The Long Haul to Fischoff

We are very humbled by the amount dedication and commitment our students, particularly those in our Intensive Chamber Music Program, have to their music.  It hit me, especially this week, as I've traveled to performances by the ensembles from MYA who are heading to South Bend tonight for the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition which is this weekend at Notre Dame University.  On Sunday night, I drove to Mt. Prospect where Contrapunctus String Quartet performed in a church for family and friends.  Last night, I drove to Aurora where The Alpaca String Quartet performed  for Emily Camras's colleagues and teachers at IMSA (Illinois Math and Science Academy).

That these students drive such long distances every week (and further) to participate in MYA, reminds me of the efforts of an athlete preparing for the Olympics. It is so gratifying to watch the students work all year towards the goal of a competition, and as Allan says over and over, it is the process that's important.  They have been coached weekly, have practiced weekly, participated in master classes and performed on the Sunday recitals we have 2-3 times a month.  Whatever the outcome this weekend, they all have prepared to do their best.  Also competing from MYA is the Meshugene String Quartet, and No Strings Attached, a woodwind trio.

Did you know?

• 136 ensembles applied and 48 ensembles were accepted.
• 28 nationalities are represented in the entries
• The competition on Saturday and Sunday will be streamed live.  Check out the Fischoff Website for information.  
• The last 4 Grammy Award winners in Classical ensemble music have been Fischoff alumni
• MYA Faculty members Julie Fischer, Mandy Dennis and Rose Armbrust are Fischoff Alumni

The Planets

MYA students in Symphony Orchestra are starting rehearsals today on Holst's The Planets for a May 24  performance at Ravinia. The performance will be sure to please the thousands of students who will attend this concert which is part of Ravinia's Reach*Teach*Play program.  This popular orchestra suite of seven movements is intended to convey ideas and emotions associated with the influence of the planets on the psyche.  The composer did not count it among his best creations.  He was, however, partial to his own favorite movement, Saturn.  Pluto was discovered in 1930, four years before Holst's death, but he had no interested in writing a movement for the new planet.  He became disillusioned by the popularity of the piece believing that it took too much attention away from his other works.

MYA Launches E-Auction to run until May 8

This year's MYA E-Auction will launch April 29 and run through midnight on Tuesday, March 8.  This is an opportunity for everyone to support the work MYA does.  You could think about deciding the amount of your donation and then select a premium from the many items available at MYA's on-line E-Auction.

One of our Alums donated his sports memorabilia collection which included a baseball autographed by Mickey Mantle.  Our parents and faculty also donated many music lessons.  There are also many fine restaurants and dining experiences, including Dr. D delivering a delicious home made apple pie (and, of course, staying to eat it with ice cream)!

This auction is on our own secure website.  Everyone who REGISTERS TO BID will be entered in a drawing for a pair of seasons' tickets to all MYA 2012-2013 concerts.

Thank you to all the generous auction donors who have contributed items! Please thank them when you see them or visit their businesses! And, thank you for bidding to make all this work worthwhile!

John Bruce Yeh: He's Our Man

John Bruce Yeh has had a special relationship with MYA since 2001, when he was our guest artist for a performance of the Corigliano and Copland Clarinet Concertos with Symphony Orchestra.  He returns next Sunday, April 29, to perform a Chicago premiere of Liquid Melancholy, a piece MYA commissioned from James Stephenson, MYA parent (Deanna/violin/Concert) and composer.  Pictured below is the rehearsal with the orchestra before John left on tour to Russia with the CSO.  For those of you who think you don't like "new" music, you won't feel this way when you hear Jim's listener friendly, driving and energetic piece. You won't want to miss the artistry John always displays and hearing this wonderful new solo for clarinet. Tickets will be available at the door at Pick Staiger Concert Hall.  The concert starts at 6 p.m.  All MYA students receive comp tickets to this concert and any other they aren't performing in.

John Bruce Yeh accepts the MYA Take Note Award at the 7th Annual MYA Benefit on April 14, 2012