CONCERT Orchestra Notes – FINAL PERFORMANCE
Dear Concert Orchestra,
CONGRATS!! Really wonderful work on Sunday at our final concert of the season. Thank you for your hard work, commitment, trust and growth. It was my privilege to work with you this year.
We performed three concerts at three iconic local venues: the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, the Newmark Theatre and The Reser Center for the Arts.
We tackled music that challenged your technical skills, deepened our ensemble work and empowered neglected and up-and-coming voices, including works by a pioneering female composer and by local young composers in collaboration with local young animators. We also enjoyed standard symphonic repertoire, accompanied a brilliant soloist (one of your own), and premiered yet another piece by a local young composer:
- Ethel Smyth’s Symphony for Small Orchestra and Brahms’ Hungarian Dance No. 6 in the fall;
- Mozart’s Symphony No. 40 (mov 1) and original music by Young Composers Project students for a brand new animated film by Portland Art Museum students in the winter, and finally…
- A brand new piece by student composer Jacobi Esparza (also through YCP), a contemporary viola concerto by Russian/Canadian composer Airat Ichmouratov, and Gustav Holst’s Jupiter from The Planets.
This is no small accomplishment. I hope you feel proud of your work.
A giant THANK YOU to our group managers Ivy and Alicia. Your help every week was absolutely indispensable and greatly appreciated.
What’s next? Tests, end-of-school-year projects and deadlines, I’m sure. After that, I hope you’ll have some time to rest, unwind and reset, and then, I cannot wait to see you back at MYS in the fall.
MYS is going to Japan!! I hope many of you will be able to join our tour in the summer of 2027. In the meantime, please make sure to register for next season and schedule your audition (live or via self-submitted video).
Best,
Dr. G.
Register for next season ASAP!
Here is our registration page.
As you may know, you’ll have the option of selecting a live in-person audition or a self-recorded video audition. I hope to see many of you in Symphony Orchestra next year.
Come hear MYS Symphony Orchestra’s final concert
Please plan to come hear MYS Symphony’s Season Finale concert on Sunday, June 14.
- Elaina Stuppler: HEADLINES (world premiere) – part of our collaboration with Young Composers Project.
- Tchaikovsky: Variations on a Rococo Theme (Margaux Hicks, cello – winner of the MYS Concerto Competition, Strings)
- Beethoven: Symphony No. 9, with the Oregon Chorale and soloists from the Portland Opera.
Students can get free tickets. Get your tickets here.
Take the End-of-the-Season Survey
Every spring we gather feedback to help shape the growth of MYS. This survey is a great way to impact next year’s program.
Every parent/guardian and student is encouraged to submit the survey.
We want to hear about your experience in your ensemble(s). How was your conductor? How was the amount and level of the music you studied? How did your ensemble help you toward your musical goals?
This survey also asks about tuition, rehearsal and concert venues, music theory, and the highlight of your year.
The survey closes on Thursday, June 18. Click here to take the survey.
Japan Tour Meeting on May 17
You should have received an email on Friday, May 8th from MYS Executive Director Diana Scoggins about an informational tour meeting on Sunday, May 17 at 4:30pm. Below is part of the text for your convenience:
As many of you know, MYS has a long tradition of traveling internationally. Past trips have included Poland/Czech Republic, China, Italy/Austria and most recently Spain/Portugal. Amazingly, the next tour is soon upon us. We are thrilled to announce that MYS is planning to travel to Japan June 29-July 10, 2027. In addition to four concert performances, we have some wonderful sights and activities lined up. Some may even involve an occasional high-speed bullet train!
Please join me at All Saints in the Symphony rehearsal space at 4:30pm on Sunday, May 17. We will meet for 30 minutes to preview the tour itinerary, important dates, and anticipated costs. Concert Orchestra musicians please join us if you are interested as there may be opportunity to travel with Symphony. We will need several adult chaperones to accompany us, so parents, if you are interested, please be sure to attend.
The meeting will be available via Zoom (we will send out a link next week) and will be recorded. Any hardcopy materials will also be emailed to you.
Every time MYS students travel together abroad to share their music, it is life-changing for everyone involved. We are excited to do everything we can to make it an absolutely amazing experience!
Audition prep/private lessons during the summer
I will have a bit more bandwidth during the summer to teach private lessons. Lessons can be in person at the MYS building in SE Portland, or via Zoom. (My instruments are violin and viola, but I may also be available for coaching sessions for other instruments). Shoot me an e-mail if you’re interested for more details.
Congrats again, and see you at your MYS audition!
Dr. G.
MYS Concert Orchestra | February, 2026 | Newmark Theatre | Photo by MYS