Buckhead Youth High School High School Invitational Concert

BUCKHEAD YOUTH ORCHESTRA TO FEATURE FUTURE VISTUOSOS DURING STELLAR NOVEMBER 4th CONCERT  

Numerous school systems have been forced to eliminate musical programs from their curriculum due to severe budget cuts. However, the dreams of budding area musicians are being kept alive and nurtured by the Buckhead Youth Orchestra (BYO). The future of classical music will be on display when they present the organization’s 2012 High School Invitational Concert on Sunday, November 4th, at 4:00pm in Peachtree Presbyterian Church’s Main Sanctuary.

The Buckhead Youth Orchestra is an advanced orchestra with special performances throughout the season in addition to the BYO performance schedule. Placement of musicians into the orchestras or ensembles is based upon musical ability regardless of age or grade. The BYO is open to all young musicians ages 7-18. All participants must audition for acceptance into the program based on their level of musical ability. Private instruction and participation in a school orchestra program are a prerequisite to acceptance into the BYO program. The BYO program supports all public and private school orchestra programs. Since its inception, The Buckhead Youth Orchestra has been endorsed by the Buckhead Coalition President, Sam Massell. Its programs include the Suzanne Clark Memorial Scholarship Fund, the Parvaneh Mehdian Memorial Scholarship Fund, Regional Young Artists Concerto Competitions, and educational children concert activities to a population of children that do not have access to the Arts.

The upcoming High School Invitational Concert will be conducted by BYO Founder and Artistic Director Juan R. Ramírez-Hernández. The concert is set to feature several masterpieces including Beethoven’s  Choral Fantasy with guest pianist Nancy Elton, the elegant Ave Verum Corpus by Mozart and the uplifting First movement from Vivaldi’s Gloria. The Grady High School Chorus and Peachtree Youth Choir will add their collective vocal talents to this impressive event.

The idea of combining the musical capabilities of these three groups of young musicians and vocalists is the brainchild of PCC Director of Music Mary Hoffman, Director of Youth and Children’s Music Chris Barry and Kevin Hill, Director of the Grady High School Chorus. “The idea was to create an experience for young musicians to perform classic repertoire together that will build a strong foundation for their future musical careers.  In an age of instant media and artificially produced musical snippets, it is important to challenge our young musicians to an authentic musical experience where they have the ownership of the product.  When you place the repertoire of Mozart, Vivaldi, and Beethoven in the hands and voices of young musicians, it affects them spiritually and musically, and sticks with them for years.  Also, these musicians will be able to recall and use all the techniques they are learning through these pieces such as bowing, breath support, diction, and phrasing when they continue their music education” states Mr. Barry.

Juan R. Ramírez-Hernández, violinist/ composer/ conductor and founder of the Atlanta Virtuosi Foundation, Inc. He began his studies in Mexico with Ivo Valenti and Vladimir Vulfman. His studies with Henryk Szeryng began at the age of fourteen, and continued as he became his principal mentor in Mexico, the U.S. and Europe. While in Boston attending the New England Conservatory of Music, Mr. Ramírez was privileged to study with Joseph Silverstein. Service in the Boston and Pittsburgh Symphonies preceded his 1974 acceptance of a permanent position with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. 

"In a musical collaboration with the choirs of Peachtree Presbyterian Church, Grady High School and the musicians of the Buckhead Youth Orchestra, I look forward to highlighting and sharing with our audience the incredible talent that we have in Atlanta and in the Buckhead community" says Atlanta Virtuosi Foundation Founder and Artistic Director Juan R. Ramírez.

The concert is free to all who wish to attend.

The mission of the Buckhead Youth Orchestra (BYO), established by Juan R. Ramirez and under the auspices of the Atlanta Virtuosi Foundation, Inc., is to provide an orchestral experience of pre-college and pre-professional caliber to talented young musicians selected by audition from the metro and outlying areas of Atlanta. This orchestral program is a comprehensive musical curriculum, designed to provide an in-depth traditional, classical, and cultural music experience. Intensive preparation for public performance, development of basic technical skills, and professional coaching sessions are enhanced by local and regional concerto competitions, summer music festivals, and student scholarship opportunities. For more information, visit www,buckheadyouthorchestra.com.

Peachtree Presbyterian Church is located at 3434 Roswell Road NW in Atlanta’s Buckhead area. For information concerning Sunday morning service times and locations, sermon schedule, directions to the church, musical recital and concert dates & times and other points of interest, please visit www.peachtreepres.org or call us at 404-842-5800.