Since about October, young musicians from all over the Okanagan Valley have been giving up their Saturdays for intensive rehearsals and practices.
It’s a phenomenon that has been happening every year since 1989, the year Imant Ramish founded the Youth Symphony of the Okanagan. They meet for approximately 10 full-day rehearsals on Saturdays, beginning in early October and culminating in their spring weekend of concerts in Vernon, Kelowna and Penticton.
“To me, it’s not giving up my time, it’s spending my time doing what I love to do,” said Jasper Meiklejohn, a young violinist who has participated in the symphony for the last three years. “I don’t feel like it’s a sacrifice, I feel like it’s a really great way to spend my time.”
Besides Meiklejohn, there are two other Penticton musicians participating in the concert this year. Misty Knol plays both flute and piccolo with the YSO, and Pon Samosa-Ard is also a violinist.
“I started with them last year,” said Samosa-Ard, who also plays the piano, though not with the symphony. “I have been playing violin for five years.”
Many of these young musicians have been studying music from a young age, and are already performing at an advanced level on their chosen instrument. The YSO has been an important step in their development, with many going on to play with the National Youth Orchestra of Canada, the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra and other professional orchestras as well as pursuing post-secondary degrees in music.
“Probably the most exciting thing about it is it is under the direction of Imant Ramish, who is a world renowned composer,” said Jacinta Ferrari, adding that Ramish offers a special opportunity to the young players.
“As far as he knows, it is the only youth orchestra in Canada to allow the participants the opportunity to compose a piece and have it played by the orchestra,” said Ferrari. “Then the composer is the conductor for that piece.”
The orchestra is open to players from 12-to-25-years-old, and even the youngest share in the opportunity to have the experience of composing a piece and hearing their own music performed live.
“Most of them are only three minutes long,” said Ferrari. “They do give them a time limit, because they don’t want the whole concert being taken over.”
Meiklejohn took up that challenge last year and this year. He said it’s an incredible feeling just to hear other people playing his music, creating sounds that before he had could only hear in his head.
“I sometimes do recordings on the computer with simulated instruments on the keyboard, it’s totally different,” said Meiklejohn. “Just hearing it come to life is a great experience.”
Working with Ramish is also a great learning experience, according to the three Penticton musicians.
“He’s very good. I think he does a very good job of co-ordinating the group,” said Meiklejohn. “We have a short amount of time, but once we get to the concert, everything is pretty well-polished. He is quite meticulous.”
However, this may be the last year the young musicians work with Ramish.
“Imant has been wanting to retire. He’s been doing it for about 23 years now and Rosemary Thomson, the conductor of the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra, has officially agreed to take over,” said Ferrari. “So it is going to be changing a little bit, it might become a little longer season or other changes.”
The 2012 concert, From Clowns to Mountain Kings, takes place on Feb. 26 in Penticton, at 2 p.m. in Cleland Theatre. Tickets are available at the door or the Penticton Academy of Music.
