Resources

Seattle Symphony’s Young Artist Program

The Seattle Symphony’s Young Artist Program will select a small number of young instrumentalists to be featured soloists with the Seattle Symphony in the 2024/2025 season.

All instruments are eligible to apply. We will accept applications from pre-college youth ages 18 and under who live in any of the following states at the time of submitting their application: Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Alaska, Montana or Wyoming.

Applicants must submit an online application, a recording with piano accompaniment, list of prepared concerto orchestra repertoire, letter of recommendation, biography and headshot.

Applications are now open. THE DEADLINE TO APPLY IS 11:59 PM ON JANUARY 26, 2024.

If interested, I have also attached a flyer that can printed to be displayed and/or shared.

Don’t hesitate to reach out if you or any students have questions about the program.

For more information, click HERE

Greater Portland Flute Society Opportunity

Salem Youth Symphony musicians are invited, free of charge, to the Greater Portland Flute Society’s fall event on October 20^th, 7:00 pm, at Portland State University’s Lincoln Hall – Meet the Flutists of the Oregon Symphony: A Concert, Q&A and Reception. To get your FREE ticket and learn more about the event: www.gpfs.org/Fall-Guest-Artist. Your ticket includes entry for your parent(s)/guardian.

Hope to see you there! In addition to great music from extraordinary flutists, there will be cupcakes.

To get your ticket simply click on the registration link on the webpage above. It will open a registration page where you will see a blue register button in the lower left. Click that button and proceed from there. You will want to select the ticketing option that reads “Bravo Orchestra, Portland Youth Philharmonic, Metropolitan Youth Symphony, and Salem Youth Symphony. Or, if you prefer, simply email your request for tickets to president@gpfs.org. We will need your first and last name, email address and the number of tickets.

Greater Portland Flute Society

GPFS website – www.gpfs.org

Event webpage – www.gpfs.org/Fall-Guest-Artist

Instagram – @gpflutesociety

Facebook – @flutesocietyoregon

Grace Goudy Distinguished Artists Series

On Wednesday, October 25th, 7:30 p.m. in Willamette University’s Rogers Music Center, Hudson Concert Hall, the Grace Goudy Distinguished Artists Series presents violinist Amaryn Olmeda. The program will include Ravel’s “Tzigane”, Theresa Von Paradis’ “Sicilienne”, Jesse Montgomery’s “Peace”, the vastly underplayed Stravinsky “Suite Italienne” and the incomparable Cesar Franck Sonata for Violin.

Winner of first prize and the audience choice award at the 24th Annual Sphinx Competition, violinist Amaryn Olmeda is a rising star sought after for her bold and expressive performances as a soloist and collaborator. Violinist.com says of Olmeda, “[…] her commanding stage presence, infallible technique, and interpretive ability already rival that of international concert stage veterans.”

DAS’s Director Jean-David Coen joins Olmeda from the piano for this inspirational evening of performance.

Ms. Olmeda will host a “give and take” session for our music majors and the general public at the weekly music convocation on Tuesday October 24th at 11: 30 a.m. in Hudson Hall. Admission is free.

General admission tickets are $25; Seniors/ICL members $5; Willamette University faculty and staff $10. Students are admitted free.

Tickets are available online at Box Office -goudyartistseries| Willamette University,

at the box office the night of the performance, or call the box office at 503-370-6221. For more information about the series, artists and tickets, visit the Grace Goudy Distinguished Artists Series website.

Links

• https://willamette.edu/arts/goudyartistseries/index.html
• https://willamette.edu/arts/goudyartistseries/das-box-office/index.html
• https://www.amarynolmeda.com

Corvallis Violin Tastating

Mark your calendars for the Corvallis Violin Tasting, Fine Violin Family Exhibit and Sale, Sunday October 29, 2023.

A violin tasting is an exhibit and sale of fine violin family instruments featuring regional instrument and bow makers. Fine violins, violas, cellos, double bass and bows are exhibited and available for trial.

Sunday October 29 ~ noon – 6pm

Hilton Garden Inn
(University Club Room)
2500 SW Western Blvd. Corvallis

The organizers hope to attract all skill levels – junior symphony to amateur to professional players as well as the general public to see fine violin family instruments and talk to the makers.

Admission is free. All are invited.

For additional information, directions, or to get on the mailing list for future regional Violin Tastings:
http://www.violintasting.com

Feel free to download, print, and distribute the poster on the Violin Tasting website.

info@violintasting.com
Call or text: 541-740-8904

Masterclasses presented by the Oregon Chapter of the American Strings Teachers Association

• The first is a series of masterclasses beginning September 18th via Zoom to help violinists, violists, cellists, and bass players prepare audition excerpts for OMEA all state orchestra. Portland State violin professor Tomas Cotik, University of Oregon viola instructor Arnaud Ghillebaert, Oregon Symphony cellist Trevor Fitzpatrick and University of Oregon bassist Tyler Abbott  are presenting. Information about the masterclasses and links for application and payment can be found at the Oregon ASTA website. The classes will be 75 minutes long and for students of members $20 to play and $10 to watch, and for students of non-members $30 and $15, and those who can’t attend can register for the lower fees and receive a recording of the class. More information can be found HERE!

• On Saturday, October 9th, the second day of the Biennial Conference, there will be 90 minute masterclasses with Cleveland institute violin professor David Russel, Oregon Symphony assistant principal violist Charles Noble, cello soloist and Portland Cello Project member Diane Chaplin, and University of Oregon bass teacher Tyler Abbott. Registration information can be found HERE!

All-State Audition Excerpts Learning Resources by Dr. Tomas Cotik

Salem Youth Symphony violinists can find Dr. Cotik’s own video recordings of all of the excerpts required for the All-State violin auditions. To facilitate the preparation of the excerpts, he has also included the scores with his fingerings and bowings as well as the full orchestral score, a brief introduction about each piece, and advice on solving the typical problems that he has seen students confront in terms of rhythm, bow stroke, articulation, dynamics, vibrato, intonation and phrasing.

These articles cannot replace the necessity of slow, mindful practice or the weekly guidance of a teacher. They are meant as a resource to complement and help students and teachers as they prepare the All-State audition excerpts.