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If you go
What: Colorado Young Sinfonia
When: 3 p.m. Sunday
Where: Lord of the Mountains Church, 56 US Highway 6, Dillon
Cost: Donations accepted at the door
When: 3 p.m. Sunday
Where: Lord of the Mountains Church, 56 US Highway 6, Dillon
Cost: Donations accepted at the door
For Basil Vendryes, principle violist with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, the Colorado Young Sinfonia is a labor of love.
Vendryes founded the Colorado Young Sinfonia in 1999, in hopes of offering serious young musicians a venue to learn and perform repertoire that usually isn't played by larger full youth orchestras. He doesn't accept payment for his time; all donations support the group's venues, recording archives, music rentals and other related costs.
“The Colorado Young Sinfonia is my pride and joy — perhaps my favorite of all projects, not because I started it from the ground up, but because we work hard, have fun and in the end bring great music to the communities in the Denver region, and now to Summit County,” Vendryes said.
The sinfonia allows young musicians to play more detailed and delicate music from the likes of Haydn, Mozart and Mendelssohn. The small group of 24 string players demands that each musician listens intently to the others to create a cohesive whole.
“We work a lot on the sound of the group — color and character,” he said. “They have an amazing dynamic range and a wonderful artistic sense.”
Ages in the sinfonia vary, from 12 to 29, and a half dozen of the players have been involved in the ensemble since its inception. The older musicians mentor younger ones, giving them tips on how to listen and follow, yet still treating them as colleagues. A couple times a year, the sinfonia gathers to discuss repertoire, schedule and projects.
“It's wonderful to have young people within the ranks that are as passionate about the ensemble as I am,” he said. “They all have fantastic ideas about pieces to play, venues and soloists. It would be hard to make the Colorado Youth Sinfonia work without them.”
Summit County violin player Kari Mattson is a 16-year-old who started playing with the sinfonia this season. Though she has performed in community orchestras and the Colorado Youth Symphony, she said the Colorado Young Sinfonia has pushed her to a higher level because it is more professional. It's also helping her prepare for a university major in performance.
“One of the best ways for (a string musician) to learn to play in an orchestra is in a smaller ensemble,” Vendryes said. “Everyone is accountable to bring their A-game to every rehearsal.”
The sinfonia has performed with members of the Colorado Symphony and faculty members from the Lamont School of Music, where Vendryes holds a faculty position.
Sunday, the ensemble will perform Vivaldi's Autumn Concerto, Schubert's String Quartet #13 and two lush string serenades of Elgar and Suk. Vendryes calls Schubert an unsung hero in the world of chamber music, which is why he choose the composer. He also likes contrasting Elgar and Suk's serenades; Elgar's is a “very touching apology that Elgar wrote for his wife,” Vendryes said, and Suk's is a beautiful piece written in Prague.
Vendryes founded the Colorado Young Sinfonia in 1999, in hopes of offering serious young musicians a venue to learn and perform repertoire that usually isn't played by larger full youth orchestras. He doesn't accept payment for his time; all donations support the group's venues, recording archives, music rentals and other related costs.
“The Colorado Young Sinfonia is my pride and joy — perhaps my favorite of all projects, not because I started it from the ground up, but because we work hard, have fun and in the end bring great music to the communities in the Denver region, and now to Summit County,” Vendryes said.
The sinfonia allows young musicians to play more detailed and delicate music from the likes of Haydn, Mozart and Mendelssohn. The small group of 24 string players demands that each musician listens intently to the others to create a cohesive whole.
“We work a lot on the sound of the group — color and character,” he said. “They have an amazing dynamic range and a wonderful artistic sense.”
Ages in the sinfonia vary, from 12 to 29, and a half dozen of the players have been involved in the ensemble since its inception. The older musicians mentor younger ones, giving them tips on how to listen and follow, yet still treating them as colleagues. A couple times a year, the sinfonia gathers to discuss repertoire, schedule and projects.
“It's wonderful to have young people within the ranks that are as passionate about the ensemble as I am,” he said. “They all have fantastic ideas about pieces to play, venues and soloists. It would be hard to make the Colorado Youth Sinfonia work without them.”
Summit County violin player Kari Mattson is a 16-year-old who started playing with the sinfonia this season. Though she has performed in community orchestras and the Colorado Youth Symphony, she said the Colorado Young Sinfonia has pushed her to a higher level because it is more professional. It's also helping her prepare for a university major in performance.
“One of the best ways for (a string musician) to learn to play in an orchestra is in a smaller ensemble,” Vendryes said. “Everyone is accountable to bring their A-game to every rehearsal.”
The sinfonia has performed with members of the Colorado Symphony and faculty members from the Lamont School of Music, where Vendryes holds a faculty position.
Sunday, the ensemble will perform Vivaldi's Autumn Concerto, Schubert's String Quartet #13 and two lush string serenades of Elgar and Suk. Vendryes calls Schubert an unsung hero in the world of chamber music, which is why he choose the composer. He also likes contrasting Elgar and Suk's serenades; Elgar's is a “very touching apology that Elgar wrote for his wife,” Vendryes said, and Suk's is a beautiful piece written in Prague.
