Contact the Nicole in the WYSO office at nsparacino@wyso.music.wisc.edu.

WYSO PARENTS: MAKE YOUR OWN MUSIC!

Music Classes for Adults – Fall 2009

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Division of Continuing Studies

The University of Wisconsin-Madison offers music skills and enrichment classes designed especially for adult learners. The classes are non-credit offerings (so registration is very easy); participants completing the courses receive Continuing Education Units (CEU) at no extra charge. Here is a list of our Fall 2009 music classes for adults:

Great Composer Series: Purcell, Haydn, Puccini, Gershwin (with Steve Kurr)

Operas in Madison, 2009-10 (with John W. Barker)

Piano for Adults: Beginning & Continuing Classes (with Jonathan Kuskoski)

Guitar Classes for Adults – Beginning, Basic Blues, Jazz and Swing, Country Flatpick (with Christopher Powers)

String Ensemble and Skills for Adults: Beginning/elementary & Continuing/intermediate (with Nancy Dunn Kurr)
Harp: Beginning with the Lever Harp (with Mary Ann Harr)

Vocal Venture: Getting the Most Out of Your Voice (with Maggie Delaney-Pothoff)

Guitar Literature Survey: The Music of Spain (with Christopher Cramer)

Singing Rounds and Canons (with Chiwei [Jerry] Hui)

Early Music Collegium Musicum (with Edith Hines)

The Broadway Musical (with Leslie Esser-Reitano)

Fiddle Styles of the American Southeast (with Brian O’Donnell)

Improvisation? Fear not! (with Sims Delaney-Pothoff)

Irish Bodhran: Beginning & Continuing Classes (with Peter Cloonan)

Irish Session Tunes (with Chelcy Bowles, Karen Fox Fischer, & Craig Heilman)

Positively Polka! (with Bill Niederberger & Gil Voss)

Banjo – Clawhammer (with John Fabke)

Rock and Roll History (with Susan Masino)

Singing in the Studio (with Maggie Delaney-Pothoff & Philip Ryan)

Studio Recording and Production for the Beginning Engineer, Producer, or Artist (with Randy Green)

Ukelele: Beginning (with Sims Delaney-Pothoff)

We also offer voice, guitar, percussion, and songwriting classes taught entirely in Spanish.

For a complete descriptions of our Fall 2009 class offerings, call 263-6670 to receive a catalog or check out the website: http://www.dcs.wisc.edu/classes/music.htm. Register online or call 262-2451.

Regular Rehearsal Times (beginning September 19):
Youth Orchestra (YO) 9:00am - 12:00pm
Philharmonia (Phil) 9:30am - 12:30pm
Concert Orchestra (CO) 10:00am - 12:30pm
Sinfonietta (Sinf) 10:30am – 1:00pm
YO Brass Choir 7:45am - 8:30am
Phil Brass Choir 8:30am - 9:10am
CO Brass Choir 9:10am - 9:50am
Percussion Ensemble 7:30am - 9:30am

ALL ORCHESTRAS

September
12 SAT FIRST REHEARSAL/RETREAT
8:45am - 9:30am Parent Coffee & Conversation
9:30am – 10:45am Parent Meeting (required)
9:00am - 12:00pm YO & Phil Rehearsal
9:00am – 12:30pm CO & Sinf Retreat & Rehearsal (continuing @ 1pm)
12:00pm YO & Phil Pizza Party
12:30pm CO & Sinf Pizza Party
1:00pm- 2:00pm CO & Sinf Rehearsal

19 SAT Regular Rehearsals
Percussion Ensemble begins (see times above)
Brass Choirs begin (see times above)
Conductor's Hearings – YO Viola/Cello/Bass
DUE: Half-price ticket orders
DUE: Chamber Music Application/Fee

26 SAT Regular Rehearsals
Conductor’s Hearings- YO Violin 1 & 2, Phil Violin 1, CO Viola/Bass


------------------------------------
BRASS CHOIRS
September
12 SAT NO REHEARSAL
19 SAT Regular Rehearsals
26 SAT Regular Rehearsals
October
3 SAT Regular Rehearsals

------------------------------------
PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE
September
12 SAT NO REHEARSAL
19 SAT Regular Rehearsal
26 SAT Regular Rehearsal
October
3 SAT Regular Rehearsal

-----------------------------------
CHAMBER MUSIC ENSEMBLES
September
12 SAT No coachings
19 SAT No coachings, applications and fee due!
26 SAT No coachings
October
3 SAT Coachings as scheduled