Entries by Robin Allen LaPlante

Senior Spotlight 2023: From Church Street to North Bennet Street School

The next installment in our Senior Spotlight series, we caught up with Isa Bazan and Abby Lee (pictured above). These violinists had a lot to say about their time in the VYOA. We talked about $10 grilled cheeses, picking up new instruments, and their exciting new adventures in the arts! What are your favorite memories […]

Senior Spotlight 2023: Growing Up VYOA

The faces in this picture are probably familiar. We’ve used their picture a few times, on the website, in printed materials, and in programs. These four smiling faces – left to right, Maddie Connery, Marisa Kono, Miles Glover, and Sam Kunin – are graduating, and we caught up with them to talk about all of […]

Senior Spotlight 2023: Bouncy Castles, T-Swift, and Aretha Franklin

Each year, we find ways to shine a spotlight on the graduating seniors before they move on from the VYO ranks to pursue their paths in life. This year, we gathered them together in groups to have casual, relaxed conversations  about the VYOA, their instruments, what music means to them. After rehearsal on a recent […]

Iris Lawson-Ryan, Violin: 2022 Senior Spotlight

Iris Lawson-Ryan, violin Vermont Commons   VT Youth Orchestra – 1 year VT Youth Philharmonia –3 years VT Youth Strings – 2 years     We have appreciated watching Iris grow up in the VYOA over the last 6 years! What other activities or sports do you participate in?  I play varsity volleyball at Vermont […]

Katherine Clougherty, violin: 2022 Senior Spotlight

Katherine Clougherty, violin South Burlington High VT Youth Orchestra – 2 years VT Youth Philharmonia – 3 years VT Youth Strings – 2 years Presto – 2 sessions Katherine is another student from our quiet group of violins that all started together in VYS and will graduate this year. It has always been nice to […]

Melissa Rosowsky, violin: 2022 Senior Spotlight

Melissa Rosowsky, violin South Burlington High VT Youth Orchestra – 2 years VT Youth Philharmonia – 3 years VT Youth Strings – 2 ½ years Presto – 2 sessions   When we think of Melissa we often think of her as a member of a quiet group of violin players that started in VT Youth […]

Logan Crocker, flute & piccolo: 2022 Senior Soloist

Logan Crocker, flute & piccolo Colchester High VT Youth Orchestra – 2 years VT Youth Philharmonia – 1 year Logan was our Fall VYO Concert Senior Soloist and will be performing on the Hermance Prize Recital on Wednesday, April 13, along with this year’s other Senior Soloists. It has been a pleasure to watch him […]

James Bialas, trombone: 2022 Senior Spotlight

James Bialas, trombone South Burlington High   VT Youth Orchestra – 3 years VT Youth Philharmonia – 2 years   This marks the end of our Bialas era! We have been so lucky to have the Bialas siblings and extended family with us over the last ten years. James has been an integral part of […]

Fintan Letzelter, Violin: 2022 Senior Spotlight

Fintan Letzelter, violin Lake Region Union VT Youth Orchestra – 3 years VT Youth Philharmonia – 2 years VT Youth Strings – 2 ½ years Fintan comes from a long line of VYOA alums that include his mom and two older siblings! We are always impressed with the students who travel from a long distance […]

Christopher Bialas, Horn: 2022 Senior Spotlight

Christopher Bialas, horn South Burlington High School VT Youth Orchestra – 3 years VT Youth Philharmonia – 2 years We have been really fortunate to have had Christopher playing horn with us for that last 5 years! That is about the maximum number of years that we get to have any brass players since they […]