Two of Repertory Orchestra’s newest oboists have a lot in common. Leila and Lydia both joined MYS mid-season in November 2024 and travel over 100 miles every Saturday to attend rehearsals. Along with braving early mornings and winter road conditions, they embrace the constant struggle of adjusting finicky reeds (with knives!).

In her fourth season with MYS, Liv has accomplished a remarkable and almost unbelievable feat—she has attended over 100 MYS rehearsals in a row without a single absence. This fall, she was selected as concertmaster of the Philharmonic Orchestra, a position that recognizes her dedication, growth, and passion for music.

The genesis of the MYS Percussion Ensemble, like many innovations during the 2020–21 school year, was a pandemic-era project that arose out of necessity. After a four-year hiatus, the Percussion Ensemble has finally . . .

Minnesota Youth Symphonies, Mark Mandarano, music director, is the winner of The American Prize in Orchestral Performance, 2024 in the youth division. The ensemble was selected from applications reviewed recently from all across the United States.

Three years ago, Sage was a trumpet player who never dreamed he’d become one of the nation’s top high school tuba players. He joined band in fifth grade only because it was required, and chose the trumpet because he enjoyed jazz music. When his band needed a tuba player freshman year, he figured . . .

Patricia Kelly’s rehearsals are heavy on string pedagogy such as shifting, thumb placement, and playing in tune, while also emphasizing ensemble skills such as playing together, listening across the orchestra, and watching the conductor. However, she dispels any notion that these are merely beginner concepts: “These are the same skills they work on in the Minnesota Orchestra. You continue to work on the skills at different levels of expertise.”

When Vi (rhymes with “pie”) strikes a timpani or rings a gong, the resounding tones are the result of years of fine-tuning and patience. Her motivations for joining MYS were inspired but also strategic: “We had a lot of percussionists in the middle school band!”

Kamau got his start on violin thanks to a communications blunder by his second-grade self. “Now, the thing I didn’t know at the time was the difference between a cello and a violin, so I thought that a cello was called a violin.”

Whether your musical journey began in your school music programs or through private lessons, you likely can already think of several people who have influenced you, and peers who became your friends because of your common goal of creating great music! 

You might expect to first encounter a harp in a sophisticated setting like a concert hall, chamber music recital, or wedding—but for MYS harpist Ben, it was TikTok that first inspired his unique musical path.

Welcome to the first in a new series called “The Conductor’s Corner” where I and the other conductors will share different ideas, perspectives and experiences with all of you throughout the year.

Anna wasn’t expecting to perform the complete Firebird Suite when she stepped onstage for her first concert with the Brevard Concert Orchestra. Conductor Ken Lam had chosen Stravinsy’s monumental work to challenge the high school musicians during their first week at the intensive summer training program, nestled in the heart of North Carolina near Asheville.

The MYS Symphony Orchestra was named as a finalist in the Youth Orchestra division of The American Prize in Orchestral Performance competition.

MYS is thrilled to welcome Kelly DeMorett, Director of Orchestras at East Ridge High School, as the next conductor of the Philharmonic Orchestra!

Jim Bartsch is a pivotal figure in the orchestral community who for over three decades has been making an indelible mark on countless students' musical journeys.

”Until the End,” the latest single from Clocks & Clouds, was released last week on streaming platforms including Spotify and YouTube Music—where it’s already received nearly 5,000 views. Clocks & Clouds is a Minneapolis-based instrumental trio featuring Repertory Orchestra conductor Lucas Shogren.

Visiting Guest Artist Jennifer Frautschi will be performing with the Symphony Orchestra on Sunday, November 5. This is just one of three exciting opportunities to hear and learn from this world-class performer next week!

The MYS is pleased to welcome Melissa Morey as the new Operations Manager.

String Cosmology—a new CD from the Sinfonietta of Riverdale featuring MYS Artistic Director and Conductor Mark Mandarano—received a Five-Star review in the May 2023 issue of Fanfare Magazine.

Former MYS student, Ariana Kim of the Minnesota Orchestra, reflects on her musical upbringing in Minnesota. Read the story here.