Hendersonville Symphony Orchestra

In the late 1970's, HSO provided and paid for two teachers who began string classes in the public schools. This program was so successful that the Henderson County Board of Education voted to continue offering string and orchestra classes, expanding into all secondary schools. Many students from this program are now successful orchestra conductors, performing musicians and teachers in private studios. The following programs continue our commitment to music education.

The Hendersonville Symphony Orchestra is accepting applications for its Young Artist Competition. The first-place winner will receive a $500 cash award and will perform with the Hendersonville Symphony Orchestra on Saturday, April 19, 2008. The second and third place winners will receive cash awards of $300 and $200. The competition is open to all musicians in grades nine through twelve who live in or attend schools in Buncombe, Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, Polk, Swain, Transylvania or Yancey counties. These musicians must be available for a dress rehearsal and performance with the symphony. The competition will take place on January 27th in Patton Auditorium at Blue Ridge Community College in Hendersonville. Contestants will be judged on musicianship, technique and stage presence. Prepared selections must be memorized for the audition.

Applications are available through school music departments or by calling the Hendersonville Symphony General Manager at 697-5884 and must be postmarked by November 30, 2008.The HSO Young Artist Competition is sponsored in part by SunTrust Bank.

For over twenty-five years, the HSO has been proud to sponsor the Hendersonville Symphony Youth Orchestra, our full orchestra experience for local youth. Open by audition only, the HSYO pulls string and band students from public, private, and home school settings to enjoy making music with their peers. This provides the only opportunity to Henderson county for a symphony experience for most of these students. Please join us for one of our four annual concerts in November, December March and May or for our annual fund raising concert and dinner at Champion Hills Club in May.

The Hendersonville Symphony Orchestra Education Committee is pleased to announce that Dr. Michael Weaver has been named the Music Director and Conductor of the Hendersonville Symphony Youth Orchestra. In addition, the Education Committee has appointed Tiffany King as Assistant Director to both the Hendersonville Symphony Youth Orchestra and Prelude Orchestra.

Dr. Weaver is an Assistant Professor of Music at North Greenville University (SC) where he teaches strings and music history, and is the conductor for the University String Ensemble. Prior to his current appointment at North Greenville University he was the Artistic Director and Conductor for the Elizabeth City State University Albemarle Symphony Orchestra. He has performed with over 30 regional orchestras as a violinist and/or violist including the North Carolina Symphony, Pensacola Symphony and the Albany Symphony Orchestra. He holds degrees in Music Education, Performance and Suzuki Pedagogy from East Carolina University and Florida State University.

Membership in HSYO is open to any student grades 8 and higher, up to age 21. There is no fee to participate in HSYO and no residency requirement. Young musicians from Henderson, Buncombe, Transylvania and Polk counties have been recent participants in this group which offers a full symphonic experience. The orchestra is sponsored by the HSO, and last season enjoyed a generous grant from Wachovia Bank. HSYO rehearses weekly on Monday evenings. Four concerts are presented each season in various venues including the Bo Thomas Auditorium and the Champion Hills Clubhouse.

Auditions for the new season of HSYO will be held on Monday, September 10, 6pm in the band room of East Henderson High School, located at 130 Upward Road in East Flat Rock.

The instruments that are used in the HSYO include flute, oboe, clarinet, bass clarinet, bassoon, French horn, trumpet, trombone, tuba, percussion, violin, viola, cello and bass. HSYO has a particular need at this time for oboe, clarinet, bassoon and French horn players. For more information on auditions or membership in HSYO, please call the HSO office at 697-5884 or 890-4722.

The newly created Prelude String Orchestra (PSO) is designed to encourage early development on stringed instruments through ensemble experience. It is the perfect compliment to either individual or class instruction. Students in grades seven or below from anywhere in Western North Carolina are invited to participate regardless of previous experience. Auditions may be scheduled on an individual basis with Ms. Andrea Jackson, conductor of Prelude. Rehearsals are held on Tuesday evenings at Rugby Middle School. Concert dates are as follows: Sunday, December 17th, 2006 and Saturday, May 19th, 2007. Both performances will be at the Bo Thomas Auditorium of Blue Ridge Community College.

Students in thirteen western North Carolina counties are invited to compete in this annual event, organized in 1995, for musicians enrolled in grades 9 - 12. Applicants are judged on musicianship, technique and overall performance. In addition to a cash prize provided by SunTrust Bank, the sponsor of this event, the winner is a feature performer with the HSO.

While financial need is considered, greater emphasis is placed on student applications and teacher recommendations. This present budget for supporting these students is $10,000, reflecting our deep commitment to the musical education of local students. Scholarships are awarded twice per year, with application deadlines of September 30th and March 15th

HSO and the Henderson County Board of Education work together to introduce students to the orchestra. "Carnival of the Animals", by Saint Saens, is presented to all third graders. The students participate by writing poems and drawing pictures of the animals that are then read and shown during the concert. The sixth grade students will be presented with an exciting concert with an historical perspective which includes a slide presentation interspersed with the music.Partial underwriting for these concerts is provided by Selee-Porvair and the Perry N. Rudnick Fund.

A program was initiated this year which was designed to enhace the experience of all students enrolled in instrumental music classes in the Henderson County Public Schools. Orchestra and Band directors apply for grants to bring in a guest clinician or soloist, hire section coaches, or have a composor or other speaker work with their students. Also HSO offers small ensembles of HSO members for performance in informal concerts. Members of the HSO have also volunteered their time to work with students on performance of chamber music.