In Sunday’s (12/1) Orange County Register (California; subscription required), Sean Fitz-Gerald writes about a recent performance by the Pacific Symphony Youth Orchestra at Segerstrom Concert Hall at which Verdi’s Overture to La Forza del Destino “was met with clamorous applause and hoots of ‘Bravo!’ … The youth orchestra represents one leg of the Pacific Symphony Youth Ensembles, a competitive, educational performance program offered to Orange County-area students in grades six through 12.” The other two are Pacific Symphony Youth Wind Ensemble and Pacific Symphony Santiago Strings. “Melissa Craig, Pacific Symphony’s director of youth ensembles, says the program’s goal is to teach students teamwork through ensemble playing and the art of performance.” Guided by Pacific Symphony Music Director Carl St.Clair, “the young musicians gear up by rehearsing every Sunday afternoon at UC Irvine, … receiving sectional coaching from some of Pacific Symphony’s professional musicians…. [Narong] Prangcharoen will be a composer-in-residence for the next three seasons with the Pacific Symphony” through the Music Alive program. “ ‘As a whole, we are invested in not just the musical growth of students, but also the personal growth,’ Craig says. ‘We are hoping to shape students in a very well-rounded way.’ ”
Posted December 4, 2013
