VYOA News & Updates

Sofia Andersen Harrington, cello
Lake Champlain Waldorf

 
VT Youth Orchestra – 1 year
VT Youth Philharmonia – 2 years
Presto – 3 sessions

Why do you like your instrument & how did you choose it?

I love the tone of the cello. When I was three, I was a part of the Suzuki group in Indiana and there was a concert and I saw cellists sitting down while they played and I was jealous. When I was in first grade, I picked up the cello and have loved it ever since.

What role does music play in your life?

Music helps me stay grounded. It has always been a huge part in my life. Whether it is me playing my cello, singing in my car, listening to music and seeing concerts. Music is what keeps me going.

What has been your biggest musical challenge & how did you overcome it?

Staying motivated has been really hard. Remembering how much music has affected me throughout my life is how I overcame it. Yes, there are days when I don’t practice but when I do practice, I feel better. I just remember how much I love it and how it makes me feel and the joy it brings to others.

What advice would you give to younger music students as they strive to improve their skills?

Don’t give up when it is really hard. Playing my cello centers me and I really love it even when it is hard. Practice a little part over and over till you feel okay with it.

What is your favorite VYOA memory?

Going to Spain and Portugal the summer of my junior year was amazing. Being surrounded by a beautiful culture and going somewhere and doing something I love made my summer. Getting to go on the tour was an eye-opening experience and would love to do it again in the future.

What other activities or sports do you participate in?

I am a figure skater. I have been skating for 13 years, I am on a theater on Ice team and an Ice Dancer.

How has the pandemic effected your practice & performance of music or participation in your other activities?

Last March, everything went remote, and I lost the motivation. With everything online, it made it harder to do things because I was in my house and couldn’t leave and go do the things I love.

What are some of the things that you have done to help cope with the pandemic’s shutdown & quarantine requirements?

I have been listening to a lot of music, facetiming with friends and family to try and stay connected, and being active.

What college and what do you plan to study?

I will be studying American Sign Language and getting my phlebotomy license while attending the Community College of Vermont

Nora Cannizzaro, bassoon
Essex High

VT Youth Orchestra – 4 years
VT Youth Philharmonia – 1 ½  years

Why do you like your instrument & how did you choose it?

I started on piano and clarinet for 5 years, but after going to a rug concert where the bassoon was showcased, I fell in love with its low notes, and how beautiful it sounded. After that, I completely switched over to bassoon, and have been playing ever since.

What role does music play in your life?

Music plays an immense role in my life. I have grown up in the artistic community, and have always been passionate about making music, and the importance of having music in your life. I love to play, and can’t imagine a future where I am not playing.

What has been your biggest musical challenge & how did you overcome it?

The biggest musical challenge I have faced thus far is learning how to develop a good practice model. It took me some time to figure out how to practice efficiently and really work on what I need to improve. Now, though I am still learning, I have figured out a good practice structure that works for me, and has helped me be successful.

What advice would you give to younger music students as they strive to improve their skills?

Practice! It can be hard to get yourself started when you’re not motivated to practice, but even just playing around on your instrument a little every day will make you better. Go slowly, and try to have fun with your practice time. It’s easier to practice well once you’ve begun, and when you have a designated space to practice.

What is your favorite VYOA memory?

My favorite VYOA memory is when we were rehearsing Blue Danube, and our conductor had us sing our parts for the entire piece. We all thought we would only sing for a few measures, but we ended up going through the entire piece, and you don’t normally get to do that with your part, so it was really fun for us all to just have fun and sing through our parts.

How has the pandemic effected your practice & performance of music or participation in your other activities?

With my school being partly remote, I am at home three days of the week, so I have more time to practice. A lot of activities have been canceled this year, so I am so grateful that the VYOA has found a way to keep going.

What are some of the things that you have done to help cope with the pandemic’s shutdown & quarantine requirements?

To make up for the fact that I can’t really hang out with my friends inside as much, my friends and I find more activities to do outside now where we can distance ourselves. I have a group of buddies that I hike with in the warmer seasons, and now that it’s snowy we go skiing a lot together.

What do you plan to study in college?

I plan on going to college next year to double major in both math and music.

Welcome back to our Senior Spotlight! Its has been a difficult year, but we have been continually impressed by our students’ ability to adjust and persevere through sudden schedule changes and cancellations that Covid-19 has forced upon them. We begin our celebration of the Class of 2021 with two seniors from our oboe section!

Why do you like your instrument & how did you choose it?

Criollo-Rivera: I primarily play the oboe. My love for music began when I lived in Puerto Rico. The first instrument I ever played was the clarinet. I began playing the clarinet when I was in the second grade and I performed with the First Presbyterian Academy Band. From there, my first performance was at Disney for the 2011 Disney Music Festival. I had many other wonderful performances with this amazing band. Eventually, my family and I moved to the United States. I resumed playing the clarinet in the elementary school band. I won many awards and received recognition for my playing. Soon, my band teacher recommended that I try playing the oboe. Unfortunately, I could not begin playing the oboe until the end of 8th grade since I had moved again to a new town. I absolutely fell in love with the beautiful sound of the instrument and continued to practice improving my skills. In the midst of my sophomore year of high school, we moved to Vermont. I soon learned about the Vermont Youth Orchestra Association about two weeks before auditions were being held. Now, I am a proud musician in the Vermont Youth Orchestra, and I am super excited to see what the future has in store.

Graham: I like the oboe because I think it can have a really lovely sound when it’s played correctly. After a year of clarinet in middle school, I decided to switch to the oboe because I thought it was cool and wouldn’t be too much harder to play. The jury is still out on my second reason…

What has been your biggest musical challenge & how did you overcome it?

Graham: As I’m sure a lot of other instrumentalists know, auditions can be pretty stressful. For me, exposure from numerous auditions to various groups over the years has helped me handle auditions in the moment, but I’ve found it’s also important to feel prepared and confident going into the audition. Feeling ready for an audition is often more than just knowing the material, it’s about trusting yourself and your ability to play.

What is your favorite VYOA memory?

Criollo-Rivera: My favorite VYOA memory is the 2019 Orchestrapalooza Concert at the Flynn Center when I was a musician in the Vermont Youth Philharmonia. We performed a medley of Phantom of the Opera and the orchestra was absolutely amazing. Additionally, the combined piece with the other orchestras was very exciting. Overall, this is my favorite memory as a musician in the VYOA.

What advice would you give to younger music students as they strive to improve their skills?

Graham: The most important thing when you’re starting out is to have fun with your practicing. There’s nothing worse than a miserable practice session all alone when you could be out doing fun kid stuff with your friends, so practicing in ways that you find entertaining is going to help you enjoy music more. A lot of people say “Practice makes perfect”, but the saying should go “Practice makes better”. The best way to improve your skills is by working on them via practice.

What other activities or sports do you participate in?

Criollo-Rivera: Outside of playing the oboe and being a musician in the VYOA, I am an artist. I paint artwork on beach stones. I sell my artwork using social media to market my art. It is called Rock of Arts by Mara. Additionally, I teach an online art class called Rock of Arts Youth Workshop through La Casita of Syracuse University. I absolutely love teaching this class and seeing the artwork of my students. To add, I am a member of the Green Mountain Chapter of the National Honor Society. As part of my membership, I do a lot of projects to help our community and do good for others, especially during the times we are currently living in.

Graham: At my school I’m on the student council and I also play volleyball, ultimate frisbee and dance.

How has the pandemic affected your practice & performance of music or participation in your other activities?

Criollo-Rivera: Surprisingly, the pandemic has given me more time to do the things that I love. Firstly, I have more time to paint. During the pandemic, I was able to start selling my art and I was able to begin teaching the online art class. I was also able to coordinate a rock painting project with members of the Green Mountain Chapter of the National Honor Society. We painted and donated rocks to a shelter through the Vermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence. Lastly, I have more time to practice my instrument and improve my skills as a musician. Sadly, there are less in-person rehearsals that would be beneficial towards concerts, but right now, practicing social distancing and COVID-19 protocol is of the utmost importance for the safety of everyone. 

Graham: At the start of the pandemic, everything was cancelled and I wasn’t able to participate in a lot of my favorite activities. So now, even though all of the activities I used to do aren’t quite what they were before, I’ve learned to appreciate the time I get to spend with my classmates, teammates, and friends before high school is over.

What do you plan to study in college & how did you make your choice?

Criollo-Rivera: In college, I plan to study entrepreneurship/business management and minor in studio arts. During the pandemic, I turned this negative into a positive and got back to what I love to do most, art. I absolutely love teaching my class and seeing the artwork of my students. These experiences have made me want to pursue my dream of opening my own business one day and inspire kids to do what they love to do.

Henry Wu, cello
Essex High

VT Youth Orchestra – 5 years
VT Youth Philharmonia – 2 years

How did you choose your instrument over all of the others?

I began playing the cello in fourth grade through the orchestra program at Founders Memorial School. My music teacher, Mr. Valyou, showed the class a video of The Piano Guys (a music group featuring a pianist and a cellist) playing a Star Wars medley. I was awestruck by the video, and at that point I had already played the piano for a few years, so I decided that I wanted to play the cello as well!

What role does music play in your life?

Music serves me many purposes; it is a stress reliever, a form of communication, and a powerful expressive medium. Music transcends cultural and social barriers because it can generate shared emotions without the need for shared experiences. I perform music to communicate my emotions and other messages to people. I also use it as a self-centering and reflecting tool to understand myself better.

What was your biggest musical challenge & how did you overcome it?

In my sophomore year of high school, I joined a social justice band called SoundCheck and learned to play rock and pop music on my cello. I was challenged to share messages with explicit social & political meanings through an instrument while supporting the vocals and other instruments in the band. To do this, I needed to “unlearn” some of my classical training and focus on the direct connection between message and emotion, bypassing technique. Through my two years as part of SoundCheck, I became a more versatile musician able to play different genres of music and learned to form a stronger emotional connection to my music.

What kinds of changes would you like to see in the orchestral world?

I hope that orchestra music (and all forms of classical music) can become more accessible to people of all backgrounds and socioeconomic statuses. Today, classical music is still largely seen as an archaic, formal activity for the wealthy, which means that many people miss out on the joy of shared emotion that comes with classical music. I would like to see classical music become truly available to everyone through informal performances, increased educational opportunities, and diverse ensembles that reflect the general population.

What is your favorite VYOA memory?

One of my fondest VYOA memories is the final day of Reveille in 2018, when we participated in a self-portrait workshop at Burlington City Arts and had a concert at City Hall Park where we witnessed Dr. Klemme juggle.

What college or university do you plan to attend and what do you plan to study?

I will be attending Harvard University & I plan to study education and/or quantitative social science with a focus on public policy. I was interested in math from a young age, but I have recently become concerned about the societal issues that we face, from climate change to systemic racism. I hope to combine both of these passions and use applied math or data science to analyze how effective governmental policies are at addressing these issues. The other academic interest of mine, education, stems from the fact that education can provide enormous social mobility and empower people to become changemakers in the areas that they are passionate about.

Congratulations Henry! Your musicianship, friendship, and leadership have been an inspiration to us all over the last 7 years. We can’t wait to see what amazing things your future holds!

Lucas Parascando, violin
South Burlington High

VT Youth Orchestra – 5 years
VT Youth Philharmonia – 1 year
VT Youth Sinfonia – 3 years
VT Youth Strings – 1 year
Presto – 1 session

How did you choose your instrument over all of the others?

I began playing the violin when I was four years old because I liked the sound and wanted to play a string instrument.

What role does music play in your life?

Music is huge in my life, as I’ve grown up learning its intricacies through the violin, and later, the clarinet. Playing music allows me to relax and destress, and it’s a lot of fun teaching myself increasingly more complex pieces.

What do you enjoy most about playing in an orchestra?

The orchestra is a massive team working toward the same goal, and being a part of the multitude of instruments that make up the machine is a unique experience. In my experience as a violinist, playing the same part as ten or more other people creates a great sense of camaraderie where everybody has each other’s backs.

What was your biggest musical challenge & how did you overcome it?

I’ve had points (most people have) where I really didn’t want to keep playing and would go a week or two without picking up my violin. In the end, though, I’ve always come back and kept at it, because making music has become a part of my life that I can’t really let go of. Once I pick up my instrument I remember why I enjoy it so much and am reinvigorated to continue practicing.

What advice would you give to younger music students as they strive to build their skills?

Instruments are really difficult technically and there is always someone better out there. Comparing yourself to other musicians is a path to disappointment and an easy trap to fall into. Instead, compare your playing to where you were yesterday, or a month ago. It takes a lifetime to master music, and the perfect recordings we see on the internet or through music apps took years of heavy practice to achieve at that level. Keep striving to do your best, not somebody else’s best.

Apart from orchestral music, what other kinds of music do you listen to? Do other genres influence what you hear in orchestral music?

I listen to classical, hip-hop, and rap for the most part. I wouldn’t say I hear orchestral music any differently because of the other genres I listen to.

What other activities do you participate in?

I run cross country, nordic ski, sail, and play the clarinet. I’m also an Eagle Scout and red belt in Taekwondo.

What college or university will you attend next year & what do you plan to study?

United States Military Academy, majoring in Life Science as I’ve been interested in biology and the human body for years.

Congratulations Lucas! It has been a privilege to watch you grow up over the past 10 years!