Florida Symphony Youth Orchestras Announces New Music Director, Dr. James Welsch
FLORIDA SYMPHONY YOUTH ORCHESTRAS ANNOUNCES THE DEPARTURE OF MUSIC DIRECTOR HANRICH CLAASSEN
FSYO ANNOUNCES VIOLINIST MIDORI AS ARTIST IN RESIDENCE
Florida Symphony Youth Orchestras (FSYO) is thrilled to announce visionary artist, activist, and educator Midori as this season's Virtual Artist-in-Residence. As a leading concert violinist for over 35 years, Midori's unique career has been dedicated to exploring and building connections between music and the human experience.
During her time as the Virtual Artist-in-Residence, Midori will work closely with FSYO's four classical orchestras. Beginning November 10, students will participate in five virtual sessions ranging from a violin masterclass and best practice tips, to discussing Midori's role as a UN Messenger of Peace.
Music Director and Symphonic Orchestra Conductor, Hanrich Claassen, said: "We are honored to have been selected by renowned violinist and educator, Midori, for a Virtual Orchestra Residency Program. As we all navigate the 'new normal' of virtual offerings a-plenty, this will be an absolute highlight for our students, parents, and community members!"
As an added bonus, FSYO will open two of the virtual sessions to FSYO parents, the Orlando art community, and Orange County Public School music teachers. Participants are encouraged to email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information.
About MIDORI: Midori regularly transfixes audiences around the world, combining graceful precision and intimate expression. Among many significant associations, she has performed with the London, Chicago, and San Francisco Symphony Orchestras, the Sinfonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, the Berlin and Vienna Philharmonics, and the Mahler Chamber Orchestra. She has collaborated with such outstanding musicians as Claudio Abbado, Leonard Bernstein, Emanuel Ax, Zubin Mehta, Christoph Eschenbach, Mariss Jansons, Paavo Järvi, Omer Meir Wellber, Yo-Yo Ma, and Susanna Mälkki.
Midori's diverse discography, released by Sony Classical, Ondine, and Onyx, includes recordings of Bloch, Janáček, and Shostakovich sonatas, and a Grammy Award-winning recording of Hindemith's Violin Concerto with Christoph Eschenbach conducting the NDR Symphony Orchestra. Her traversal of the complete Bach Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin was filmed for DVD at Köthen Castle and was released by Accentus.
Midori is deeply committed to furthering humanitarian and educational goals. She has founded and manages several non-profit organizations, including Midori & Friends, which provides music programs for New York City youth and communities, and MUSIC SHARING, a Japan-based foundation that brings both western classical and Japanese music traditions into young lives by presenting programs in schools, institutions, and hospitals. In recognition of such commitments, she serves as a United Nations Messenger of Peace.
Midori was born in Osaka in 1971 and began her violin studies with her mother, Setsu Goto, at an early age. In 1982, the conductor Zubin Mehta invited the then 11-year-old Midori to perform with the New York Philharmonic in the orchestra's annual New Year's Eve concert, helping to lay the foundation for her resulting career.
Midori plays the 1734 Guarnerius del Gesù "ex-Huberman". She uses four bows – two by Dominique Peccatte, one by François Peccatte, and one by Paul Siefried.
2020 Concerto Competition Finalists' Recital
On Saturday, November 7, 2020, Florida Symphony Youth Orchestras will present its Annual Concerto Competition Finalists' recital. Showcasing the talent and skill of eight finalists, this adjudicated competition gives students the opportunity to hone their skills as a soloist. At the conclusion of the concert, one winner will be announced who will perform their concerto accompanied by FSYO's Symphonic Orchestra later this season. All members of the Jazz Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, and Symphonic Orchestra are eligible to participate.
Previous winners have gone on to study at Juilliard, Manhattan School of Music, The Boston Conservatory, among other prestigious institutions. The experience of performing at the November recital, supported by a piano reduction of the orchestral parts, has proven to be invaluable to the young artists' growth.
The 2020-2021 Concerto Competition finalists are, in alphabetical order:
- Liam Daly, Horn: Horn Concerto No. 1 in E-flat Major, Op. 11, Mvmt. III by Richard Strauss
- Molly Dench, Oboe: Oboe Concerto in C Major, Mvmt. I by Joseph Haydn
- Aidan Fuller, Trombone: Fantasy, Op. 42 by Paul Creston
- Andrea Ignjatic, Violin: The Lark Ascending by Ralph Vaughan Williams
- Carson Long, Bassoon: Concerto in B-flat Major, KV 191, Mvmt. I by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
- Jared Sta.Ana, Clarinet: Concerto pour Clarinette et Orchestre, Mvmt. I by Jean Francaix
- Isabelle Tseng, Violin: Violin Concerto in D minor Op. 47, Mvmt. I by Jean Sibelius
- Maggie Yuan, Violin: Butterfly Lovers' Violin Concerto by He Zhanhao, Chen Gang
To help reduce the spread of Covid-19, this year's Concerto Competition will be online only and streamed live on Timucua Arts Foundation's YouTube channel.
Eddie Fee Accepts Board of Directors Presidency for 2020-2021 Season
As Director of Meter Services at Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC), Mr. Eddie Fee is responsible for electric and water automated metering infrastructure (AMI) including over 400,000 field devices and head-end systems, meter data stewardship, revenue assurance, cut-on/cut-off field operations and mobile meter reading (AMR) activities. His 22-year tenure with OUC includes numerous positions held, including Meter Reader, Field Service Technician, Electric Meter Technician, Revenue Assurance Specialist, Revenue Assurance Administrator, Meter Data Administrator and Manager of Meter Data & Revenue Assurance. A graduate of the University of Central Florida with a degree in Business Administration, Mr. Fee also earned his Master of Business Administration from UCF (University of Central Florida) in 2015.
As a FSYO parent, Mr. Fee has been hands on with the organization for the last three years. His daughter, Adrienne, is currently in the Symphonic Orchestra. "Mr. Fee has been an incredible asset to FSYO and its Board of Directors both as a general member and the Vice President. I am excited to work with him closely in his new position and increase the impact of our organization." - Briana Scales, FSYO Executive Director
OUC has been a long-standing partner and print sponsor for FSYO. OUC takes great pride in its responsibility to serve our community as a committed partner, sustainability leader and trusted corporate citizen.
Eddie is among the 13 returning FSYO board members for the 2020-2021 season. Mr. Samuel Thomas (Ernst & Young, LLP) will be moving into a new leadership position as the board Vice President for the 2020-2021 season.
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