orchestras
The Hawaii Youth Symphony (HYS) consists of seven orchestras that range from absolute beginners to the most advanced players.
Three orchestras make up the Symphony
Orchestra Program. These orchestras are
for woodwind, brass, percussion and string students. The
Symphony Orchestra Programs include:
Four orchestras make up the String
Program for violin, viola, cello and string
bass students. The String Programs orchestras include:
- Beginning String Ensemble (BSE)
- Intermediate String Ensemble (ISE)
- String Orchestra Ensemble (SOE)
- Concert String
Orchestra (CSO)
Youth Symphony I (YSI) students rehearse every Sunday at the UH Music Department from August through May, averaging 130 hours of rehearsal time each season. Rehearsals include sectionals, all facilitated personally by the conductor, and full-orchestra rehearsals. Students, on average perform eight concerts per season. The orchestra is under the direction of Maestro Henry Miyamura who has been teaching music for more than 40 years. This orchestra performs with professional guest artists from a range of art forms, including vocalists, Hawaiian music groups, ballet dancers, taiko drummers and classical musicians. By the time students reach YSI, their technical skills are quite high. The focus shifts to understanding the depth and nuances of music like color, tonal quality and interpretation. Students work with professional-level music and are taught to play from their hearts as well as their heads. An average of 25 pieces are worked on during the season. All students would be considered advanced level on national and state standards. This orchestra is considered one of the finest Youth Symphonies in the country.
Youth Symphony II (YSII) meets every Sunday at University Laboratory School from late August through May, averaging 110 hours of rehearsal time. Rehearsals include sectionals with expert coaches and full-orchestra rehearsals. During sectionals, students perform for coaches who can give students more individualized attention and help musicians improve their skills to make a greater contribution to the group ensemble. Two workshops with half-day sectionals are scheduled, along with seven concerts. Students are taught to refine their orchestral music skills and perform 10-14 advanced-level works. YSII students average three to five years of playing experience and must audition for their seat. This orchestra is under the direction of Michael Nakasone, music educator for 38 years, and currently Bandmaster for the Royal Hawaiian Band, the country’s only municipal band.
Concert Orchestra (CO) is an entry-level orchestra under the direction of Susan Ochi-Onishi who has been a music educator for more than two decades and Assistant Director Hannah Watanabe, orchestra director at Moanalua Middle School. Members of CO have an average of two to four years of playing experience and must audition for their seat. Students rehearse every Sunday at Niu Valley Middle School from late August through April, averaging 96 hours of rehearsal throughout the season. Weekly rehearsals include winds, percussion and string sectionals and full-orchestra rehearsals. Two workshops are offered with intense, half-day sessions for each instrument family. Within the 9-month program, students will perform in six professionally-produced concerts, including two Listen & Learn educational concerts for 1,200 school-aged children and teachers. For many students, CO is their first experience playing with a full orchestra. The conductor must transform a large range of musical experiences into a cohesive orchestra where students learn to play with new sounds, and read larger scores of music. On average, 8-10 intermediate-level pieces are worked on during a season.
string program
Concert String
Orchestra (CSO) and String Orchestra Ensemble (SOE)
are HYS’s intermediate level string orchestras. Members
of CSO and SOE have an average of two years playing experience
and are selected by auditions which take place in late August.
They rehearse every Saturday at the Boys & Girls Club
of Hawaii Spalding Clubhouse from September through April,
averaging approximately 65 hours of rehearsals each season,
and perform two concerts. These students focus on refining
their musical skills, interacting with a conductor, improving
their form and listening to others around them to adjust
their playing. Most of these students have established a
strong interest in music, making it one of their priorities.
The objective of these orchestras is to lay a solid foundation
for students which will stay with them as they advance their
playing skills.
Beginning String
Ensemble (BSE) and Intermediate String Ensemble (ISE)
are HYS’s beginning orchestras. The Beginning String
program is for students with no prior playing experience
while Intermediate String is for students with at least
one year of experience playing a string instrument. No auditions
are necessary to join these two programs but students must
be at least eight years of age by August 1 of this year.
Students rehearse every Saturday at the Boys & Girls
Club of Hawaii Spalding Clubhouse from September through
April, averaging 35 hours of rehearsals each season, and
perform two concerts. Students begin with little or no music
experience and complete the season with the ability to read
music, tune their instruments, properly bow, follow a conductor
and play several beginning-level pieces as part of an orchestra.
The work at this level is extraordinary as students with
no music background are able to read and play music well
enough to perform at least five musical pieces for their
first concert of the season which is scheduled only twelve
weeks after the first class.
