Aspiring young musicians across Georgia have a chance to tune up their skills and play symphonic music with like-minded peers, as the Georgia Youth Symphony Orchestras (GYSO) kicks off auditions for its fall 2024 season. According to the City of Marietta's official announcement yesterday, the GYSO, a division of the Georgia Symphony Orchestra, is inviting students from 17 counties to try out for one of its five orchestras and seven chamber ensembles, which cater to varying levels of musical expertise.
Since its inception in 2006, GYSO has grown into one of the Southeast's leading youth orchestra programs servicing elementary to high school students and what sets GYSO apart is its nurturing approach, offering musicians a supportive environment to hone their craft under the guidance of seasoned professionals. According to a statement obtained by the City of Marietta, cellist Antonia Patel, part of GYSO's Camerata orchestra, shared her journey of moving up the ranks in the program while forging lasting friendships, saying, "I love the challenge of playing harder and harder music and seeing my friends each week."
The program not only promotes musical development but also provides an avenue for young talents to transition smoothly into new communities, as violinist Aidan Patel, an East Cobb transplant and member of GYSO’s Philharmonic orchestra, described the orchestra as an opportunity for him to play in an ensemble and make new friends when he first moved to the area. "We had just moved to the East Cobb area and I felt GYSO would provide an opportunity to play as part of an orchestra and help me make new friends, too," Aidan told the City of Marietta.
It's not just about integration or climbing the competitive ladder for these young virtuosos, GYSO also concentrates on widening their experience in the world of music, violinist Zehari Williams, who also plays for GYSO's Philharmonic orchestra and Strings Symposium revealed a desire to explore symphonic pieces in collaboration with a band and other instruments, explaining in words shared by the City of Marietta, "I wanted to audition for GYSO so I could play higher-level music with band and other instruments in a symphonic setting. It’s been a wonderful experience and I’m honored to be in GYSO,"
For students like Will Weaver, who has juggled roles as a violist and violinist for GYSO and aims to pursue a music major in college bolstered by scholarships drawn from his years in the program, the diversity of ensembles GYSO offers such as the Symphony orchestra and the Honors String Quartet is a highlight and a testomony to the depth of the program. "One thing I’ve really enjoyed about GYSO is how many different ensembles there are, so you have opportunities to focus on things that might not be offered in school orchestral programs, like chamber music," Weaver recounted enthusiastically in a statement to the City of Marietta.
The GYSO not only aims to create a challenging and enriching environment for the young musicians, but also looks to strike a chord with those needing financial assistance, providing need-based scholarships for aspiring talents. As auditions commenced on April 15, more details on the Georgia Youth Symphony Orchestras program and its audition process are available on their website.
