Youth Symphony
Under the direction of Dr. Norman Gamboa, Director of Orchestral Activities at UTRGV, the Youth Symphony at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is a new initiative that will bring classical music to life for young people across the Rio Grande Valley region. Its mission is to enrich, educate, and entertain diverse audiences of all ages in our communities through performances of orchestral music, offering a pre-college orchestra experience for young musicians while enhancing the vibrancy and vitality of the arts in the Rio Grande Valley.
The Youth Symphony will feature talented student musicians from the Rio Grande Valley and communities nearby. Members will perform a wide variety of standard and newly composed orchestral repertoire, including full scale symphonies, solo concertos, and works by living composers. Concerts will take place at the beautiful UTRGV Performing Arts Complex in Edinburg and also at the TSC Performing Arts Center in Brownsville. Students will have the opportunity to meet regularly for sectionals with distinguished members of the UTRGV music faculty and other professional community musicians, including members of the Valley Symphony Orchestra. The Rio Grande Youth Symphony is open through auditions to all string, woodwind, brass and percussion students grades 7 through 12. Applicants should have several years of orchestra and/or band experience and perform individually at a high level. To participate in the Youth Symphony students must be members of their school’s parent organization (band and/or orchestra) in order to be eligible for membership (students from schools with no performing music ensembles and homeschool students exempted).
The orchestra will perform two programs a year, one in the fall and one in the spring. Rehearsals will take place every Sunday afternoon from 2:00-4:30 p.m. in the School of Music at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley in Edinburg, starting in September and ending in May each season. Members will be selected through annual auditions which will take place in August.
Complete information about application and audition process will be announced soon. For more information please contact Dr. Norman Gamboa via email at norman.gamboa@utrgv.edu, or by phone at (956) 665-8713.
Recommended String Proficiency
VIOLIN AND VIOLA
- Facility in advanced positions
- Established vibrato
- Violists should have knowledge of treble clef
- Facility in 1st through 4th positions (thumb position encouraged)
- Knowledge of tenor clef and acquaintance with treble clef
- Established vibrato
- Facility in half through thumb position preferred
- Knowledge of tenor clef and acquaintance with treble clef encouraged