Who are we?
I told you already. We're the Orillia Youth Symphony Orchestra!
Where are we?
Country: Canada
Province: Ontario
City: Orillia
Well, actually it's Orillia and Surrounding Area. We've had members from Coldwater, Mnjikaning, Barrie, even as far away as Penetang.
For those who don't know Ontario very well, Orillia is two hours North of Toronto.
For those of you who don't know Canada very well, it's the one above the USA!
Why are we?
The Orillia Youth Symphony Orchestra has been around for over 25 years now. The reason we have a youth Orchestra is to give children and teenagers in the area an opportunity they would otherwise never have -- to play in an Orchestra.
While there are a number of Concert Bands, Jazz Bands, Swing Bands, Brass Bands, Wind Ensembles, etc in and around Orillia for young musicians to play in, there is only one Youth Orchestra.
The Orchestra hopes to teach its members about orchestral music, about teamwork, about respect and pride in themselves and their fellow members, as well as the discipline required during performances.
Who can Join?
Generally, our members are between the ages of 8 and 18, although there have been exceptions to that rule on both ends.
It's important to note that the Orchestra doesn't teach its members how to play instruments. We certainly help our members refine their talents, but they need to have some experience in playing an instrument and reading music. It's also very handy to have your own instrument, or at least access to one.
It's very common for the Orchestra members to either take private lessons (in the case of string players) or participate in a mainstream music program through Elementary or Secondary school.