Memphis Youth Symphony


[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ TubeNet BBS ] [ FAQ ]

Posted by js on November 17, 2003 at 00:48:05:

OK, politically/socially there is very little that is "right" with Memphis, Tennessee.

Just like many other cities (it is my understanding), our politicians (if not actually caught red-handed committing crimes) are in the vast majority clearly un-caught criminals. Our taxes have tripled/quadrupled, etc. There is no public education system, and there is so much crime that there really is no sense here of "civilization".

HOWEVER


The Memphis Youth Symphony (high school students only) is a truly extraordinarily fine youth orchestra... a gleaming diamond sitting right in the middle of a vast ocean of rat dung...
_____________________
Today's concert was (admittedly) the first I've heard this ensemble in at least seven years. My oldest child left Memphis for Interlochen Academy in the 12th grade, and my next oldest (six years younger) didn't get in the ensemble until (this year) her senior year in high school.

The extraordinary difference between when I played in this group in the 1970's / when David Graves (now teaching at Baylor) played in it in the 1980's / and when my oldest child played in this group in the 1990's...and...NOW... is STRINGS, and WHAT FINE STRINGS they do FINALLY indeed have in this youth orchestra in the 21st century!!!

I have to admit (before I heard this orchestra play) that I thought they were being a bit presumptuous playing downtown in the "big hall" and charging 10 bucks for tickets (when in past years they performed in a very decent high school auditorium, gave parents two tickets, and charged others 5 bucks), but this orchestra was absolutely deserving of the venue and the ticket price.

No "lightweight" program here either:

Cuban Overture - Gershwin
Finlandia - Sibelius
Aria - Medins
Espana - Chabrier
----
Symphony #1 - Kalinnikov

...all sorts of "bare neked" spots in all of these pieces that all sections "could have" stepped in, but did not...and mature (in some cases almost conservatory level) solo playing in all sections.

Of particular note was one (estimated) 90-lb. blonde-headed 11th grade trumpet player by the name of Julia Thomas...knockin' 'em out of the park all night long!...and with a sound many aspiring young orchestral musicians could only hope for... WOW!!!! If she decides that trumpet is her "thing", I'll give her seven to ten years to become the next "Alan Baer" of the trumpet.

Thanks for allowing me to express my pleasure with an asset (the Memphis Youth Symphony - now a REAL ORCHESTRA) I simply was not aware existed in this city, and...
_________________________
Has this same phenomenom occurred in other cities...(FINALLY SOME STRINGS THAT CAN REALLY PLAY)? Needless to say, this concert really made my day.




Follow Ups: