Local Musicians Looking to Set Guinness World Record

Check out this cool article on local student musicians. They've put together "String Jam '10" in an attempt to set the world record of "largest string ensemble under one roof."



Redmond Reporter Article - http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/east_king/red/lifestyle/84723672.html

Why We Chose BYSO

This week we have a guest blogger - Xiting Phillips, parent and board member with BYSO. We asked Xiting to share with us why her family was connected with BYSO and why she felt it was important to give back by giving her time and skills as a BYSO Board member.



Thank you Xiting for sharing why you and your family are passionate about BYSO! We are glad you are a part of the BYSO Family!



Guest Post:



Wow, it’s almost four years since our older son joined BYSO! Ever since our older son was born, our parenting instincts and skills have been growing with him. One thing we have discovered is there are very few places and people we can trust to leave our son with. BYSO is one, the organization and the conductors/coaches, we trust.


Through the years that our son has been in the Premiere Orchestra, we have seen how dedicated our conductors and coaches are and how much progress our son has made over these years. It’s amazing how evident the students’ improvement is from each concert. I often wonder how our conductors do this. They only rehearse 2 hours every week!


After two years in BYSO, I was “lured” in to become a board member. Of course, I kind of wanted toJ. We (my husband and I) wanted to contribute more to this organization that has children’s best interests at it’s core. Once I became a board member, I got to see behind the scenes and how the board and executive directors work and realize why BYSO is such a great organization. We are so glad that we chose BYSO for our son to join. This is only the 2nd time that we truly trust an organization that makes decisions that influences our son’s life.



-Xiting Phillips

Join us on Facebook

Are we friends on Facebook yet? In an effort to connect with our current students, families, supporters, and, very much, our alumni, we've recently created a BYSO Facebook page, and hope to connect or reconnect with you.



We know some of our awesome students and alums have created pages connected to BYSO, and have added links to their pages on our page, but we also hope you will join our page as well.



Our Facebook page will help keep you informed of upcoming BYSO Concerts, events, news on our website, and our blog posts.



See you on Facebook! http://www.facebook.com/group.php?v=wall&ref=search&gid=5750072973#!/pages/Bellevue-Youth-Symphony-Orchestra/328105559229?ref=ts

2010 Concerto Competition Winner

We are excited to announce this year's BYSO Concerto Winner! Check out the press release on Dong Hee Lee below:

THE BELLEVUE YOUTH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA ANNOUNCES LOCAL STUDENT WINNER IN CONCERTO COMPOSITION CONTEST.

The Concerto Composition Contest is an annual composition contest the Bellevue Youth Symphony Orchestra (BYSO) hosts. Each year a young composer is selected to perform their solo piece at a Showcase Concert held in March. This year Dong Hee Lee, a freshman in the Bellevue School District, won the honor to perform her work at the BYSO Showcase concert on March 7, 2010 at the Eastlake Performing Arts Center.

Dong Hee started the violin at age 8. As an elementary school student, she was awarded a top prize in the junior high division of the 2007 Michigan State Concerto Competition. She won a scholarship to the Interlochen Summer Arts Academy. The University of Michigan invited her to perform two solo recitals at the Lloyd Hall. She was invited through an audition by the American Fine Arts Festival to perform at the Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall. In 2009, she was awarded the alternate prize at the MTNA State Competition. She was the concertmistress of the Bellevue School District Honors Middle School Orchestra. Currently, she is a first-violin player of the Bellevue Youth Symphony Orchestra and the Interlake High Chamber Orchestra. Dong Hee has studied with Simon James and Jan Coleman. Prior to moving the Bellevue area in 2008, she had studied with Professor Dmitri Berlinsky of the Michigan State University. In addition to playing the violin, Lee is interested in nanotechnology. She will soon start to work as an intern for a company specializing in the field. Lee shares, “I chose to play the Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso by Saint-Saens because this piece really fit me. I take French at school, and this piece, also French, really swept me away.” Lee continues, “Although this piece is like a war horse in terms of technique and level of emotion, it captures the delicate and ‘elevated’ essence that defines most French music.” Although it is challenging and requires a lot of thought and work, she is very happy that she can serve the piece with the type of dynamism that comes from collaborating with an orchestra.

Lee enjoys being a member of the BYSO because it helps her realize that she is not the only one playing music in the world! “The violin is a very lonely instrument, and sometimes, I wish that I could make music together with other people. There is so much energy in the BYSO that the weekly rehearsals charge me up with the motivation to produce more and more music,” shares Lee. “I am lucky to live so close to an institution that provides me both motivation and a sense of belonging.”

The Bellevue Youth Symphony Orchestra is a non-profit organization established to provide a positive and stimulating musical environment for students. BYSO uniquely complements and builds upon both school music programs and private instruction. BYSO encourages the development of musical skills and self-confidence, as participants in all ensembles rehearse orchestral literature which appropriately challenges their skills. For over 45 years our program has provided instrumental music experience to match the ability levels of talented youth from early elementary grades through their college years.

Please go to http://www.byso.org/ for ticket information and additional details.
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Food & Fun at the BYSO Friendraiser

So much fun was had at the 2010 BYSO Friendraiser!

All photos courtesy of http://www.brickhousephotos.com/

All photos are copyright protected. To purchase your own copy of a photo, please visit the website listed above, click on order print, and BYSO Friendraiser. Thanks!

Making New Friends

BYSO was joined by approx. 50 new and old friends this February for the first annual "BYSO Friendraiser." The event, held at Starry Nights Catering & Events in Kirkland brought together longtime supporters of BYSO, current conductors and students, and new friends & supporters of BYSO.

This was one of a number of recent efforts to make sure that the Bellevue Youth Symphony Orchestra is no longer one of the Eastside's, "best kept secrets."

A special thank you to our conductors, student performers, board members, volunteers, and new and old donors for making this such a fun and festive evening!

Teresa Metzger Howe, BYSO Music Director, and new friends

Ruth Brewster, Executive Director, and long-time friends and supporters of BYSO

Geri Carlson, Board President, her husband, and guests

Next week's blog will be filled with more fun photos of the performances, food, & guests!

All photos courtesy of www.brickhousephotos.com

We're getting ready....

BYSO is hosting it's first "friendraiser" on 2/4/10 at Starry Nights Catering & Events. We've invited Eastside business leaders, professionals, and media to join us for a rousing evening that includes some terrific BYSO performances, including a special Conductor Group Performance!

We'll post pictures after the event!

We would like to thank the BYSO Board, staff, and the community businesses and organizations that have helped us make this evening possible!