Ready, set ...NYOCSARA CONSTANTIf you find yourself in a musicschool or studio in the comingmonths and hear throughthe walls of a practice roomsnippets of Holst’s The Planetsor of Strauss’ infamous Dance ofthe Seven Veils, chances are thatif the musician inside is under 30years of age, they have their mindset on summer. Not because theyare yearning for long days andsunny weather alone, but becausethe National Youth Orchestra ofCanada is as usual well under waywith planning its program for thesummer ahead, and the applicationprocess for participants hascommenced.The National Youth Orchestra ofCanada is not your average musicalsummer camp. Billed as “Canada’s orchestral finishing school” forages 16 to 28, the NYOC recruits members from across the country forits annual program and tour, coaching participants in chamber musicand the orchestral classics. And with 14-hour days of training, six daysa week from June to August, summer at Laurier University – wherethe program takes up its residency – becomes a veritable hotbed ofmusical activity.The preparation process for applicants and admin alike is, understandably,protracted and intense. “I always laugh when people askme if it’s a full-time job or if I just work in the summer,” says BarbaraSmith, the program’s executive and artistic director. “Starting in thefall, once the conductor has been selected, the conductor and I sitdown together and determine the repertoire that we’ll be performingthat year. We do that as soon as possible because once that’s done, thefaculty members – the coaches who will be working with the students– select the audition excerpts based on the repertoire. Then, once wehave all those excerpts, they go online, the application goes live andapplications start coming in. And that’s where we are right now. We’regetting applications in every day now for next year’s orchestra.”Those faculty members enforce a high standard, and with goodreason; they maintain busy schedules as orchestral performers themselves,with often-formidable resumes. “These are very high-profileprofessional musicians, people like Jonathan Crow and Mark Fewer,”Smith explains. “Jamie Sommerville is also on our faculty this year.”This year’s conductor, Michael Francis, who follows in the NYOC footstepsof the likes of Alain Trudel (2009, 2012, 2013) and EmmanuelVillaume (2014), has two full seasons as chief conductor and artisticadvisor to Sweden’s Norrköping Symphony Orchestra under his belt,and is music director of San Diego’s Mainly Mozart Festival. He also isdue to take on the role of music director for the Florida Orchestra nextSeptember. The NYOC members, then, are in very good hands. Andin a program whose alumni include nearly 40 percent of professionalorchestral musicians in Canada, there’s a good chance that a few yearsdown the road, some of those coaches will be reunited with formerparticipants, not as their students but as colleagues.“It truly is the best training program, anywhere – certainly inCanada and even internationally,” says Smith. “When I talk to mycolleagues in other countries they just shake their heads and can’tbelieve what it is we do. We’re so excited when our alumni have newsto share; we like to celebrate their successes.”Vanessa J. Goymour is one such success story. A four-time memberNYOC12 | November 1 - December 7, 2014 thewholenote.com
of the NYOC viola section – first attending the program at age 17 –Vanessa now acts as general manager and artistic advisor for JeunessesMusicales Ontario, the local arm of a Brussels-based organizationthat works worldwide, through national and international offices toprovide performance opportunities for emerging young musicians.Continues on page 72On our coverThis issue’s cover image, taken by Claus Andersen, features threeformer NYOC clarinetists from the orchestra’s 2011 season: AfendiYusuf, Katherine Schoepflin and Christopher Lee (from left toright). We got in touch with Christopher to find out how he looksback on his NYOC experience, and where he is now.When were you in NYOC?I was 24 years old when I joined NYOC 2011. It was the year that Iwas a senior at The Juilliard School.And what are you doing nowadays?I am currently on the clarinet faculty at Vancouver Academy ofMusic and I am the substitute member of the Vancouver SymphonyOrchestra, Victoria Symphony Orchestra and Vancouver IslandSymphony Orchestra. I also give solo concerts at various events andplaces throughout the year.Has your time in the program guided or influenced what youdo currently?The program does not only teach you how to play in theorchestra, but also gives you an idea what actual life is like asan “orchestra player.” It really helped me with what I am doingright now.Any words of wisdom for young musicians who are working ontheir 2015 applications and auditions right now?First of all, I think if you’ve found out about NYOC and are tryingto audition for it you are already on the right track. Trust what youhave been working on and trust the NYOC audition committee –they will surely listen very carefully. I wish you all the best of luck!While we weren’t able to reach our other cover clarinetists, aquick consultation with the all-knowing Google suggests thatmusic-making, professional or otherwise, is still a big part ofwhat they do. Katherine Schoepflin went on to receive a MMusin clarinet from McGill University. As for Afendi Yusuf, he nowlives in the eternally summery Los Angeles, where he studies atThe Colburn School’s Conservatory of Music. Incidentally, Yusuf –whose time in NYOC coincided with their performance of Strauss’Der Rosenkavalier – will perform the same composer’s DuetConcertino for clarinet, bassoon and orchestra with bassoonist JackPeña and the Colburn orchestra this February. We wish all three ofthese cover musicians continued successes!Catherine Wyn-RogersMON, NOV 3, 7:00 PMTUE, NOV 4, 12:10 PMWED, NOV 5, 7:00 PMWALTER HALLAs the John R. Stratton Visitor inMusic, the renowned British mezzosopranowill teach two masterclasses and performs in a concertwith student vocalists.U of T 12TETwith Ralph AlessiTHUR, NOV 6, 7:30 PMWALTER HALL“Alessi’s tone conveys a roundedluminescence, like the moon in fullphase...” - The New York TimesSchola CantorumSAT, NOV 8, 7:30 PMTRINITY COLLEGE CHAPELDaniel Taylor leads the musiciansof Schola Cantorum and Theatreof Early Music in Path to Paradise,a program featuring neglectedRenaissance and Baroquemasterpieces.SUN, NOV 9, 7:30 PMTRINITY COLLEGE CHAPELAn encore performance of TheCoronation of King George II.Shauna Rolston& FriendsMON, NOV 24, 7:00 PMWALTER HALLShauna Rolston performs a rivetingprogram featuring music by ChanKa Nin and Heather Schmidt withchoreography by Peggy Baker andan excellent cast of dancers andmusicians. A cello orchestra ofShauna’s students and colleaguescompletes the program.Gilbert and Sullivan:HMS PINAFORETHUR, NOV 27, 7:30 PMFRI, NOV 28, 7:30 PMSAT, NOV 29, 7:30 PMSUN, NOV 30, 2:30 PMMACMILLAN THEATREAfter an absence of twenty-fiveyears, Gilbert and Sullivan returnsto the MacMillan Theatre stagewith HMS Pinafore, a delightfulparody of Victorian pomp andthe unflappable British Navy,where “love levels all ranks.”Michael Patrick Albano directsthis new production designedby Fred Perruzza and Lisa Magill,conducted by Sandra Horst.Violins, violas, cellos & bowsComplete line of strings & accessoriesExpert repairs & rehairsCanada’s largest stock of string musicA treasure trove of gifts for string playersthesoundpost.cominfo@the soundpost.com93 Grenville St, Toronto M5S 1B4416.971.6990 • fax 416.597.9923• SALON CONCERT •Matt Haimovitz, cello • Nov 9, 2pmCecilia String QuartetMON, NOV 10, 7:00 PMWALTER HALLA concert featuring Beethoven’sOp. 18 No. 1 string quartet,Webern’s Langsamer Satz, andShostakovich’s Op. 57 PianoQuintet, with Lydia Wong, piano.Raigelee AlorutTHUR, DEC 4, 7:30 PMWALTER HALLWorld Music Artist in Residence,traditional Inuit throat singingspecialist Raigelee Alorut performswith the World Music Ensemble.Tickets: 416.408.0208www.music.utoronto.ca/events/calendar.htmthewholenote.com November 1 - December 7, 2014 | 13
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