56th Season Opening Concert, featuring Dr. Ayako Yonetani, presented by TD Wealth
ORLANDO, FL – The Florida Symphony Youth Orchestra’s 56th Season opens with an October 14 concert, presented by TD Wealth, featuring all four of the organization’s orchestras and Orlando's own Dr. Ayako Yonetani, an acclaimed violinist and University of Central Florida music professor, at the historic Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre.
The orchestras – Overture Strings, a string training orchestra with performers 7 to 14 years old; Prelude, whose musicians are age 9 to 15; Philharmonia, featuring 11- to 18-year-olds; and Symphonic, a pre-professional group whose members are age 13 to 20 – will present works from composers including Verdi, Saint-Saens and Rimsky-Korsakov. Dr. Yonetani will join FSYO’s Symphonic Orchestra during the Brahms Concerto for an exciting solo performance. She is a doctor of musical arts, a full professor of violin and viola at UCF and a member of Japan’s premier chamber ensemble, Kioi Sinfonietta Tokyo.
“I have performed this concerto with an orchestra several times, so the challenge I have now and the challenge I faced when I was learning for the first time are different,” Dr. Yonetani says. “Because Brahms was not a violinist, I at first felt it was kind of awkward, even though the notes did not look particularly hard. Some virtuoso pieces like Wieniawski or Sarasate fit to the hand more.”
Dr. Yonetani bolsters other expert opinion that the Brahms Concerto is more of a showcase for the orchestra than is typical for a star vehicle. “Now I pay attention to more of the sound because this piece is rather symphonic, requiring a certain richness of sound and stamina,” she says. The virtuosity lies not so much in difficult runs of notes, but in the quirks of the composer. “There are lots of double-stops, but this is also a typical Brahms-ian piece. I like the thickness of harmony and particular sonority of Brahms.”
Dr. Yonetani believes this violin concerto is one of the all-time greats. “The first time I learned this piece, I was the age of the orchestra members, 15 to 16 years old. I was totally fascinated by this concerto when I looked at the music. Of course, some students are already familiar with this piece but, if not, it is nice to hear it live.”
The professor has spent time with various FSYO ensembles in recent years, helping them to hone their skills, but this will be the first time she has played with an FSYO orchestra in concert. “The thing I really like about FSYO is it still preserves good old-time discipline, thanks to Mr. Andrew Lane. I have watched some rehearsals, and there is no wasting time,” Dr. Yonetani says. “If students are not prepared before the rehearsals, it would be mere playing together, and the quality is not improved. Mr. Lane teaches and expects students to look at the part and practice before the rehearsals, and that is how the rehearsals should be.”
She sees playing for an audience as indispensable in developing a young musician. “In this discipline, you cannot improve ‘performance’ unless you perform in public. It is essential for a student to have this opportunity to perform in a serious orchestra. Once some rules are observed, it will be much more fun than just playing together.”
Audience members can assume their important role by purchasing tickets, $8 to $16, through the FSYO office (or click here), for the concert, which begins at 4 p.m. Sunday, October 14, at the Bob Carr, 401 W. Livingston St. This concert is part of the Season Subscription Package.
This concert is presented by TD Wealth.
ABOUT: The Florida Symphony Youth Orchestra aims to educate and inspire Florida’s top young musicians through programs committed to strengthening musical talents and developing appreciation of the arts through classical music. The FSYO, in its 56th Concert Season, comprises three full orchestras and one string training orchestra made up of more than 250 students from eight Central Florida counties.
Programs are sponsored in part by the Florida Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs; the Florida Council on Arts and Culture; Darden Restaurant Foundation; Universal Orlando Foundation; and United Arts of Central Florida. The FSYO is a non-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization. For more information, please visit www.fsyo.org.
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