Our 64tH
Season
2020-21 Season Highlights
An extraordinary season during a difficult time
The COVID-19 pandemic forced the LYO to cancel the final months of our 2019-20 season and to follow thoughtful, effective, and compliant plans for the 2020-21 season. The following are excerpts from concerts in the 2020-2021 season. Specialized masks were developed for various instruments, wind and brass instruments were fitted with bell covers. There was increased distancing for some instrumental sections, and a rented performance venue provided ample ventilation.
And They're Off!
Floyd Central High School, Sunday, April 25 at 4:00
The Louisville Youth Orchestra culminated its 62nd consecutive season with a live, in-person performance at Floyd Central High School located at 6575 Old Vincennes Road, Georgtown, IN on Sunday, April 25. This event showcased all of our ensembles - Renaissance Orchestra, Camerata Strings, Esprit Strings, Wind Ensemble, Brass Ensemble and Percussion Ensemble - presenting an array of popular, fun-filled works. The concert - aptly named And They're Off! - honored our graduating seniors as they begin the next chapter of their lives and Melody Welsh-Buchholz's retirement after 35 years of service as our Executive Director.
Special presentations were made to our graduating seniors and to Melody Welsh Buchholz who retired after 35 years as Executive Director of the LYO.
All LYO ensembles performed to a capacity audience. This was the first (and only) live audience of the season due to the covid pandemic.
American Masters
Marriott East, March 7, 2021
The LYO's second Classical Concert this season was packed with extraordinary music and talent. It's unfortunate that such a magnificent concert could not have a live audience audience due to COVID-19 restrictions. Fortunately, however, a DVD video recording was available.
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The Camerata String Orchestra, Chris Lerner, conductor, presented Vivaldi's Concerto No. 2 and featured Meg Martin, violin soloist who was a winner in this season's LYO Concerto Competition.
The Espirit String Orchestra, Robert Dixon, conductor, presented the First Movement of Dvorák's Symphony No. 9 and Gm2 (Greensleeves Millennium 2), a composition by Shirl Jae Atwell, Louisville Composer and an LYO conductor very early in her remarkable career.
Camerata String Orchestra
Concerto No. 2 / Vivaldi
Meg Martin, violin
Meg Martin, violin
Espirit String Orchestra
Symphony No. 9 / Dvorak
First movement
The Renaissance Orchestra, Doug Elmore, conductor, presented John Williams' "Krypton Fanfare" from Superman, arranged by Ian Elmore, performed by The Renaissance Brass and conducted by David F. Borman III, LYO's University of Louisville Graduate Conducting Assistant.
The Renaissance Orchestra also presented Thelonious Monk's 'Round Midnight featuring The Renaissance Strings, Christian Howes, violin, Michael Hyman, drumset, and Joshua Lowery, piano. We are extremely pleased to welcome Christian Howes who is well known for his stunning talent as a jazz violinist and his commitment to music education.
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Christian Howes also performed as soloist in Scott Routenberg's Blue Reel movement from the Concerto for Jazz Violin and Orchestra.
Renaissance Orchestra
Concerto for Jazz Violin and Orchestra
Scott Routenberg
Blue Reel - Christian Howes, violin
The Renaissance Orchestra also performed the first movement of the Brahms Concerto for Violin and Orchestra featuring Olivia Hodge, violin, who was a winner in this season's LYO Concerto Competition.
The concert concluded with Morton Gould's American Salute, the irresistible melody to When Johnny Comes Marching Home, conducted by Ian Elmore, staff conductor.
Olivia Hodge, violin
Renaissance Orchestra
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra / Brahms
First Movement - Olivia Hodge, violin
Renaissance Orchestra
Ian Elmore, Staff Conductor
American Salute / Morton Gould
Old and New Friends
Marriott East, March 14, 2021
On the following Sunday a second Classical Concert was presented featuring LYO's extraordinary instrumental ensembles, listed alphabetically below. These performances are included on the same DVD with those from the American Masters concert on March 7.
The Brass Ensemble conducted by John Little played three cherished pieces: the Brahms Hungarian Dance No.5, Handel's "Air" from Water Music, and Prince of Denmark's March by Jeremiah Clark.
The Percussion Ensemble, conducted by Mark Tate, played six selections beginning with Shostakovich's Festive Overture and Two Movements from Hary Janos by Zoltan Kodaly. They also performed two Spanish dances: Villanesca by Enrique Granados and Miller's Dance by Manuel DeFalla. The ensemble also performed engaging selections from Carmina Burana.by Carl Orff. (All of the aforementioned pieces were arranged by Mark Tate.) They concluded with the stirring Dance of the Tumblers from The snow Maiden by Rimsky-Korsakov.
The Wind Ensemble, conducted by Brandon Bell, performed three challenging works: Bach's Two Part Invention #4, Ravel's Pavane Pour Une Infante Defunte, and Scherzo for Three Saxophones by Arthur Frachenpohl (arranged by Brandon Bell).
Click here for a printable copy of the entire concert program.
Brass Ensemble
Water Music - Air / Handel
Percussion Ensemble
Festival Overture / Shostakovich
Wind Ensemble
Pavane Pour Une Infante Defunte / Ravel
Holiday Concert
Marriott East, December 13, 2020
Espirit String Orchestra / 12/13/2020
Frosty's Caribbean Holiday
Steve Nelson & Jack Rollins / .arr. Ralph Ford
Camerata String Orchestra / 12/13/2020
Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
Johnny Marks / arr. Erick Morales
Percussion Ensemble / 12/13/2020
YO! Christmas Tree
arr. Chris Crockarell
Brass Ensemble / 12/13/2020
Angels We Have Heard on High
arr. Victor Lopez
Wind Ensemble / 12/13/2020
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
Traditional English Carol / arr. Jeremy Corcoran
Classical Concert
Marriott East, November 12, 2020
Renaissance Orchestra / November 12, 2020
Fra Diavolo - Overture / David Auber
Camerata Orchestra / November 12, 2020
Playful Pizzacato / Benjamin Britton