The Louisville Youth Orchestra (LYO) today announced the launch of two new initiatives aimed at improving access to music education for young musicians in our community. In addition to the seven current ensembles, the LYO will now include a dedicated beginning strings program and two new ensembles for advanced wind and brass students.
The LYO Beginning Strings Program will bring music education to students that may not have exposure to musical instruments or have access to school orchestra. This program focuses on providing introductory instrumental training as students learn to play violin, viola, or cello through engaging class activities. Students begin with no knowledge of the instrument. They progress from learning basic skills such as bow hold, hand and finger positions and string identification to performing simple new songs that focus on music reading, hand strength, plucking, and bowing techniques.
“Introducing young students, especially those in elementary school, to instrumental music education is a tremendous benefit to the students, schools and the community,” said LYO Executive Director Matthew Vanover. “As schools make the difficult decision about where to spend precious resources, the LYO identified an opportunity to help increase access to the arts. We will be partnering with Title 1 schools, churches, community centers and other organizations to bring music education to young students, helping to break down traditional barriers.”
To help address the increasing need for music education among the youngest members of our community, the LYO has created a full-time Beginning String Director. Matthew Lane, a well-known music educator and owner of Lane and Edwards Violins, has been named to the position. In addition to his role in introducing music to young students in our community, Mr. Lane will help create a curriculum so that students can advance through the LYO’s additional ensembles.
“I am excited to help build a program that will bring music to young students in our community that may not otherwise have access to instrumental music education,” said Matthew Lane, LYO Beginning Strings Director. “My goal is to introduce students in underserved schools to the beautiful world of playing a string instrument. We will also work to create a pathway for them to explore music in whatever direction it may take them.”
In addition, the LYO also launched two new ensembles focused on advanced wind students. These ensembles are in addition to the current Horizon’s Wind and Horizon’s Brass Ensembles that focus on beginning and intermediate players with targeted instruction and repertoire. The new ensembles will support the growth of developing wind musicians and a comprehensive educational model.
“We’ve offered a progression of ensembles for our string students – Serenade through Symphony – for many years now. We’re thrilled to be able to launch these new ensembles and offer a similar progression for the talented and dedicated wind and brass student,” said Doug Elmore, LYO Music Director. “These new ensembles will help promote growth in our young musicians and provide them with unique new opportunities to explore the wide-ranging repertoire available to them.”
The Concert Winds is a full woodwind and brass ensemble and will target advanced middle-school and young high-school students. The Symphonic Wind Ensemble is an advanced chamber ensemble for woodwinds, brass, and percussion that will provide a unique and differentiated education opportunity for growing wind musicians.
For 66 years, the LYO has helped create extraordinary musical experiences for young musicians in the Greater Louisville region. Through 10 ensembles, the organization expects to serves musicians from over 16 counties in Kentucky and Southern Indiana. The LYO is the only organization in the community with two full symphonic orchestras (Symphony Orchestra and Repertory Orchestra), two emerging string orchestras (Concert Orchestra and Serenade Orchestra) as well as the four wind ensembles.
Placements for the upcoming season begin on August 17 and last through August 28. The upcoming season will feature eight concerts that will showcase classics from well-known composers, pops from favorite movies and TV shows as well as the always entertaining Holiday Pops Concert. This season will also feature a special performance of the Lincoln Portrait by Aaron Copland.
For more information about the LYO or to learn more about the upcoming season, please visit www.lyo.org.
