Omaha Magazine
By Maureen O’Halloran Clark
November/December 2008
For 50 years, the best young musicians in the greater Omaha area have been performing classical masterpieces by such composers as Beethoven, Wagner, and Tchaikovsky as well as contemporary pieces from Broadway and movies. Elaborate interplays of their wind, brass, string and percussion instruments have resonated through such venues as the Holland Performing Arts Center and the Joslyn Art Museum Witherspoon Concert Hall. All of this has been made possible by the Omaha Area Youth Orchestras (OAYO), which has also provided them with coaching from professional conductors and musicians.
Several years ago, OAYO even received national recognition. Jan Braden, the Executive Director of OAYO for the past 15 years, relates that its Youth Symphony was one of six orchestras selected after a taped audition to participate in the 2002 National Youth Orchestra Festival. It represented the smallest metropolitan area to receive that honor.
The organization had its beginnings in 1958 with a partnership between the metro area public schools and the Omaha Symphony Guild. Since then it has grown into an independent, nonprofit organization.
Glen Hadsell was the concertmaster, the principal violinist, for its first season 50 years ago. He continues to attend OAYO concerts and comments, “This year, the level of the quality of students, the level of parental involvement, and the number of students taking private lessons is just amazing compared to our first group 50 years ago. It is so much higher than it was then.”
About 550 musicians, ages eight through eighteen, are involved with OAYO. It is comprised of six groups. The top four ensembles stairstep in skill and are audition based. They rehearse once a week from August through May and have four concerts. The tuition for those groups ranges from $375 to $550 per season, but scholarships are available for those with financial need. Students can join the two beginner orchestras with the recommendation of their music teacher; no auditions are necessary. They meet for only eight weeks.
The advanced groups have sectional practices with area music professionals. In addition, since 2000, they have had an annual side-by-side concert with the Omaha Symphony. Thomas Wilkins, music director for the Omaha Symphony, and the conductor for the last two of those concerts, reflects on that experience. “It is always a great privilege and joy for me to make music with those kids. It’s a chance to help instill a deep love for great music. They are in fact always eager, well prepared, and open, which only adds to the joy.” He adds, “Both of my daughters are involved with OAYO and loving it.”
Braden says, “We have alumni who are top players in major orchestras.” She also relates, “We have the best kids. They are the busiest, they are the high achievers. Whenever the World-Herald features the top high school seniors, who have the perfect ACT, SAT scores, almost always we have had at least one of our students in that group. They all work really hard and many of them have jobs, besides being great students and musicians.”
To celebrate its 50th anniversary season, the OAYO Youth Symphony will present a concert at 3:00, February 1, at the University of Nebraska at Omaha Strauss Performing Arts Center. Alumni are invited to participate and to contact OAYO through its Web site, www.oayo.org.
Article text © 2008 Maureen O’Halloran Clark. All rights reserved.