The Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra (ASYO) has long prided itself on being a vibrant part of the cultural fabric of the Atlanta community; but in reality, the reach of the Youth Orchestra extends far beyond Atlanta’s music scene.
Every year, more than 400 middle and high school instrumentalists spend countless hours preparing to audition for approximately 120 positions in the Youth Orchestra. But why?
Former Atlanta Symphony Principal Trumpet Chris Martin, now principal trumpet of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, only played with the Youth Orchestra for one year, but he recognizes the tremendous value of the program for young musicians.
“The ASYO gives young musicians the experience of preparing concerts at the highest level of commitment and artistry,” says Martin. “It’s a rare place where talented young people come together, challenge each other, and learn from each other while playing some of the greatest music in the world.”
The Youth Orchestra, which performs four concerts annually, provides students with many extraordinary opportunities, including the chance to work with renowned conductors and guest artists, and perform commissioned works by local and national composers.
Every Saturday, students travel from as far as Alabama and Asheville, N.C., for their weekly rehearsals, which include coaching sessions with Atlanta Symphony musicians. For many, the experience is worth the drive simply because it provides an experience that students do not receive in their school’s music education programs.
“I had a chance to be around people my own age who took making music seriously,” says Chris Pulgram, former concertmaster of the Youth Orchestra and now a violinist with the Atlanta Symphony. At the time Pulgram participated in the program, his high school did not have a string program.
Former ASYO violist Bethani Oppenheimer agrees that the Youth Orchestra provided her with a heightened musical experience that she was not receiving in her school’s music education program.
“It introduced me to a much wider world of opportunities,” she says. “Being able to play alongside such talented individuals pushed me to work harder. There was a common goal among the students to achieve and perform at a high level.”
Oppenheimer, who chose not to pursue music professionally, still acknowledges how her experience in the Youth Orchestra helped shape her career. Now a human resources director for a real estate management and development company, Oppenheimer said her participation in the Youth Orchestra led her to an internship with the Atlanta Symphony education department and prepared her for a fellowship at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, ultimately launching a chain of events that brought her to where she is today.
Throughout its 36-year existence, the Youth Orchestra has gained national recognition as one of the best youth orchestras in the country — and it has the performance history to prove it. Regularly broadcasted on Atlanta’s public radio station WABE, the Youth Orchestra also has been featured on National Public Radio’s “From the Top.” Notable performances include the closing ceremonies to the 1996 Olympic Games — the only American youth orchestra to ever participate in the Olympics — and a CD and DVD recording collaboration with rock band Collective Soul. The group has also hosted or exchanged visits with youth orchestras from Great Britain, Australia, and Berlin.
In addition to excelling musically, the Youth Orchestra also regularly demonstrates its commitment to the community. Last year, the student members teamed up with the Illinois-based Share Your Soles Foundation to collect thousands of shoes for families in need throughout the world. This past March, the Youth Orchestra partnered with the Atlanta Community Food Bank to host a food drive to collect canned goods for the League of American Orchestras’ “Orchestras Feeding America” program.
Stanford L. Thompson, the Director of the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra’s El Sistema-inspired program Tune Up Philly, also participated in the Youth Orchestra in high school and believes that the Youth Orchestra has had an immeasurable impact in Atlanta and beyond.
“The more people have access to good music education, the more people will find live music relevant while providing opportunities for the growth of confidence and new sets of practical skills for young people to be more productive citizens,” Thompson says. “I strongly believe that music education is the answer to the questions arts organizations, social service organizations, and educational institutions pose about long-term sustainability.”
From the success of its alumni to its influence in the community, Martin couldn’t? agree more.
“Music is life,” he says. “It is impossible to imagine a world without it, and it is the responsibility of all musicians to stand up for music and music education in our communities.”
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Kimberly Nogi is the publicist for the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
