Elgin Youth Symphony Orchestra to host open house April 15
The Elgin Youth Symphony Orchestra will hold its annual open house event for prospective student musicians on Sunday, April 15, at the Elgin Community College Arts Center, 1700 Spartan Drive.
The open house event is held in conjunction with EYSO Sunday rehearsal, from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. allowing visitors the opportunity to become acquainted with the education and performance experience.
Attendees can explore the many opportunities available to students through participation in an EYSO orchestra, including meeting the staff and conductors, as well as students and parents, to learn about the EYSO; visiting a rehearsal in progress; and learning about 2018-19 audition requirements.
On Sunday, April 15, join them for a free concert showcasing all of the 2017-2018 Chamber Music Institute Groups. Concerts begin at 12:45, 2, 3:15 and 4:30 p.m. in the Elgin Community College Arts Center. CMI concerts are free and open to the public; no tickets required.
EYSO's Chamber Music Institute is one of the largest programs of its kind, with a high percentage of EYSO members participating. Each player enjoys the spotlight as a soloist while in the supportive environment of a small, collaborative team. Enter through ECC Arts Center and follow the signs to Spartan Theater.
The award-winning EYSO is the oldest and largest youth orchestra in Chicago area, and one of the premier youth orchestras in the region. The EYSO has nearly 400 students representing more than 70 communities in Kane, DuPage, Lake, McHenry, Kendall, Will, DeKalb and Cook counties. It offers eight large ensembles and nearly 30 chamber music ensembles, as well as a thriving Chamber Music Institute.
Auditions for the 2018-19 will be held May 31-June 3 at the Elgin Community College Arts Center.
Students in fourth grade as of fall 2018 and up are invited to audition.
For information, visit www.eyso.org/join-eyso/.
The audition schedule will be: strings on May 31-June 3; winds and brass on June 1-3; percussion on May 11, afternoon and evening, and June 2 - morning; and piano and harp on June 2, in the morning. Piano and harp students should email office@eyso.org for instrument specific audition information.
The EYSO has eight ensembles and the Chamber Music Institute, each with their own requirements:
• Primo: entry level preparatory orchestra for string players;
• Prelude: string orchestra for early intermediate level students;
• Sinfonia: full orchestra for intermediate level students;
• Philharmonia: full orchestra for advanced students;
• Youth Symphony: full orchestra for very advanced students;
• Brass Choir: automatic membership for brass players in Youth Symphony & Philharmonia; Sinfonia, by invitation only
• Percussion Ensembles: Sinfonia/Philharmonia & Youth Symphony, automatic membership for all EYSO percussionists.
The Chamber Music Institute, open to both EYSO and non-EYSO members at Prelude level and up, provides an opportunity to work closely with professional coaches in groups of 3-5, or more students. An audition for the CMI is required if not auditioning for a large ensemble. Chamber Ensemble assignments will be made in the fall.
Audition requirements for all ensembles include a minimum of two years playing the auditioning instrument.
Student placement in EYSO is based on both playing ability and age. Students are ranked by audition and placed in the orchestra most closely matching their musical level, including quality of tone production, technical facility, range on the instrument, intonation, vibrato, dynamic range, articulation, phrasing, rhythmic integrity, expressive style, and overall accuracy. Meeting the printed requirements of an orchestra does not guarantee placement.
Those auditioning should arrive at Elgin Community College Arts Center at least 30 minutes prior to your scheduled time. You will register at the check-in table, receive your audition room assignment, and have a chance to warm-up. Your audition will be approximately 8-10 minutes in length.
The EYSO will conclude its 2017-18 season "Elemental: What Nature Tells Us About the Orchestra" with its "Fire" concerts at 2, 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 6, at the ECC Arts Center. Tickets are $25, $20 for seniors or $14 for students. For tickets, visit tickets.elgin.edu or call the box office at (847) 622-0300.
EYSO serves nearly 400 students from 70 Chicago area communities and has a national reputation for providing students with an engaging musical experience and a comprehensive learning environment of curiosity, imagination, critical thinking, and collaboration. Students explore a thematic curriculum each season - one which helps students develop artistically and technically, and prepare them for a future of complex ideas, creative risk-taking, and leadership as global citizen. This approach has led hundreds of alumni to successful careers as professional musicians, educators, and strong leaders in every field.