About the Youth Symphony
The Ensembles
The West Virginia Youth Symphony is a non-profit arts organization that supports five music ensembles and numerous chamber groups. Cadet Strings is an ensemble for beginning strings students. Youth Strings members are intermediate level string musicians and Youth Orchestra is a full orchestra open to string, brass, woodwind and percussion students. Our Wind Ensemble is composed of members of the Youth Orchestra brass and woodwind sections. The Youth Winds are a beginner winds, brass and percussion group under the direction of Dr. David Williams, local composer and music critic. The mission is to provide excellent instrumental instruction and opportunities to present quality performances. Today’s West Virginia Youth Symphony consists of over ninety members including players from Ohio, Kentucky and seven counties in West Virginia.
The Youth Orchestra is conducted by Robert Turizziani. Mr. Turizziani is principal clarinetist with the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra, founder and music director of the Seneca Chamber Orchestra and the music director of the River Cities Symphony. The Youth Strings are conducted by Colleen Tan. Mrs. Tan is a violinist with the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra and an active educator. The Cadet Strings are conducted by Ian Jessee. Mr. Jessee is a violinist with the West Virginia Youth Symphony and conductor of the nationally recognized Horace Mann Middle School strings program.
Members of the West Virginia Youth Symphony participated in an European Tour in 2000 to Prague, Vienna and Budapest and a European Performance Tour to Italy and Austria in July of 2006.
Auditions for the 2007-2008 season will be held May 22nd for strings and June 4th for winds, brass and percussion. To schedule an audition contact Stephanie Isaacs, General Manager at (304) 561-3542 or wvyouthsymphony@gmail.com. Rehearsals are held on Monday at Horace Mann Middle School beginning the first Monday after Labor Day.