Keeping Tempo Volume 7, Number 1, August 2015
YOBC Board of Director Transitions
Inside this issue: Student Spotlight: Joshua and Matthew Enders
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Departing Board Members
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New Conductors Join YOBC’s Artistic Staff
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Director’s Corner: The Why of YOBC
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YOBC Alumna Carolyn Fox Borgen New ED of a Minnesota Youth Orchestra
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Making a Difference in the Global Village
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Composer-in-Residence: Eric Sessler
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Wind Clinics by Temple Director of Bands
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Not Just Another Fiddle Camp
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In Memory of Arleen Melamed: Music Education Advocate
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Important Dates:
September 12: Orientation and Curtain-Raiser September 13: YOBC rehearsals begin September 20: Parents’ meetings September 27: Deadline to join YOBC 2016 French Alps & Riviera Tour October 11–25: YOBC Practice-a-Thon October 25: Wind clinics November 14: Neshaminy Mall community recital November 21–22: Fall Concerts
Over the summer while rehearsals have been on hiatus, some important transitions have been taking place on the YOBC Board of Directors. With the new season, a new president — Paul Clough — takes the helm as the organization begins its next quarter century. Paul is a consultant at Fresnel Partners, parent of two YOBC alumnae, and has served as YOBC’s treasurer for many years. He says, “I’m excited to be taking on a new role within YOBC. Over the 18 years that our family has been involved with YOBC, the organization has grown considerably. Importantly, YOBC’s programs have continued to become stronger and offer more to each participant. I look forward to continuing to work to strengthen the impact that classical music
can have on young peoples’ lives.” Paul takes over from Joe Hochreiter who is stepping down from the YOBC presidency after serving in that capacity since 2006. Joe’s new role will be as vice president of development. He echoes Paul’s passion and commitment to the organization. “Paul and I partnered in the amazing development of YOBC into a best-in-class organization through the past decade. His ascendance to the presidency allows me to take on one of YOBC’s most pressing challenges: creating the financial development needed to support our strategic vision into the next decade.” Rounding out the executive committee will be David Osenberg as VP for communications, Dawn Karlyn as YOBC’s new
Paul Clough
treasurer, and Vicki Roza as secretary. Five newly appointed members are also joining the board to replace several long-serving directors who have stepped down (see page 2). The new members include Kevin Algeo, Alexander Godun, Elliot Kolodny, Stephanie LaRue, and Charlie Walker. The talents and enthusiasm they each bring will help drive YOBC’s future endeavors.
YOBC’s new board members (l to r): Kevin Algeo, Charles Walker, Stephanie LaRue, Elliot Kolodny, and Alexander Godun.
tudent
potlight: Matthew and Joshua Enders
This edition of Keeping Tempo shines the spotlight on students who represent a YOBC first: children of one of YOBC’s original members! Matthew and Joshua Enders are sixth graders attending Bridge Valley Elementary School in the Central Bucks School District. They are excited to join YOBC. Joshua will be playing trumpet in the Wind Symphony and Matthew will be playing cello in Concertino. Matthew and Joshua first learned of YOBC from their mother, Jamie. Jamie played flute in YOBC’s first Symphony when it started in 1991 and continued until graduating Council Rock High School in 1993. She went on to study flute and composition at Manhattan School of Music. Afterward, she received her degree in film scoring and performance from Berklee College of Music. Jamie ran a successful Kids Music Round program in the Doylestown area for many years and now teaches Music and Move-
ment at Burn Brae Day Camp for the Performing Arts. She also started Cookies For Me, a bakery specializing in gluten-, nut-, egg-, and dairy-free treats. Matthew started playing cello in the fourth grade. He selected the cello because he likes deep sounding instruments. He also likes the sound of string instruments. Joshua started playing trumpet in the fifth grade. He selected the trumpet because he “thought it was cool.” Both boys enjoy attending Burn Brae Day Camp for the Performing Arts where they work on their instruments. Joshua excels in the Jazz Band while Matthew plays his cello and electric cello in Rock Band. Aside from music, the boys have earned their brown belts in karate. Joshua is extremely creative and loves to draw with an emphasis on cartooning. Matthew is an accomplished chess player and competes in tournaments throughout Pennsylvania. In addition, the boys enjoy playing the strategy card
Joshua and Matthew Enders and their mom Jamie, a YOBC alumna, get (re)acquainted with Mr. Loughran at their audition this spring.
game “Magic the Gathering” and watching movies. There is no doubt that music will remain a big part of their life as they continue to grow. YOBC welcomes our first secondgeneration students and looks forward to being part of their musical growth.
Departing Board Members
YOBC’s founder, Joe Gimbel, was a surprise visitor at the YOBC spring concerts in April. Visiting the area for a high school reunion, Joe joined Bob Loughran at the podium during the dress rehearsal.
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YOBC salutes several longserving members of the Board of Directors who stepped down at the end of the last season. Gratitude and thanks go out to Dr. Patricia Sydney, Past President Dori Clough, and Diana Nolan (who will continue to work for YOBC as office manager and auditions coordinator). Eileen Wachtman has stepped down as vice president but will continue to serve on the board this year to help with the transition. Vicki Roza has also agreed to serve as secretary for another year. YOBC’s Board of Directors is a dynamic group. We recruit year-round and are always interested in talking to new people about how they can help the mission and what they can bring to the organization. If you or someone you know is interested in serving on the board, please contact us for an introduction. Keeping Tempo
New Conductors Join YOBC’s Artistic Staff This season YOBC welcomes two new conductors to the artistic staff: Joseph Caminiti and Erin Sweetsir-Mills. Both of these new conductors are familiar faces to most of the YOBC family. Mr. Caminiti has been a frequent substitute for our wind ensembles and Mrs. Mills has worked with Wind Symphony and frequently sits in the French horn section of our Advanced Division ensembles when a horn seat is vacant. Mr. Caminiti will be the conductor for Philharmonia, taking the baton from Steve Sweetsir (who will continue as Assistant Music Director and conductor of Fanfare Winds). In this year of changes, Mr. Caminiti is also starting a new position at West Chester University as the director of orchestra
studies, and conductor of their Symphony and String Orchestras. This follows a 14-year tenure at Cairn University where he chaired their department of instrumental music studies. As a conductor, Mr. Caminiti seeks to share music creatively with diverse audiences. From formal concerts to family and pops concerts, he has a passion for exploring how art uniquely mingles with daily life, its joys and its struggles. Mr. Caminiti is a member of the horn sections of the Riverside Symphonia (Lambertville, NJ), the Fairmount Chamber Ensemble (Philadelphia), and is a chamber recitalist with other professional ensembles throughout the Philadelphia region.
Also joining the YOBC artistic staff is Erin Sweetsir-Mills. Mrs. Mills is a graduate of Temple University and holds a Bachelor of Arts in music education. She taught general music, choral music, and handbell choir at Haverford Middle School and St. Michael the Archangel Elementary School. For the past five years, Erin has conducted the children's choir and orchestra at Neshaminy Valley Baptist Church. She has been a frequent guest conductor with the Youth Orchestra of Bucks County and is an active French hornist, playing in ensembles including Bucks County Symphony, Delaware Valley Wind Symphony, and Warminster Symphony. Mrs. Mills is also a YOBC alumna and was a concerto soloist during the 1998–99 season.
Executive Director’s Corner: The Why of YOBC Goodbye summer and hello fall! In just a few short weeks, YOBC will be welcoming over 275 students to our 2015–16 season. You may be a new YOBC member or a returning veteran, but I want to take a moment to talk with you about the why of YOBC’s mission. I love being a part of YOBC. I love being a part of an organization whose vision is to give students opportunities to live and work to their fullest potential. We live in an amazing age where the world around us is changing at a rapid pace, but one thing that has remained constant is a young person’s need to be encouraged and mentored in a nurturing and positive environment. We are deeply committed to providing opportunities to help kids work toward a bright future every day. YOBC accomplishes this vision by providing great programs and dedicated, skilled teachers. We have eight Volume 7, Number 1, August 2015
performing ensembles to meet the individual needs of students at all skill levels. Our ensembles are led by exceptional educators and musicians with extensive teaching experience. Our guest artist program gives students opportunities to work with and learn from renowned musicians like Philadelphia Orchestra concertmaster David Kim. We have initiated innovative programs such as Crossing Classical Boundaries which supplements our ensemble programs by exposing students to great artists and genres outside the traditional classical music experience. We offer students opportunities to give back to others by volunteering as student interns and participating in community concerts. Students in our Advanced Division are given incredible opportunities to learn about and connect to other cultures through participation in YOBC’s international concert tour programs.
The YOBC Board of Directors is dedicated to making the benefits of musical training and life skills development available to all students, regardless of their financial resources. They have championed this vision by tirelessly raising financial and community support for YOBC scholarships and Students In Concert, our community outreach program. Great programs, dedicated teachers and staff, and tireless advocating are part of what we offer but all of these things happen because YOBC is driven by a clear sense of purpose – helping kids live their lives to the fullest potential. The YOBC artistic staff, administrative staff, and Board of Directors join to welcome parents and students to this, our 24th year of providing exceptional opportunities for young musicians. —Colleen Sweetsir YOBC Executive Director Page 3
YOBC Alumna Carolyn Fox Borgen Named Executive Director of a Minnesota Youth Orchestra When Carolyn (Fox) Borgen reached out to YOBC earlier this year, she was happy to hear that Bob Loughran was still the artistic director and conductor of YOBC’s Symphony Orchestra. Carolyn played in the Symphony from 1993–95 and recalls, “A friend who also played in the group likes to remind me, my string bass actually slipped out and I went down during a performance. He loves telling the story about how Bob looked over to the bass section (which was just me) and his eyes almost popped out of his head when he saw me go down and get back up.” Carolyn first expressed an interest in playing a string instrument to her parents in 1988 when she was in the sixth grade. They told her that she could play one as long as it was free from the school. She relayed their message to her soon-to-be orchestra teacher. The teacher offered Carolyn the choice of viola, cello, or string bass. Little did anyone know that she had wanted to play the string bass since she first saw a picture of it in second grade. She was told then that she would have to wait till the sixth grade due to her size. As soon as she heard that
Carolyn (and daughter) today Page 4
the bass was free to take home, she jumped on the opportunity. “You can only imagine the surprise of my parents when their daughter walked off the bus with an instrument twice her size,” Carolyn says. Sure it was free, but her parents soon learned the many costs associated with a musician who wanted to play everywhere. Before long her parents were driving her all over Bucks County, so she could be a part of YOBC, to Philadelphia to take lessons with Boris Blumenkrantz the principal bassist of the Delaware Symphony, to music camps and workshops, and to regional competitions. Carolyn learned early on that only a few people choose the path of string bass and with that came great responsibility to the community. “If my high school or local group needed me to play a piece with a group, I did so because it is important to support my community.” She carried this philosophy with her to college, which afforded Carolyn a great many opportunities to travel with choirs, play jazz, and to play with the Winona Symphony Orchestra. Her dedication continued post-college, when she played with the Saint Paul Civic Orchestra. She currently performs with the Cannon Valley Regional Orchestra and the Mankato Community Orchestra. Carolyn’s YOBC experience played an important role. As she explains, “Being a part of YOBC was a guiding force over the years, and my love of music developed while playing with the group. Before YOBC, I never knew bass parts in an orchestra could be so much fun or challenging. I look back on my years with YOBC fondly and know that we had a truly special group of students playing together. The level of music was a step up from what I was playing in high school and truly prepared me for my college and post-college years. My first year in
college wasn’t such a shock with regard to orchestral music, because I had the wonderful experience of playing with Carolyn in 1993 YOBC.” In the end Carolyn decided not to major in music so that something she loved wouldn’t become work. She knew that as a bass player she could still play and support the community in many different ways while continuing her own musical aspirations. This led to Carolyn’s decision to pursue a Masters in Arts Administration. She thought this was the perfect way to support other nonprofit organizations. When she saw the opening for the Mankato Area Youth Symphony Orchestra Executive Director position, she was excited because she was hoping to make a difference for students like YOBC had made a difference for her. After playing for over 20 years and with the encouragement of her daughter, Carolyn has also started a new journey as a bass teacher in the Suzuki method. At age 4, her daughter announced that she wanted to play the bass. Carolyn couldn’t find anyone in their rural area who was willing to teach a child so young. After talking with the local Suzuki school, she auditioned and started her teacher training last year. Her daughter is now 6 and has been playing the violin for the last two years Having inherited her mother's determination, the little girl has practiced over 421 days in a row. She hopes to play bass when she’s older—preferably with a nonparent teacher! Keeping Tempo
Making a Difference in the Global Village Gregory and Jeremy Horn, Central Bucks East rising juniors, are committed to making a difference for Cambodians still suffering from the starvation and genocide caused by Pol Pot and his Khmer Rouge regime decades ago. The boys first learned about the plight of the Cambodian people during a family trip in 2007, where they were introduced to Tabitha, a nonprofit NGO employing displaced Cambodians in the silk cottage industry. Outside Cambodia, Tabitha is supported entirely by volunteers like Gregory and Jeremy who seek out markets to resell silk goods and raise money in support of Tabitha’s community programs like irrigation ponds and water wells, micro-savings, and house building. Last March, the boys embarked on a 22-hour plane ride to participate in a service trip to Cambodia after raising sufficient funds to build one of six stilt homes for which they were responsible. Tabitha’s house-building team consisted of members of all ages and from all walks of life who came together from Korea, Israel, Germany, Cambodia, and the UK.
Volume 7, Number 1, August 2015
After their arrival in Phnom Penh, Gregory and Jeremy toured the infamous Tol Sleng prison and killing fields in the city’s outskirts. Before heading out to the building site the next day, they visited Tabitha’s headquarters where they met founder Janne Ritskes who presented Cambodia’s recent history, as well as Tabitha’s achievement in breaking the poverty cycle for so many impoverished families associated with the organization. Hours later the house-building team arrived in the remote Preah Vihear province, where the following day volunteers started completing prefabricated houses for a group of 30 villagers. The standard living conditions of impoverished villagers in the remote areas in Cambodia consist of makeshift huts with minimum protection for their families from the monsoon rains or sweltering heat. The Tabitha tin houses, on the other hand, are built on stilts that provide protection from the elements, and their covered area doubles as shaded space for cooking and for keeping livestock. A water well, also sponsored by Tabitha, serves as an important source of fresh water and irrigation, so that families can improve their nutrition and generate income by selling crops.
The house-building team also had a chance to tour two nearby temples—Koh Ker and Beng Mealea—where they learned about Cambodia’s rich cultural past before heading back to Phnom Penh for more sightseeing and a visit to a local orphanage. During the week-long trip, Gregory and Jeremy not only witnessed the life-changing impact of Tabitha’s house-building and water projects but also toured the Phnom Penh construction site of Tabitha’s newest, ambitious endeavor: the multi-million dollar Nokor Tep hospital. The hospital will provide affordable health care to the needy via in- and outpatient services, as well as making treatments available to remote provinces through mobile units. For more information on Tabitha community-building programs, visit www.TabithaUSA.org.
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YOBC Composer-in-Residence: Eric Sessler Earlier this year, YOBC’s Board of Directors approved a music commission proposal presented by YOBC’s artistic director, Bob Loughran. The proposal envisioned collaborating with composer Eric Sessler to commission works for several YOBC ensembles and to engage YOBC students in the composition process. As originally conceived, the project would include two new compositions—one commissioned for the 2016 tour ensemble and one for use by all YOBC ensembles at 25th anniversary gala in the spring of 2017. Each composition is expected to be 5–6 minutes long. Artistic collaboration with YOBC students will include involvement of the composer at rehearsals to work on preparation and the composition process. He will also lead a composition master class. Dr. Sessler says he is “thrilled to collaborate with YOBC as composer-in-residence for 2016 and to work together with the students and faculty to bring to life several new works!” He further explains that the project has evolved from its original conception: “There will be a showcase piece for the Symphony which will be included as part of the summer tour in France. A new work for Fanfare Winds to explore. Lastly, for the 25th anniversary of
YOBC a composition for the gala concert which will include all of the ensembles and players in YOBC, in one monumental celebration.” Dr. Sessler is a graduate of The Curtis Institute of Music and The Juilliard School, having studied composition with Samuel Adler, David Diamond, and Ned Rorem. He teaches at The Curtis Institute of Music and The Juilliard School, Pre-College. Eric Sessler’s distinctive compositions are an accessible and highly engaging blend of classical music infused with elements drawn from popular music. His novel creative methods utilize the guitar as a conduit for creativity—the result being adapted and manipulated to form music from solo to chamber, vocal and orchestral works. Local critics have described his music as “full of reverberations and refractions on optimism and sincerity, and the same kind of American vibe that infused Barber” (The Philadelphia Inquirer). And, “Eric Sessler may prove to be the American composer of his generation capable of linking together the contrasting strains of post-romantic melody and harmony with the postmodern manipulations of Steve Reich, Phillip Glass, John Adams and others” (Broad Street Review).
Some of you may recognize Dr. Sessler as liaison for last year’s YOBC Flute Choir of which his daughter was a member. YOBC welcomes him back this year in his new role as composer-in-residence. As he explains, “Throughout the year I will be around for rehearsals, performances, and workshops. I look forward to meeting and working with everyone!” YOBC will be working with Dr. Sessler to try to secure several grants to help fund this initiative. Learn more about the composer and listen to some of his music at his website www.ericsessler.com and on SoundCloud.
Wind Clinics by Temple Director of Bands Emily Threinen, Temple University Director of Bands and Artistic Director for Winds and Brass, will be conducting clinics for all three YOBC wind ensembles on Sunday, October 25. The schedule for that day will be altered to allow her time to work with Wind Symphony, Wind Ensemble, and Fanfare Winds. Watch the YOBC website for news about revised schedules. Emily Threinen conducts the acclaimed Wind Symphony at TemPage 6
ple, and guides the instrumental conducting program, instructs courses on wind repertory, advises graduate students, and provides administrative leadership for all aspects of Temple University bands. Dr. Threinen consistently works with composers, arrangers, and performing artists of varied disciplines. Residencies and projects with composers and new compositions are integral to her creative work.
Emily Threinen Keeping Tempo
Join the
YOBC 2016 French Alps & Riviera Tour Chamonix – Annecy – Arles – Nice - Stresa – Milan
Deadline: Sept 27
Climb Mt. Blanc – Go into the Glacier – Explore the Gorge Swim on the Riviera Boat on Lake Maggiore Castles – Museums – Roman Ruins
Four concerts by the Youth Orchestra of Bucks County Open to all YOBC Advanced Division students and their families.
Not Just Another Fiddle Camp Oh, the places we will go … when we play with YOBC ... from Philadelphia to Menton to Florence to New York City! We were first introduced to Mark O’Connor and his music in February 2013 during his master classes at YOBC. He returned and played with us in the spring concert at the Trenton War Memorial in May 2013. Mark O’Connor, a Grammywinning violinist who claimed his fame early in his music career, hosted his inaugural New York City Method Camp during August 3–7, 2015. His method books help spread his ideas and passion for strings all over the world using American music and history. Mark O’Connor and his wife, Maggie O’Connor, strive to keep string orchestras alive and flourishing by teaching students and teachers his method. YOBC students were invited to attend the camp and after ironing out the logistics, we packed our bags for New York City! The week-long camp was filled with lots of performances, lessons, and group activities that any string musician could learn from and appreciate. Approximately 100 talented musicians of all ages and from all around the country Volume 7, Number 1, August 2015
(Brooklyn to Miami to Seattle) and from all around the globe (Sri Lanka to Colombia to Nigeria) gathered together in this eventful camp at the Turtle Bay Music School on the East Side of Manhattan. We played all week in orchestras and quartets, and participated in jam sessions and recitals at the end of the each day. Students were able to choose from a variety of electives for the week in addition to the master classes and core classes Anastasia and Jonathan Lewis with fiddler Mark with their string instruO’Connor at his camp in NYC. ment teachers, teacher trainers, and guest conductors. The camp to share ideas and make electives ranged from learning the American music. mandolin to improvisation. —Jonathan and Anastasia Lewis One of the most unforgettable moments was the dedication cereJonathan (11th grade) and Anastasia (8th grade) attend Penn Charter. Jonamony in loving memory of the Wall than plays oboe and English horn in Street Journal reporter, Daniel Pearl. YOBC Symphony Orchestra and Fanfare Three beautifully handcrafted instruWinds. He also plays cello, piano, and ments are passed down annually to vibes. He has been a member of YOBC since fall 2010. This is Anastasia’s third young, talented musicians to keep his year participating in YOBC and legacy alive. The Mark O’Connor she plays bass in Philharmonia. Both Method brought people with dihave gratefully been on several musical verse backgrounds together at this adventures through YOBC’s generosity. Page 7
70 Canoebirch Road Levittown, PA 19057 Email: info.yobc@gmail.com
yobc.org
The YOUTH ORCHESTRA OF BUCKS COUNTY, Pennsyl vania (YOBC) was founded in 1991 with the sponsorship and support of Bucks County Community College . Its mission is to create opportunitie s for young musicians to achieve artistic excellence through enriching classical musical experiences. In 24 seasons the organization has grown fro m a single, 60-member ensemble to 16 ensembles with over 275 young musician s.
In Memory of Arleen Melamed: Music Education Advocate YOBC notes with great sadness the recent passing of music educator Arleen Melamed. She was a true advocate of youth music education and one of YOBC’s earliest supporters. We also graciously acknowledge a donation made to YOBC in Arleen’s memory from her friends Vivian Read and Gail Posey. Arleen was a cellist who received her undergraduate degree in music education at West Virginia University and a Master of Arts in performance from Trenton State College. Before moving to South Carolina in 2004, she performed in community symphony orchestras and chamber ensembles during her 35 years in the Philadelphia area. She taught middle and high school strings and orchestra in public schools in Bucks County, as well as teaching Suzuki violin for more than 20 years. YOBC’s co-founder, Joe Gimbel recalls her involvement in the early days of YOBC: “In 1990, when the idea of the Youth Orchestra of Bucks County was beginning to take shape, I was advised to speak with Arleen, who
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had served as the business manager for the then-defunct Bucks County Youth Orchestra (BCYO). I knew Arlene slightly, through mutual friends, so I called her and she invited me into her home to share her experiences with BCYO. I remember her pulling out two milk crates full of materials from BCYO’s history: old programs, pictures, schedules, etc. She was enthusiastic about the idea of starting up another youth orchestra, since the primary reason BCYO closed its doors was that Arleen had taken a full time job as the string itinerant and orchestra director in the Bensalem School District and could not find a replacement for herself at BCYO. “Arleen encouraged a number of students to audition for the first YOBC Symphony in 1991, and 10 of the original 62 members came through her. They included our first concertmaster Nadine Megill; violinists Mee Soon Park, Paula Weinbach, and Jennifer Lancaster; co-principal violist Trammell Bristol; co-principal cellists Chul Park, Jason Majewski, and Doug Lancaster; and clarinetists Shawn Phelps and Bill Nazarro—all
from a school district where few students took private lessons! “Arleen continued her support over the years, sending us many other students from her orchestras and private students as well. She always had time for me to discuss issues about YOBC or individual students, and she informally served as a liaison with the Bucks County Music Educators Association. “When Arleen and Harvey retired to South Carolina, I used to tease her that she would have time now to attend ‘big peoples’ concerts.’ She was a cellist in the Beaufort Symphony and served as an early adjudicator in the Hilton Head Symphony – Youth Concerto Competition. Arleen was a true champion of music education.” —Joe Gimbel Co-Founder, YOBC Keeping Tempo