tpetplyr

You seem to be fairly involved with your youth orchestra, so I was just wondering if you could give me a few suggestions. We have a listening session at the end of each year where students suggest repritoire for the next year, and then we listen and disscuss it, and the conductor uses our feedback to help program.

I, being a big fan of German post-Romanticism, would like to submit Strauss or Wagner, and was wondering if you had any suggestions on specific pieces that might be accessible to a youth orchestra, of if I should pick something else. Recently we have done Planets. Symphonic Metamorphosis, and Capriccio Espangnol fairly well. We are actually a college group, but we are at GaTech so we aren't the most skilled in the world either.

Any additional suggestions would be much appreciated. Thanks!

Stuart

Manny Laureano

Tptplyer,

My group, The Minnesota Youth Symphonies, has done that same repertoire at various times so, you can probably the Strauss we've played. Last season we played Til Eulenspiegl's Lustige Streiche. About ten years ago we played Don Juan and the only reason I haven't done Tod un Verklarung is because there are only two percussion parts and I almost always have at least 4 players to keep busy.

We also played excerpts from the Ring Cycle. The orchestra just under mine recently played Rienzi overture. Currently, we're working on Pictures at an Exhibition (Ravel version).

The age of the students is through high school. They are the top students in the area and I also have a few from Wisconsin. Some of them travel over two hours to come rehearse. Unbelievable!

Hope that gives you ideas,

ML

tpetplyr

Our principal clarinet is pretty adamant about Till Eulenspiegl being too hard for us, unfortuneatly. I was wondering if you could give me a brief overview of any unique challenges for the pieces you listed. I'm not as familar with the intracacies of orchestral rep as I'd like to be, mostly because I don't have any free time.

I listened to Reinzi, and quite like it, so I will prbobaly add that to my list (which also includes Bax-In the Faery Hills and Beethoven-Symphony 3) but we only get three selections and I don't want to propose one that will be immediately rejected because of difficulty. I do however want it to be challenging. A fine line to walk, espeically with my orchestra.

Thanks alot for your help!

Stuart