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 Commons School as well as with Vibe Volleyball Club. I am also a student leader in my school’s outdoor education program.

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

The pandemic provided me with a welcome opportunity to take a step back and focus on my technique. I was able to zoom in on different aspects of my playing, develop them, and then apply them while working on individual solo pieces. I was also able to explore new composers and styles of music through my lessons.

If you know, what do you plan to study in college & how did you make your choice?

I plan on studying Environmental Science in college. For as long as I can remember, I have looked forward to learning more about the natural world around me, and as I’ve started to learn about the human impacts on the natural world, I also started to feel passionate about making a change. I am particularly interested in learning about the conjunction between scientific research and community outreach that is vital to helping mitigate climate change.

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 Strings together (trying to get them to yell “Hey” in Stomp and Fiddle took a lot of coaxing) and have moved through the orchestras together, dressing up as M&Ms for Halloween, and traveling to Spain and Portugal on tour in 2019. As performing musicians we have even had the privilege of performing with her from the pit orchestras of her school musicals while she has been on stage for shows such as Oliver and Beauty and the Beast.  It has been a delight to watch Melissa grow up over the last seven years and we are excited to see where life takes her!

 

 

 

 

 

What role does music play in your life?       

Music is an enormous part of my life. I grew up standing on tables singing songs in made-up languages or performing violin concerts for collections of Beanie Boo stuffed animals. As I got older, music started to become almost everything in my life, and bordered on feeling stressful and discouraging. I picked up more hobbies, like tennis, and music became more of an escape from my often hectic day-to-day life. I now look forward to any opportunity to play or perform, and I hope to keep it in my life forever.

What is your favorite VYOA memory?

It’s almost impossible for me to pick a favorite VYOA memory because it’s been part of my life for so long. A recent one that comes to mind was Casino Night at Reveille this past summer, singing karaoke with my friends and playing seemingly endless games of Cup Pong. VYO has given me so many opportunities to develop and strengthen friendships, from the days of turning Mia into a mummy in Presto to traveling to Spain and Portugal in 2019 to summer days eating lunch on the stairs across from Elley-Long.

If you know, what do you plan to study in college & how did you make your choice?

I am studying astrophysics in college (physics applications in astronomy). Along with the majority of kids my age, I wanted to be an astronaut when I was very young. As I got older, I learned about astrophysics and how my love of mathematics and physical sciences could be combined with my childhood dreams. In high school I began to read astrophysics, astronomy, cosmology, and even astrobiology books and taught myself everything I could. I realized that studying space was realistic, and decided I wanted to pursue it in the future. Now I have been accepted to several schools with incredible observational astronomy resources, such as the University of Hawaii at Manoa, so I have a big decision ahead of me! I look forward to seeing what my higher education holds.

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 our low brass section since he joined VT Youth Philharmonia 5 years ago, sometimes holding down the section as the only trombone player! We have enjoyed his diligence and musicianship every year.

 

 

 

 

 

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

When I was younger I went to VYO concerts to watch my cousin perform. I would always be captivated by the brass instruments, how they could sound both so powerful and so soothing. I chose the trombone in 6th grade because it was unique. It not only looked and sounded cool, but you could play some cool effects using the slide that no other brass instrument could do.

What was your favorite concert as a performer with the VYOA?

My favorite concert with the VYOA was my first OrchestraPalooza concert. Performing at the Flynn had been something I had been looking forward to since joining the VYOA, and the atmosphere both in the Flynn and around it made it so much more special than a normal concert.

If you know, what do you plan to study in college & how did you make your choice?

I am planning to study computer science in college. I have always been very interested in computers and how they work. I have also been involved in many tech-oriented experiences and projects over the years that have pushed me towards computer science, such as training to be a lighting engineer and even coding my own Flappy Bird game that could be played on a smartphone. I also hope to continue my musical career by playing and performing with ensembles at college and possibly selecting a music minor.

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 start playing their instruments at a later age than string players. Christopher is a member of a musical family – his siblings and a cousin have all been a part of the VYOA. We have greatly appreciated his musical contributions as well as his easy going nature and dependability!

 

 

 

 

 

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

I like the French horn because it is the most stunning instrument in the orchestra, and I like playing really strong and brassy melodies. I chose it because it looked so cool and complicated with many shiny tubes everywhere. Having learned to play the French horn has really made me see music in a different way.

Who is your favorite composer?

Mahler is my favorite composer because he always writes such powerful melodies for horns and I love playing his music. I got to play the first movement of Mahler’s second symphony with the VYO, and that is my favorite piece I have played.

What is your favorite VYOA memory?

My favorite VYOA memory was finding out that I had made it into VYP, as my VYP audition was one of the first auditions I had ever done. I wasn’t sure that I would even make VYP, but it turns out that I was better than I thought I was!

Emily King, horn
Missisquoi Valley Union

VT Youth Orchestra – 2 years

In the two years that Emily has been in VYO, her musical contribution has been tremendous! You can hear her playing the beautiful solo horn lines in concerts from both this year and last. We have admired Emily’s consistent preparation and flexibility to play whatever is put in front of her.

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

As soon as I began immersing myself in the world of music, the French horn caught my attention with its unique sound and beauty. It stood out to me as an embodiment of grace and majesty, and I simply could not deny that I wholeheartedly wanted to learn this instrument. In order to ease my way into the challenges that come with horn playing, I began learning trumpet as my first brass instrument in elementary school. As I entered middle school, I was finally able to get my hands on a French horn. Ever since then, I’ve only grown more passionate about this instrument, and the horn never lost its magic in my eyes.

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

Auditioning has always been a particularly scary and anxiety-inducing part of being a musician. Even after auditioning for festivals for several years, preparing to perform scales, excerpts, and solos for my VYO audition was nerve-wracking. Being part of the orchestra was a dream of mine, so when the opportunity came to finally audition, I felt the weight of my goals resting heavily on my shoulders. However, as I stood in the hallway at Elley-Long anxiously awaiting my audition time, I had an epiphany. I realized that I was there to share my love of music. I was there to show the work I had put into my instrument over the last 6 years. I was there to play my horn, which had always brought me so much joy. After that, I walked confidently into the audition room and did what I enjoyed most: play the horn.

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

For me, the VYO has truly been a light that shone through all the darkness brought on by the pandemic. For two long years, young musicians like myself had been denied festivals, band classes, lessons, and the other musical endeavors that we looked forward to. This bleak time without music was depressing and discouraging. It seemed like any glimmer of hope to perform again was diminished. That was until I became involved in the VYO. When in-person rehearsals finally began, I was reminded of the joy that music brought me. Even though I still could not play in school or festivals, the VYO employed lots of precautions that allowed us to safely play music together. While it wasn’t a normal ensemble experience, it was like a breath of fresh air to be with other musicians again and finally create beautiful music.