Student musicians at Churchville-Chili High School are making an impact that can be felt locally, nationally, and even internationally.
Seniors Jane Huffer (violin) and Natalie Jackson (French horn), along with freshman Andrew Huffer (violin), have been named members of the 2014-2015 Hochstein Youth Symphony Orchestra (HYSO), the highest-level youth orchestra in the Hochstein School of Music & Dance’s five-tier youth orchestra program. Sophomore Kevin Dick (trombone) has been selected to perform with the Rochester Philharmonic Youth Orchestra (RPYO).
This is the second year of HYSO participation for Jane Huffer and Jackson; the first for Andrew Huffer. Students from around the world compete annually for a seat in the HYSO, a full orchestra (strings, brass, woodwinds, percussion) for advanced musicians that promotes musical experience through the study and performance of standard orchestral repertoire, contemporary works, small ensembles and student concerto performances.
This season, 70 students from over 27 different schools and five different counties are performing together for an accelerated musical experience. Since 2000, the HYSO has performed in Austria, France, Germany, Czech Republic, Italy, Switzerland and Ireland.
The orchestra made their Carnegie Hall debut in 2002 and returned to Paris and Normandy last spring for the 70th Anniversary of D-Day. The first performance of the 2014-2015 season, led by musical director Casey Springstead, was November 9 in the Hochstein Performance Hall. Hochstein piano faculty member, Doleen Hood, performed with the orchestra.
The Rochester Philharmonic Youth Orchestra is a symphony orchestra comprised of the most advanced young musicians in grades eight through 12 from schools throughout the greater Rochester area. Musicians are admitted through highly competitive annual auditions each spring.
These 95 to 100 students have committed themselves a challenging concert schedule, guided by longtime RPYO Music Director Dr. David Harman. Dick is looking forward to the opportunity to work with and learn from the RPYO’s talented members and renowned guest conductors, like Dr. Paul Shewan and James Mick.
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