'Incredible energy' — Worcester Youth Orchestras finish 76th season on optimistic note

Worcester Youth Orchestras is finishing its 76th season with preparations for the 77th and the notes are sounding very positive.

On May 19 Worcester Youth Orchestras will have its Season Finale & Gala concert at Mechanics Hall. Meanwhile, the organization is having auditions for its various orchestras and ensembles May 13, 14, 20, 21 and 23 at its offices at 325 Main St. at Mechanics Hall.

"We're feeling very optimistic about next year and the program as a whole. There's an incredible amount of energy from our students and the community," said Jonathan Colby, artistic executive director of the Worcester Youth Orchestra, commonly known in the community as WYO.

"There's definitely a thirst for more musical opportunity in our area," Colby said.

He's noticed an increase in interest for auditions this year, which might lead to the orchestras offering another audition date.

For the auditions there are openings on all string, brass, wind, harp, jazz piano, jazz guitar and percussion instruments. Visit the Worcester Youth Orchestras web site for audition details.

The auditions for 2024-25 come following a 2023-24 season when the orchestras and ensembles have been out and about in the community more than ever before, or certainly at least since the pandemic, Colby said.

"It's been very busy all season, all good things. A lot more community events in addition to our regular season."

Connecting youths with music

Worcester Youth Orchestras has students grades 3 and up. Program offerings include the Worcester Youth Symphony Orchestra, primarily grades 8 to 12 and conducted by Colby; the Worcester Youth Philharmonic, primarily grades 5 and up and conducted by Jack Corbett; a String Orchestra, primarily elementary students and also conducted by Jack Corbett; the Worcester Youth Baroque Orchestra, conducted by Sylvia DiCrescentis; chamber groups including a String Octet; and the Worcester Youth Jazz Program led by the acclaimed trombonist and band leader Dan Gabel that includes a jazz band and jazz ensembles.

While Worcester Youth Orchestras charges tuition, it also offers financial aid and says "No perspective or accepted WYO student has been turned away due to financial hardship, ​WYO works with every family individually to ensure their child can participate in our program."

The nonprofit organization's long history goes back to 1947 when Worcester Youth Orchestras was founded by the late legendary Worcester conductor Harry Levenson.

However, by the time Colby, who is originally from England, became artistic executive director in 2012 there were just five students. Colby immediately made a difference and two years later there were 56.

Currently there are 200, a number that has held steady since the pandemic.

After the lockdown, Worcester Youth Orchestras "came back quite early" in August 2020, and Colby and the board of directors agreed there should be additional staffing capacity "to come come and jump in as needed," Colby said.

New positions have included the hiring 18 months ago of Virginia Davidson as director of development, "a fantastic addition to our staff," Colby said. More funds have become available to the organization's financial aid program while at the same time Colby has been freed up to devote more attention to engaging with the community, he said.

Many of the ensembles and groups rehearse Sundays and Mondays at Trinity Lutheran Church, 73 Lancaster St., near downtown Worcester. The office at Mechanics Hall reflects the way Mechanics Hall has helped nurture the organization in recent years.

The move to Trinity Lutheran Church came after Worcester Youth Orchestras took part in a workshop facilitated by the Greater Worcester Community Foundation that looked at goals such as diversity, equity and inclusion.

"Trinity (Lutheran Church) is as close to downtown as we could get," Colby said. On the other hand, the orchestras and ensembles also have students ranging geographically from Central Connecticut to the New Hampshire border. Word of mouth has been one of the organization's greatest assets among students and parents, he said. "I think families are seeing the importance of students engaging in activities and experiences."

'Everyone is working in tandem'

In getting the word out about the auditions, Colby has also visited about 30 schools recently. "There's so much great work happening all across Central Massachusetts in our public schools," he said. The work of the Worcester Youth Orchestras is complementary in terms of it offering additional musical experiences. "Everyone is working in tandem," he said.

The 2023-24 regular season has included the annual Four Orchestras concert at Mechanics Hall in March with the Worcester Youth Symphony & Philharmonic Orchestras, Burncoat High School Orchestra, and ​Shrewsbury High School Orchestra. Sue On, artistic musical director of the Rowan Youth Orchestra in New Jersey, was the guest conductor and clinician. Colby said he was able to confirm that On was the first Asian-American woman to conduct a full symphony orchestra at Mechanics Hall.

In conjunction with Music Worcester, the Worcester Youth Orchestras String Octet was able to work with renowned conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin when he brought Orchestre Métropolitain de Montreal to Mechanics Hall in March.

'The power of music to bring people together'

The May 19 finale concert at Mechanics Hall will feature dinner, graduation of Worcester Youth Orchestra seniors, testimonials and performances.

Besides the regular season, community ventures have included students from the Worcester Youth Orchestras performing the national anthem before two Worcester Red games at Polar Park, performances at the Briarwood Community in Worcester, a first ever performance at Clinton Town Hall, and being part of the Beyond the Frames: A Musical Celebration event last month at Mechanics Hall.

Part of the increased community activity is organizations welcoming in more groups in the long return to normalcy from the pandemic, Colby said, something Worcester Youth Orchestras has been embracing.

The performance at Clinton Town Hall was made possible in part by the Community Foundation of North Central Massachusetts. The turn out was good, and Colby was told by some in attendance that it was first time they had been to an event at the town hall since Jimmy Carter was running for president. "It speaks to the power of music to bring people together," he said.

As well as getting out in the local community, last June Worcester Youth Orchestras went on its first tour abroad since 2019 with 80 students and 12 recent alumni visiting Germany and Austria.

"It went very well. We had spectacular weather the whole time which makes a big difference, and it was just the finest playing I've seen our orchestra do," Colby said.

The tour also included a visit to the Dachau concentration camp. "It was a moving and learning experience," Colby said. Prior to the tour a rabbi gave a workshop of what the students could expect. "We received a very grateful and positive feedback from students that they had a chance to learn about what happened."

The next tour is planned for June, 2025, as part of the 2024-25 season's events and will include the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Austria. In Bratislava, Slovakia, the students will perform in Bratislava Radio Hall and the concert will be broadcast.

"Tours are a great social and team building experience," Colby said.

Looking further ahead, Colby and the board have been thinking about the next five and ten years and discussing hopes and goals. The conversation will be expanded, he said.

"There's a lot of energy and forward momentum in the program. The program is really moving forward in a healthy way."

Worcester Youth Orchestras — 76th season Finale Gala

When: 4 p.m. May 19

Where: Mechanics Hall, 321 Main St., Worcester

How much: Tickets $30 to $75. worcesteryouthorchestras.org

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Worcester Youth Orchestras finish 76th season on optimistic note