The Youth Orchestras of San Antonio have just two more performances before taking it on the road. YOSA actually comprises several youth orchestras, encouraging kids to find their own musical paths. Music Director Troy Peters gives us the lowdown on the next performance.
“This Sunday we’re going to be offering one of the big masters of the repertoire, Mahler’s First Symphony. But we’re doing it as a guided tour," he said.
Through the orchestra, Peters will do a stop-and-start performance, with explanations to present in-depth musical elements to the audience.
"I’ll talk people through the piece and we’ll also play musical examples," said Peters. "So it’ll be this chance to kind of find your way through the geography of the piece. Little bits and pieces of the music, and how they relate to each other with the story, and then a chance to hear the whole piece and how it all comes together.”
“Very intense. It’s going to be a lot of fun,” said student and viola player David Tibbetts.
I asked Tibbetts about YOSA's marketing phrase, that it 'changes lives through music.' I asked how it has changed his life.
"It’s made me a better musician, and being a better musician has improved my life in other areas,” Tibbetts said.
And YOSA is about to add substantially to their range of experiences, as Peters explained.
"In about a month we’ll be heading off to Quebec. So we’ll be traveling around in Montreal and Quebec City and then we’ll actually end up in Vermont," Peters said. "So the orchestra that you’ll see onstage this weekend is this group of people who area gearing up to represent San Antonio on the world stage."
Vermont holds special memories for Peters.
"Really excited to take YOSA to Burlington, Vermont, where I worked for 14 years, and have a chance to introduce my new musicians to my old audience," he said.
- For more on YOSA visit: www.yosa.org
