Memorable Musical Experiences. This Week: BYSO Executive Director Ruth Brewster

In reflecting on the many musical experiences we recieve throughout our lives, we at BYSO realize that these experiences entail varying roles, places, and times. As audience members or performers, touring with a group, or attempting a solo performance, hearing a great song on the radio, or happening across a talented group of street performers, they are all enriching and fun to share. This week we hear from Executive Director Ruth Brewster about her favorite musical experience as a listener.

"Everyone can remember a performance that made a real difference to them. It may be the first time you yourself perform, the first time you hear a violin, the first time you hear Chopin, the first time you get to play on a professional stage. For me, one of the most important performances I have ever seen was the first time I heard Joan Sutherland on the opera stage. I was 18 and a freshman in college. I had made special arrangements to see the Seattle Opera's production of Delibes's Lakme, an opera in French but set in India.
I had never heard it, had never heard of any of the performers. But Joan Sutherland, an Australian coloratura soprano, was in the title role as Lakme, an Indian princess. I don't remember the other singers at all, nor the full story line, nor anything else about the production. What I do remember is that I was blown away by her voice, her presence, her comfort at doing this incredible music. It was like being invited into a private conversation with her, like sharing a secret. She had welcomed me into her living room -the stage- to make me at home with this music.
Her vocal technique changed the whole way I thought about technique, about scales, arpeggios, about legato line and phrasing. Her presence on stage was so comfortable -not nervous or tense, not pretentious or brash.
Subsequent performances that I have seen of her in other operas and recitals only stress again and again how a true artist can bring the listener to know that beauty and simplicity work together, that the hard work she must have done in the rehearsal room pays off in the gift she gave everyone in her audiences -all we had to do was enjoy."

Thanks Ruth! If you have a great music listening experience to share, please let us know!

New Pictures from the Fall 2010 Retreat

Here are a few great new retreat photos taken by Barbara Ethington. Thanks Barbara!

Fall Retreat

For those who may be new to BYSO, our bi-annual retreats are a point of pride for us, serving as an innovative way to round out our student's educational experiences with us.

The retreats were started nearly 10 years ago during a time when BYSO was growing and growing each year (as it is now) and conductors and staff wanted to put an emphasis on orchestra members getting together to function as a team. They noticed that our students were coming from so many different towns, with a variety of backgrounds and experiences, ages, and instruments of choice. They thought it would be a great idea to have students get together outside of the intense pace of regular rehearsals and participate in specialized coaching sessions in small groups, get extra time together as an orchestra, and have time to play games and socialize.

Our Winter Retreat will take place on January 22nd for Cadet, Debut, and Premiere, and January 29th for Sinfonia, Youth, and Flutes.

Here are a few of the excellent photos submitted by Donna Fisher of our fall 2010 retreat:

Look for more fun photos of our concerts and retreats here on the blog, or on Facebook!

University of Denver Pre-College Academy

June 19-July 3, 2011 The Lamont School of Music Summer Pre-College Academy is looking for students ages 14-18 who are interested in their summer music program. In state of the art facilities, students will participate in private lessons and master classes, as well as seminars on college preperation, performance anxiety, and careers in music, to name a few. If you know any pre-college age music students interested you can check out their website for more information: www.du.edu/lamont/summeracademy Participants will also be back in town in time to start BYSO summer camps which will take place every week between July 11th- 29th 2011!

Seattle Music Partners

Seattle Music Partners is a great non-profit organization that is now gearing up for another year of after-school music tutoring. They provide after-school music instruction to elementary and middle school students in low-income schools in Seattle's Central District. They are calling for high school volunteers that will commit one afternoon each week to teach one-on-one instrumental music lessons to beginning musicians. No prior teaching experience is necessary. This is a great opportunity for high school students to gain teaching/leadership experience while improving their own musical skills. They also ensure that volunteer time is credited for service learning and/or community service requirements.
Please contact Lindsey Harris at lindsey@seattlemusicpartners.org for application information.

Auditions begin this week

It is certainly that time of year again. Auditions will begin this week for BYSO's 46th season. We have had more students sign up this year than ever before and expect this season to be BIG. We know that for some this will be your first audition, so we wanted to offer up a few tips we found in "Strings" Magazine's archives.

Treat yourself well:

• Eat good foods and plan something fun for the rest of your day.
• Give yourself plenty of time on audition day.
• Stretch or exercize before your audition.

Play as much as possible:

• Balance auditions with concerts and playing just for fun.

Perform mock auditions:

• Its always a good idea to practice auditioning in front of family and friends.
• Practicing in a big space is helpful so you can get used to how you sound in a big room.

Listen to Music

• This is more of a general musicians rule, and pertains to music study as a whole, not just auditions. Frequently listening to music will sharpen your ears and always acts as inspiration.

Above all remember that music is mean to be fun! We love music for the joy it brings to us and others, and we're sure you all agree.

Do you have any tips on how to ace an audition? If so please add them in the comments section below.

Good Luck!

"Best of Bellevue" for the third consecutive year.

We wanted to share the good news with our musicians and their families and friends. Check out this letter we received from the U.S Local Business Association congratulating us on the award.

"The USLBA Best of Local Business Award Program recognizes outstanding local businesses throughout the country. Each year, the USLBA identifies companies that they believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and community.
Nationwide, only 1 in 120 (less than 1%) 2010 Award recipients qualified as three-time Award Winners. Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The 2010 USLBA Award Program focused on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally by the USLBA and data provided by third parties.
The USLBA was established to recognize the best of local businesses in their community. Our organization works exclusively with local business owners, trade groups, professional associations, chamber of commerce, and other entrepreneurs across America."