LJYO in the News

Febuary 02, 2009

Victoria Hall hosts youth orchestra and soloists for ‘In The Spotlight’

      Five of the area’s most accomplished young performers take the stage in Cobourg as La Jeunesse Youth Orchestra presents ‘In The Spotlight’.
      This highlight of the winter concert season takes place on Sunday, February 15, at 3 pm at Victoria Hall.
      Now celebrating its tenth season, La Jeunesse Youth Orchestra is renowned for its diverse repertoire, which regularly includes challenging symphonic works from several centuries. The upcoming concert is no exception, featuring pieces from the 18th century right through to the 21st century.
      Freya Crawley of Bowmanville normally sits in the Orchestra’s first violin section, but she is also an accomplished pianist. For “In The Spotlight” she is featured in Dmitri Shostakovich’s Concerto No. 2 for Piano and Orchestra. Freya says “this is a very exciting piece, with lots of different themes. It is a piece with a lot of energy, and it shows off all the different ways a piano can be played and its many sounds.”
      When she isn’t busy with piano or violin lessons or performing with LJYO, Freya also plays rep soccer with the Oshawa Kicks.
      Flutist Pauline Karpazis travels from Oakwood, west of Lindsay, to perform with LJYO. She is featured on Giovanni Battista Pergolesi’s Concerto in G major. She says “There’s nothing more exciting than playing a flute concerto written by a violin player, who assumes as a woodwind you will find places to breathe!”
      Pauline also enjoys extra-curricular sports, and she says “I enjoy horseback riding many times a week, more than I truly have time for, but I relish every minute I spend with my horse.”
      LJYO’s bassoon player Lindsay Davison, of Cobourg, travels to Toronto every Saturday after LJYO rehearsals, because she is also principal bassoonist with the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra.
      She performs Carl Maria von Weber’s Andante e Rondo Ungarese Op. 48. “Weber sets up a contest in the Rondo,” she says, “between the bassoon and the orchestra – who can play the main theme better? But of course the bassoon wins in the end because of its spectacular long flurry of triplets.”
     Sarah McCabe of Bowmanville has played violin for 11 years, five of them with LJYO. She says “I jumped at the chance to play Vivaldi’s ‘Spring’ with the Orchestra, since I’ve grown up listening to The Four Seasons.
     “I love ‘Spring’ because of the many small details that Vivaldi included, such as birds singing, hidden brooks burbling, and a dog barking in the early morning mist.”
     Outside of LJYO, Sarah plays electric and classical violin, and she loves acting, writing, and creating art.
     Jeremy Foster of Port Perry is featured on violin in the newest piece on the programme – Tango of the Lemons by composer and LJYO coach David Tanner of Cobourg. Jeremy says “I have really enjoyed playing this passionate yet playful piece. I have enjoyed not just playing a more modern piece of music, but one that has been composed by a mentor in the Orchestra.
     “Meeting David Tanner and playing with him in LJYO, has not just been a privilege, but has been a huge learning curve, as I write a fair amount of original music as well,” he adds. “Outside of LJYO I love to write new songs and jam and record with friends.”
     The Orchestra will also present a movement from Mozart’s Horn Concerto #3, featuring Orchestra manager Jane Cook on French Horn, and selections from the sound tracks of The Sound of Music and Lord of the Rings.
     Port Hope-based LJYO performs three public concerts each year. Because ‘In The Spotlight’ is being performed in the Concert Hall at Victoria Hall, tickets are limited. They are available at the Victoria Hall Box Office, by phone at 1-866-460-5596, and online at www.ljyo.ca. Tickets will also be available at the door on concert day if any tickets remain.