Early this month, we caught up with the 2013 MSYO Concerto Competition winners, Jonathan Altman & Yunah Kim to get their perspectives on the audition process for the competition. Jonathan Altman, 12 year old violinist from Ustach Middle School, won the Community Division title and Yunah Kim, 14 year old violinist from Modesto High School, won the MSYO Division title. Congratulations to the two of you from the Modesto Symphony Orchestra!

Jonathan Altman: 

Q: Where did you audition? What piece did you play for the audition? A: We auditioned at the Stanislaus State University during the live audition round. This year I played the first movement of the Concerto No. 1 in G minor by Max Bruch. 

Q: Have you auditioned in the past? A: Last year I tried out as an MSYO member, but this year I am playing with YPSO (Young People's Symphony Orchestra of Berkeley), so I applied as a community member. 

Q: What are your plans for the future (i.e. college etc)? A: I want to study music in college. I don't know where I will go yet, or if I will study music only or double major. At this point, I don't even know where I will go for high school. I need time to work on my music so I may not got to regular high school. 

Q: Do you think this process will impact how you will audition in the future? What did you learn from it? A: Evert audition I do makes me a little smarter about the process. Everybody gets nervous with auditions, but it gets better the more you do it. Live auditions are always the hardest, especially when you're trying for a new position or group. Winning this concerto competition is really cool because it is my first opportunity to play with a live orchestra. Usually kids my age only get to play with piano accompaniment or in small groups, so I feel lucky to be able to do this. 

Q: Do you play other instruments other than violin? A: Although my primary instrument is violin, I also love playing French horn and trombone in my school bands, and I also sometimes play viola in chamber groups. I love classical music, but I also really enjoy playing folk music such as Irish and Scottish fiddle, American Old Time music, Bluegrass and Klezmer. 

Yunah Kim: 

Q: Where did you audition? What piece did you play for the audition? A: I auditioned for the Concerto Competition at Snyder Hall and played the Concerto in A Minor by Accolay. I am one of two students that auditioned.

 Q: Have you auditioned in the past? A: I had watched previous students audition and perform the competition, so I decided to try out for the first time, with hopes of getting some constructive input, never actually thinking I would make the cut.

 Q: What are your plans for the future (i.e. college etc)? A: After I graduate from Modesto High School in 2016, I hopefully will go on to major in medicine and minor in music.

 Q: Do you think this process will impact how you will audition in the future? What did you learn from it? A: I know that this process will impact my future musical career because I can become a stronger performer and improve my skills. I’m so grateful to MSYO for giving me this amazing opportunity to further my musical abilities and learn from this unique experience.

The Modesto Symphony Orchestra will be hosting a special thank you party for our Major Donors at the residence of Anne and Supervisor Jim DeMartini. This will be a fun event that let's donors wander back through the years and tour the 9,000 sq. ft classic automobile warehouse that also includes a 1950's diner and two 1910's theme rooms. 

Guests will dine on delectables and fine wine, mingle through the classic cars and go on a private tour. 

If you are an individual Conductor's Circle donor of $2,500 and above, look for your invitation in the mail. If you would like to be invited to attend this exclusive event, please contact Victoria Krippner, MSO Director of Development, at 209.523.4156 ext. 107 to make your tax-deductible contribution of $2,500 or more!

The Modesto Symphony Orchestra is pleased to announce a few changes in our development program. Here you will find a list of the updated benefits of becoming a member of the MSO. If you would like further information regarding contributions or membership in general, please feel free to contact our Director of Development, Victoria Krippner, at (209) 523-4156 or vkrippner@modestosymphony.org

The Modesto Symphony Youth Orchestra (MSYO) presents its season finale concert on Saturday, May 11, 2013 at 3:00pm at the Gallo Center for the Arts. This concert will feature the MSYO 2012-2013 Concerto Competition winners, 14 year-old violinist Yunah Kim from Modesto High School was the MSYO Division winner and 12 year-old violinst Jonathon Altman from Ustach Middle School who was the Community Division winner. 

The MSYO is currently in its 36th successful season serving nearly 100 member musicians and their families from over forty public and private schools in the Central Valley. Led by MSYO Music Director and the MSO Associate Conductor Ming Luke, the MSYO attracts outstanding musicians from area schools and allows them the opportunity to share their gift of music in an inspiring and challenging orchestral setting among their peers from all social, economic, cultural and geographical background. As a program within the Modesto Symphony Orchestra Association, MSYO members enjoy musical interactions with MSO musicians as well as guest artists and guest conductors through coaching, master classes, rehearsals and concerts. 

The MSYO consists of three ensembles: 1) The Concert Orchestra is a prepatory strings only ensemble; 2) The Wind Ensemble is a beginner to intermediate woodwind, brass and percussion ensemble; and 3) The Concert Orchestra includes a full complement of intermediate to advanced string, woodwind, brass and percussion players. All three ensembles are formed through skill based auditions. 

The MSYO Concerto competition is open to performers of all orchestral instruments, piano, guitar, saxophone, and voice under the age of 22 on May 11, 2013. There are two divisions for the competition: (1) Current MSYO members and (2) members of the community and surrounding regions. The Community Division is open to residents of Stanislaus, San Joaquin, and Merced counties. All candidates submitted a recorded audition CD and then finalists were advanced to the live audition round. 

WHO: Modesto Symphony Youth Orchestra

        Concert Orchestra - Anne Martin, conductor

        Wind Ensemble - Katye Leonard, conductor

        Symphony Orchestra - Ming Luke, conductor

WHEN: Saturday, May 11, 2013 at 3:00pm

           Gallo Center for the Arts, Modesto

PROGRAM: 

          Concert Orchestra

           Swallowtail Jig / Traditional

           An Elizabethan Madrigal / Morley arr. Monday

           Phantom of the Opera / Webber arr. Moore

           Song for My Father / Silver arr. Bratt

                     Odalys Caro, piano soloist

           Combined Concert Orchestra and Wind Ensemble

           Anvil Chorus / Verdi arr. Dackow

           Wind Ensemble

           Cajun Folk Songs / Frank Ticheli

           You Can't Stop the Beat (from "Hairspray") / arr. Ted Ricketts

           Symphony Orchestra

           Violin Concerto No. 1 in A / J.B. Accolay

                    Yunah Kim, violin

           Violin Concerto in G minor, Op. 26 / Max Bruch

                    Jonathon Altman, violin

           L'Arlesienne Suite No. 1 / Bizet

           L'Arlesienne Suite No. 2 / Bizet

TICKETS: General Seating Tickets $10 Adults and $5 Youth. Tickets are available through the Gallo Center for the Arts Ticket Office at (209) 338-2100, Monday through Friday 10-6pm and Saturdays 12-6pm or at www.modestosymphony.org

The Modesto Symphony Youth Orchestra is grateful to the many individual donors who help make this program possible. 

"I'm so excited to be a part of this amazing Modesto cultural institution!! I look forward to meeting everyone!" - Victoria Sutton Krippner

Join us as we welcome our newest MSO team member!

The IRA Charitable Rollover Is Back for 2013!

Extended through 2013, the provision allows for tax-free distributions from IRAs that are rolled directly to a charity. (The legislation also makes provision for rollovers made in January 2013, to allow them to be claimed for the 2012 tax year, and for distributions taken in December 2012 to allow them to be contributed to a charity in January 2013, and count for the 2012 tax year.)

The charitable IRA rollover legislation allows you to transfer lifetime gifts up to $100,000 using funds from your individual retirement account (IRA) without undesirable tax effects.

You may contribute funds this way if:

• You are age 70 1/2 or older at the time of the gift.
• You made a gift of any amount up to $100,000 in 2012 or make a gift before Feb. 1, 2013, which may count retroactively for 2012.
• You make a gift of any amount up to $100,000 on or before Dec. 31, 2012, to qualify for 2013.
• You transfer funds directly from an IRA.
• You transfer the gifts outright to one or more qualified charities, - but not to supporting organizations, or for gift annuities, charitable trusts, donor advised funds or any gift from which you receive a personal benefit.

Recently we had the honor to interview Assistant Conductor, Ming Luke, for our upcoming Holiday Candlelight Concert on Tuesday, December 18th @ 8pm. Join us as we celebrate the season with a traditional holiday classic. 

If you were to describe the Holiday Candlelight Concert, how would you do so?

ML: Holiday Candlelight Concert is a perfect opportunity to step away from the holiday madness and indulge in the peacefulness of beloved holiday music with the Modesto Symphony.  

How would you define the style of music that will be performed?

ML: Traditional and beloved holiday music and carols.  

What is your favorite part of this specific concert? 

ML: The Modesto Symphony performs the Holiday Candlelight Concert not in a concert hall, but a large open church that allows the music to reverberate and create an extra ambiance for the community.  Unlike traditional concerts, we make most of the space with candles throughout the space; the chorus processes and recesses; and the performing forces (bell choir, children's chorus, adult chorus, and orchestra) all perform from slightly different places, for a more unique experience.  

What makes this concert special in comparison to some of the other concerts (i.e. Holiday Pops etc)?

ML: While Holiday Pops contains the excitement and bustle of the holiday season, the Holiday Candlelight Concert is more about community and reflection.  The Classical concerts can be about the virtuosity of the players and the music, the power of the full orchestra, and the wide emotive range of the music.  The repertoire for HCC is some of our favorite holiday music, its music that we've heard dozens of times and love because of not only its beauty, but because it has extra meaning from all the times and situations where we've heard them before.  As a result, these pieces gain meaning each time we hear it, and this concert is about reflecting about the holidays, family, and community.  

At the end of this wonderful year, don’t forget to include the Modesto Symphony on your Christmas list.  Our community is so very fortunate to have such a high-quality, culturally exquisite orchestra pleasing the sense of sound of concert goers.  The Modesto Symphony Orchestra helps make our community complete & your continuing support plays an important role in maintaining our world-class status.  

There are many facets for giving to the symphony this year, click here for further information.

New York City, Reno & Europe were some of the locations select members of our symphony chorus and youth company ventured to this past spring and summer.  Join us as our tour guides take us on location…

The Modesto Symphony Youth Orchestra ventured to Europe for a summer tour that would greatly influence our artists. Combined with the Napa Valley Youth Symphony, MSYO toured to Salzburg, Vienna & Prague.  An estimated seventy orchestra members along with sixty parent & family members took the overnight flight from San Francisco to Munich on June 20th.  The first of three concerts began in Salzburg.  The orchestra performed at the Tribune Concert Hall with Mendellsohn’s Symphony, Mahler’s Songs of a Wayfare and An American in Paris by George Gershwin.  The second performance was in Vienna at the Kulturhaus Rabenstein and the last concert was at St. Saviour’s Church in Prague.  In between the three concerts, the musicians and their families were able to tour the various locations.  After arriving at Salzburg, they were able to take a walking tour eventually venturing to the Mirabell gardens (where the Sound of Music was filmed).  The students visited Mozart’s birthplace, then travelled to Melk before their stop in Vienna.  During the second concert, MSYO and NVYS were greeted by the major of Vienna.  On a special side-note, the 2nd violinist of the Vienna Philharmonic was an avid fan of a particular Napa Valley wine, and one of the musicians from Napa was related to the winery owners, so the entire group was able to see an exclusive dress rehearsal of the Vienna State Ballet (an honor few can say they’ve experienced). The symphony’s last stop was in the Czech Republic in Prague.  Here the symphony performed their final concert, receiving high accolades from the audience and performing a personal best. 

Adam Lundell & Olivia Monroe were two of the participants in the 2012 Summer Tour for the Modesto Symphony Youth Orchestra.  Monroe mentioned, “[her] favorite part of the trip was performing in the different venues” on location.  Each concert was a learning experience for the young musicians. The students quickly became more fluent with the rhythm and counting of each individual piece as well as developed a newfound appreciation of the orchestrations. Monroe also revealed, “[she] did not realize how much the Europeans valued classical music…music is truly a universal language for communication amongst individuals”.  The audience sizes varied between 100 – 400 people giving the musicians an educational experience they will never forget.

Adam Lundell, a senior from Hughson High School, stated his favorite part of the experience was the “incredible scenery and the vast beauty of the Austrian Mountains; the Austrian countryside is absolutely breathtaking and those of us that live in America rarely get the chance to experience something so incredible!” Lundell also mentioned the trip to Musikverein, the concert hall in Vienna, was enchanting with boastful acoustics.  While admiring the mesmerizing countryside, Lundell said the musicians learned quite a bit about touring an international venue. “Art, music and dance are so profoundly important in some of the European cultures; the European culture preserves classical arts and the importance of its history” Lundell stated. As far as advice for future MSYO members, Lundell mentioned to “simply explore and experience all that you can [as well as] try your best to be as understanding and culturally-aware as possible”. 

What an experience?!

On another note, Marissa Louise Meredith, a MSO Chorus member, was one of the chorus women that were able to perform in Reno, Nevada back in March of this past season.  The members of the MSO Chorus performed at the Pioneer Center for the Arts on Saturday, March 3rd.  After auditioning for the ACDA Women’s Honor Choir, Meredith was one of the select few chosen to perform.  The chorus performed numerous pieces including Roueche’s Lux Aeterna, Schumann’s Widmung, Sample’s Cancion de los Tsachilas, concluding in a collaborative performance of Wilberg’s Anthem of Peace.

After the performance was over, Meredith and her colleagues participated in a short tour of the Circus Circus Hotel as well as attended a concert of choral music at the Pioneer Center for the Arts.  Meredith was extremely happy with the overall experience (this being her first choral out-of-town event) and would be more than willing to participate in the future. Meredith stated, “I am so thankful for Polly Vasche and Mary Purdy” both Honor Choir directors, “for all their hard work and encouragement”. 

 Where would you like to see the MSYO and/or MSO Chorus venture to next summer?