Annapolis Symphony Orchestra’s Maestro José-Luis Novo will join the faculty of the Annapolis Symphony Academy to lead a new high level, tuition free youth orchestra. The Orion Youth Orchestra will be the only youth orchestra in the region to be conducted by the music director of its parent professional orchestra. This move is a key component in Academy’s new preschool to high school expansion designed to cultivate young musical talent and promote diversity.
Starting in September 2021, students as young as 4 can enroll in the Academy’s new Discovery Early Childhood Music classes. From there, students can progress into one-on-one music lessons with Annapolis Symphony Orchestra members, and skill-appropriate ensemble and chamber groups, culminating in the opportunity to join the Orion Youth Orchestra, a high-level merit-based performance group. For the first time since its founding in 2018, all Academy chamber ensembles and orchestras will accept auditions from non-Academy students who already study music with a private teacher.
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The generosity of donors allows the Academy to award need-based and merit-based scholarships as well as financial assistance to qualifying students. All student members of Orion will receive a full orchestral scholarship.
“We’ve created something that doesn’t exist in Maryland,” said Netanel Draiblate, founder and executive director of the Annapolis Symphony Academy. “This is an unprecedented opportunity for talented, motivated students from anywhere in our region to follow a musical development path from 4 years of age to the pinnacle of the Orion Orchestra under the direction of Maestro Novo, a world-renowned conductor.”
Instructional courses with the Annapolis Symphony Academy
Discovery Early Childhood Music Classes: designed for children ages 4-7. Students experience music development through social engagement. Class activities include singing and chanting, moving to music, playing assorted percussion instruments, and developing fundamental aural and rhythmical skills. Studying music can contribute to improved cognitive function, healthy social-emotional development, and academic success.
Virtuoso Pathway: The Academy’s most comprehensive music education approach. Open to any age. It includes one-on-one instruction from Annapolis Symphony Orchestra musicians, assignment to one of three chamber ensembles or orchestras, guest workshops, performance opportunities, and access to all Annapolis Symphony Orchestra concerts.
Youth Chamber Ensembles and Large Orchestras by the Annapolis Symphony Academy
Academy students enrolled in the Virtuoso Pathway are assigned to an ensemble or orchestra. New this year as part of the Academy’s expansion, students who study with non-Academy teachers can also audition for placement in the Academy orchestra.
Lyra Chamber Music Ensemble: designed to develop the collaborative playing skills of young musicians who are just starting their musical instrument training. Students will be coached by Annapolis Symphony Orchestra musicians in small groups with a goal of advancement to a larger ensemble.
Aries Youth Chamber Orchestra: designed to further hone musical skills by providing larger ensembles, advanced orchestral repertoire, and performance opportunities in preparation for transition to more advanced orchestras, such as Orion. Aries will be directed by Heather Haughn of the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra.
Orion Youth Orchestra: an exciting new, top-level, merit-based youth orchestra under the direction of Maestro José-Luis Novo of the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra. Orion is the first Academy orchestra to include strings, winds, brass, percussion, and keyboard instruments. Students chosen for Orion will receive a full orchestral scholarship. Auditions are open to both students from the Academy and those studying with non-Academy teachers. Orion musicians will perform full-length orchestral concerts in various venues throughout the region.
The Annapolis Symphony Academy, founded in 2018 as an educational project of the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra, provides high-level music instruction to students of all cultural and economic backgrounds, while addressing the under-representation of musicians of color in the classical music field. In current academic year, 51% of the student body is comprised of non-white youth. Donor support allows the Academy to offer need-based financial aid, full tuition waivers and merit-based scholarships.
Application deadline for the 2021-22 school year is June 15, 2021. For more information on the Annapolis Symphony Academy, application, tuition, and financial aid, see www.tunedtoyouth.org
