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Kevin Burton, executive director of Topeka Youth and Symphony Orchestra, welcomes all the attendees with his speech before the concert. Topeka Youth Orchestras performed its spring concert at White Concert Hall April 6.
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Carolyn Sandquist, symphonette conductor, leads the group. She had earned the Music Department Academic Achievement and the Community Service Awards.
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Symphonette violin group performs “Minuet” and “March” by J.S. Bach. The group presented the second piece, “A Quiet Music,” by Douglas E. Wager.
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The brass group of the Symphonette follows the direction of the conductor. They performed the piece, “Fiddler’s Stew,” by Richard Meyer.
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Audience members inside White Concert Hall for the Topeka Youth Orchestras. More than 1,200 people attended.
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Ryan Masotto, chamber orchestra conductor, presents the piece, “Lyric Metal,” by Brian Balmages, with the chamber orchestra member. Masotto received his bachelor’s in music education and viola performance from Washburn University.
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A group of the chamber orchestra stands in front of the audience and shows gratitude for attending the concert. They performed “Elegy for Strings, Op. 58” by Edward Elgar.
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Youth symphony conductor, Nicolas Carr, guides the group throughout the concert. He had completed bachelor of music education from washburn university.
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Violin players from the Youth Symphony Orchestras present the audience “The Planets” by Gustav Holst. Topeka Youth Orchestras completed its 67th season.
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Carr leads both the Chamber Orchestra and Youth Symphony groups and presents different pieces to attendees. They performed the “Symphonic Suite’ from the Lord of the Rings by Howard Shore.
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The Kansas Youth Chorale features in the concert with the group of the Chamber Orchestra and Youth Symphony. The Kansas Youth Chorale was founded in 2009.
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The group of cello players of the Youth Symphony takes their position and performs for audiences. The group presented “Second Suite in F” by Gustav Holst.
On Sunday, April 6, the Topeka Symphony Orchestra held the Topeka Youth Orchestras in White Concert Hall from 3-4 p.m. Around 1,000 spectators were present during the performances.
Carolyn Sandquist, symphonette conductor, had played viola, cello and violin in the Topeka Symphony Orchestra for over 30 years and describes her approach to mentoring young musicians, particularly when they are beginning to make their mark.
“We rehearse every week, and I encourage them to practice,” Sandquist said. “We work on playing together while enjoying the music, and exploring different types of music. I try to have a variety of levels of music to try to reach all the kids, because some are less advanced than the others. And then [I] try to have some music that’s more challenging to the more advanced students. Sometimes I’ll change the music and make it harder for some of the kids to play up an octave or something. So I try to find music that fits everybody.”
Don Eccles, president of the Topeka Symphony Society Board of Directors, shares his perspective on providing opportunities for local youth.
“We are delighted to be able to provide local youth with an opportunity to participate in the three youth ensembles,” Eccles said. “The Topeka Youth Orchestra ensembles provide an opportunity for young musicians in the area from different schools to work, learn and perform together.”
Executive director of the Topeka Symphony Society, Kevin Burton, will hold auditions for the Topeka Youth Orchestra April 22 and 29. For more information, email TopekaSymphony.org.
The Topeka Symphony Orchestra will present the Topeka Symphony Orchestra’s Lullaby of Broadway May 10 at 7:30 p.m. in White Concert Hall. For more details, visit their website at www.topekasymphony.org.
Edited by Morgan Albrecht and Reid McEvoy
