Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra

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The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra
Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra.jpg
The orchestra performing at Severance Hall
Background information
Also known asCOYO
Origin Cleveland, Ohio
Genres Classical
Occupation Symphony orchestra
Years active1986–present
MembersPrincipal Conductor and Musical Advisor
James Feddeck
Youth Orchestra Manager
Kennedy McKain
Director of Instrumental Pathways Program
Lauren Generette
Past membersFounder
Jahja Ling
Website www.clevelandorchestrayouthorchestra.com

The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra (COYO) is a group of 100 young musicians, selected from over 45 cities [1] across Ohio and Pennsylvania.

Contents

Activities

The members rehearse weekly at Severance Hall and are regularly coached by members of the Cleveland Orchestra. The orchestra's Music Director is currently Daniel Reith, [2] assistant conductor of the Cleveland Orchestra. COYO also has the opportunity to work with many of the famous guest conductors that visit to work with the Cleveland Orchestra.

COYO performs three subscription concerts per season at Severance Hall. Additionally, they perform at least three "outreach concerts", performances in the greater Cleveland area. One of COYO's subscription performances includes a performance with the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Chorus. [3]

History

Directors

COYO is in its 39th season (2025-2026) since it began in 1986 [4] under the direction of Music Director Jahja Ling.

YearsMusic Director
1986–1992 Jahja Ling (founder) [1] [5]
1992–1997Gareth Morrell
1997–1998Harry Davidson
1998–2003Steven Smith [6]
2003–2006 James Gaffigan [7]
2006–2009Jayce Ogren
2009–2013 James Feddeck
2013–2017 Brett Mitchell
2017–2022Vinay Parameswaran [8]
2022–2025Daniel Reith [9]
2025– James Feddeck

National Youth Orchestra Festival

In 1998, COYO participated in the second National Youth Orchestra Festival sponsored by the American Symphony Orchestra League. COYO was one of five youth orchestras that were selected to participate out of a pool of orchestras across the nation. [1]

Past concerts

COYO is in its 39th season. It typically performs three subscription concerts each season. Subscription concerts are usually held at Severance Hall. COYO also plays community outreach concerts, in which the group travels to a nearby venue to perform. Many of these outreach concerts are held at schools and universities. Additionally, COYO performs at the annual MLK Community Open House at Severance Hall. The Open House is a day of concerts in remembrance of Martin Luther King Jr. [10]

Premieres

COYO has had the opportunity to host world premieres of several modern works throughout the years and has commissioned pieces, as well. The orchestra has performed the world premiere of 15 pieces, the most recent or which, was commissioned by Roger Briggs'. His composition, Fountain of Youth, was premiered on November 18, 2016. [11]

Repertoire

COYO typically performs classical works. In the past, the group has performed pieces by Stravinsky, Beethoven, Brahms, Schubert, Tchaikovsky, Dvořák, Shostakovich, Sibelius, Wagner, Mozart, and many others. [10]

Recent concerts have included works by Sarah Kirkland Snider, Lili Boulanger, María Huld Markan Sigfúsdóttir and more.

Orchestration

COYO percussion for Sarah Kirkland Snider COYO percussion section 2.jpg
COYO percussion for Sarah Kirkland Snider

COYO is a full symphonic orchestra ensemble. The group typically consists of violins, violas, cellos, string bass, flutes, oboes, clarinets, bassoons, French horns, trumpets, trombones, tuba, timpani and percussion. Auxiliary instruments are used according to the instrumentation of the concert repertoire. Common auxiliary instruments are harp, piccolo, E-flat clarinet and bass clarinet, English horn, and organ.

Tours

COYO has participated in tours, extending their outreach from the greater Cleveland area to the world. Past tours have included:

COYO performed in Vienna, Prague, and Salzburg in June 2012.

In June 2015, COYO performed in its first tour of China, making its first appearance in Asia; they played in major concert halls Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, and Ningbo.

In June 2019, COYO performed in Sankt Florian, Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest.

For the 2024 Summer, COYO and TSYO travelled to each other's cities to rehearse and preform pieces.

Auditions

Auditions take place annually for each season. Auditions are open to all middle-high school students who study privately. COYO auditions are live and typically take place at Severance Hall/Reinberger Chamber Hall. [12]

Coachings

Members of COYO have the unique opportunity to study with members of The Cleveland Orchestra. [12] Coachings take place during one of the orchestra's rehearsals. Coaching groups are usually divided by Woodwinds, Brass, percussion, and, separately, Strings. Additional coachings are sometimes scheduled for smaller groups (i.e. specifically Cellos, Trumpets, Flutes, etc.).

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Congress (5 January 2010). Congressional Record, V. 151, Pt. 18, October 27 to November 7, 2005. Government Printing Office. pp. 148–. ISBN   9780160848261. GGKEY:7KYUL808ZNJ. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
  2. ↑ "Cleveland Orchestra names Daniel Reith assistant conductor, director of COYO". cleveland.com. Archived from the original on 2017-10-19. Retrieved 2022-12-05.
  3. ↑ Mark Satola (March 12, 2012). "Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra soars over challenging program". Cleveland.com. Archived from the original on 2012-03-17. Retrieved 2012-03-19.
  4. ↑ William Osborne (30 October 2004). Music in Ohio. Kent State University Press. p. 252. ISBN   978-0-87338-775-0 . Retrieved 19 March 2012.
  5. ↑ Donald Rosenberg (September 2000). The Cleveland Orchestra story: "second to none". Gray & Company. p. 650. ISBN   978-1-886228-24-5. Archived from the original on 7 July 2014. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
  6. ↑ Association for the Advancement of Instrumental Music (1998). The Instrumentalist. The Instrumentalist. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
  7. ↑ San Francisco Symphony Orchestra (2008). San Francisco Symphony playbill. Playbill Inc. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
  8. ↑ Lewis, Zachary (April 3, 2017). "Cleveland Orchestra fills imminent vacancy, names Vinay Parameswaran new assistant conductor". The Plain Dealer . Cleveland, Ohio. Archived from the original on October 31, 2021. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
  9. ↑ Lewis, Zachary (27 May 2022). "Cleveland Orchestra names Daniel Reith assistant conductor, director of COYO". cleveland.com. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
  10. 1 2 Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra Official Website, Past Concerts Archived 2012-02-23 at the Wayback Machine . Retrieved March 19, 2012.
  11. ↑ "Concerts at Severance Hall - Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra". Archived from the original on 2012-02-23. Retrieved 2012-03-19.
  12. 1 2 Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra Official Website, Auditions Archived 2012-02-23 at the Wayback Machine . Retrieved March 19, 2012.
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