orchestra21

One of my deepest professional passions is presenting music to young people. I consider myself extremely fortunate to have had consistent opportunities to do just that since I was a high school music student at The Colburn School, and there is no aspect of my current work I take more seriously than the concerts I give with the Louisville Orchestra and the WCFSO for over 30,000 students annually.

This past April three of those young people joined me onstage to conduct the WCFSO at our youth concerts. In the midst of a concert exploring the legacy of Aaron Copland student volunteers from Orchard Hill, North Tama and Sacred Heart elementary schools tried their hands at leading the composer’s most famous piece, Hoe-Down from Rodeo. Check out the results above.

From the stack of amazing thank yous written by elementary school students who attended last month’s WCFSO educational program on Aaron Copland. [I will have some wonderful video of the kid conductors to share soon.]

To the student who sent this: my favorite piece on the program was the other movement we played from Rodeo, Buckaroo Holiday – I love Copland’s use of rhythm and syncopation in the main theme – and my favorite instrument is of course the clarinet.

And to the readers of this blog: you don’t have to attend our youth concerts to ask me a question and have it answered here.

I’m spending the day onstage with the WCFSO today, introducing 4000 elementary school students to the music of Aaron Copland. Our program is designed to offer unique insight into this essential American composer – selections from a variety of his works will alternate with audio of his own thoughts and opinions, including excerpts from this fascinating interview:

Interview with Aaron Copland – mp3
Fred Calland for NPR – 1980

Read more about the concert here.