The Well-Tempered Ear

Classical music education: Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestras (WYSO) holds an open rehearsal and an open house plus its Percussion Ensemble concert this Saturday at the UW-Madison. Also, audition applications are now available for membership next season.

A SHOUT-OUT: Three cheers for Wisconsin Public Television for broadcasting on Monday night a one-hour program from the State Honors Concerts for choirs, band and orchestra (below) of the Wisconsin School Music Association, held in the Capitol Theater of Madison’s Overture Center. It was so encouraging and inspiring to see all the serious and talented young students making such beautiful music. Imagine — Prep Arts getting coverage comparable to Prep Sports!!! What a goal to have!!! Here’s hoping more such programs are in the works and that this one gets repeated showings and becomes an annual tradition. If you saw it, what did you think? Leave a Comment.

By Jacob Stockinger

Spread the word among middle and high school student musicians in southcentral Wisconsin as well as among their families and friends!

This coming Saturday, March 2, is a big day for the Wisconsin Youth Orchestras (WYSO).

That’s when an open house and open rehearsals will be held and auditions applications for next season will be available. Then at 1:30 p.m. in Mills Hall, a performance by the WYSO Percussion Ensemble will take place.

Also noteworthy: Audition applications are now available for young musicians interested in joining the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestras (WYSO).

Students age 10-18 who are interested in enhancing their musical skills and performing throughout the community are invited to audition for the 2013-2014 WYSO season. Audition applications are currently available on the WYSO website at http://wyso.music.wisc.edu.

WYSO will offer an Open Rehearsal opportunity for students, parents and teachers who would like to see the WYSO program in action on this Saturday, March 2.

The event will begin at 10 a.m. with a meet-and-greet featuring breakfast snacks in the Strelow Lounge of the University of Wisconsin-Madison‘s Mosse Humanities Building in the basement at 455 North Park Street. Guests will be able to talk with WYSO staff and parents of current members, and will get a chance to tour WYSO’s four orchestras in rehearsal.

After the tour, guests will have an opportunity to speak with current WYSO members in a Q&A session. Staff and current students will also address visitors’ questions about upcoming auditions, which begin in April.

Audition applications will be due March 9 and students who play viola, string bass, horn, bassoon, trombone or tuba are especially encouraged to apply.

WYSO includes three full orchestras and a string orchestra, a chamber music program, a harp program, a percussion ensemble, and a brass choir program.

The orchestras rehearse on Saturday mornings during the academic year, perform three to four public concerts per season, and tour regionally, nationally and internationally. Scholarships are available for tuition, private lessons, the chamber music program, and international touring.

For more information or to RSVP for the Open Rehearsal, please contact Nicole Sparacino, WYSO Communications & Development Manager at 608-263-3320 ext. 11.

You can also visit wyso.music.wisc.edu. There you will see that since its founding in 1966, WYSO has educated more than 5,000 students from more than 100 communities in southcentral Wisconsin.

You can see and hear some of the results of that training when WYSO also hold its concert by the Percussion Ensemble (below) this coming Saturday at 1:30 p.m. in Mills Hall. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for students. For more information and details, including the program for the concert, visit:

http://wyso.music.wisc.edu/WhatsNew.html