Youth Orchestras in Massachusets Area

[S M]

Where I live, I don’t think there is more than one orchestra to choose from.

[unknown-user]

“And they already have a harpist, one of those lucky people who has a huge gold-plated harp.” – I know EXCACTLY what you’re talking about. May I rant for a moment?

In May 2004, I auditioned for the preparatory orchestras in the New England Conservatory- those are the student orchestras that rehearse weekly, and put on Winter/Spring concerts. Up until then I had played with Greater Boston’s Youth Symphony Orchestras- a group that was very similar to the one I was auditioning for.

Now, In the New England Conservatory, there are 3 fully symphonic orchestras- Youth Repertory, (Intermediate/Advanced) Youth Symphony (Advanced) and Youth Philharmonic (very highly advanced). When I auditioned, I got a letter in mail saying that I was recommended to (by the audition staff) for Youth Symphony OR Youth Philharmonic- depending on availablity, and that they would me know which one in the coming weeks. I was absolutely ecstatic. I was so happy I could play with such a prestigious group of people, and be in the presence of so many great musicians.

NOW, jumping ahead 3 months. It’s August 2004. I participated in a summer orchestra program at the conservatory. In the orchestra was a rich, snobby girl, who we will refer to as “Harpist A”. She was okay, but didn’t have a good understanding of what it was like to be in an orchestra, and she didn’t really have a good sense of musicianship… and what was worse, she didn’t really seem like she wanted to learn. She was one of those people that was BORN into wealth, and her “daddy” buys her everything she wants. She told be she owned a Gold 23 (Runs for about $40,000) and

[S M]

I know, I’m always annoyed when I find out about people who just all of a sudden decide they’d like something big like a harp or a horse (I LOVE Arabians) and they’re able to just up and get one on a whim, when they don’t REALLY care about it, like me.

[unknown-user]

Well here’s what happened: When I was 11, I auditioned for the preparatory orchestras and didn’t get in. That summer, I practiced an enormous amount, then auditioned for that summer program and got in. I decided to audition for the preparatory orchetras again when I was 14- last year.

I saved up for my pedal harp for 4 years- essentially, when I was 9, I started raising money doing chores, walking dogs, mowing lawns- any way for me to put a couple of bucks in my pocket. And once I did, I put that money right into my back account. I started on pedal harp in April 2003, I was 13. I bought a Daphne 47 EX- it was a new model at the time, it’s a wonderful full size concert grand with extended soundboard. Usually I just tell people I have an Aurora, becuase whenever people hear “Daphne” they think of petite harps, and the Aurora is almost identical to mine.

How long have you played the harp? I’d ask your teacher if you’re ready to move to pedal.

I would not suggest purchasing pedal harps from any company ACCEPT for Lyon and Healy, Salvi, Venus, Camac or Swanson. There are other brands out there that sell outrageously underpriced instruments, which I am TOTALLY sketched out by.

My teacher, in addition to a marvelous L&H Style 23, also has a Style 85 Petite harp (which I have played on a few times). And now, thinking about it, I suppose it may be appropriate for a youth orchestra. Although it’s quite small, it has an amazingly big voice for it’s size. Perhaps you should talk to your teacher about it.

I, too, am looking for a semi-grand or petite harp to make gigging easier. Although I probably won’t be able to save up for another one until senior year in high school or beggining of college, I’ve been contemplating which ones might be most appropriate for me. I’m also contemplating selling my Troubador IV which I got 5 years ago, which will greatly help me on my way to purchasing a semi grand/petite.

From what I gather, these are some of the most affordable harps out there:

http://www.lyonhealy.com/products/lyonhealy/pedal/85b.html

http://www.harpconnection.com/SalviUSA/Aurora.html

^^^about $18,000

http://www.harpconnection.com/SalviUSA/Orchestra.html

^^^^now available with extended soundboard! hooray! about $15,000

http://www.harpconnection.com/SalviUSA/Sinfonietta.html

^^^about $14,500
http://www.harpconnection.com/SalviUSA/Daphne.html

Here are the Daphnes. They range from about $12,000 to $16,000 for the Daphne 47 EX

Best wishes on finding

[unknown-user]

Stupid me! Make sure to look at the classifieds for this site!http://www.harpcolumn.com/gc/index.tcl

[S M]

AHHHH!

[S M]

Okay, I’m back. : )

Does the extended soundboard make a big difference?

I know how it is trying to scrape up every spare penny you can earn (or find on the road)…I’m doing that, but there are so many things to save up for that it’s taking a reeeeeeeally long time. (That’s why I ask about the rent-to-own program.) I want a pedal harp SO badly, and ditto on being in an orchestra!

How exactly do I go about auditioning?

[S M]

You know, I just realized something….

A note to Saul Davis:

At one point on this post, you said, “…you must spell correctly, especially composers’ names.”

[unknown-user]

Woah, SM DEFINETELY just made it into my inner circle. Hehe.

[S M]

Thank you, thank you very much. : )

Although I do agree with the adults on one point: people our age DO tend to be too sloppy no matter what they’re writing/typing, so much so that it’s sometimes unintelligible.

[Julie Albertson]

…or spelling “Massachusetts.”

[S M]

Try “deoxyribonucleic acid.”

[benjamin-creighton-griffiths]

I am 8 years old, I used to have trouble spelling my surname its Creighton Griffiths, so please allow me a wrong spelling sometimes and being from Wales some words we spell other ways. But I was just looking at this with my Dad. I have a Lyon & Healy 85 GP Petite. The sound from mine is very big, my teacher Eluned Pierce & my Aunty Eluned Scourfield & Dylan Rowlands all have full sized Lyon & Healys and each have a Salvi or two but they can all get almost as big a sound on my harp as they can on theirs in the lower, middle ranges. It is in the top octave where the sound is not as strong and i don’t have the exta three strings they have. By the way when I was asked to play the Handel Harp Concerto with The Welsh Sinfonia to raise money for the Tsunami Victims I used my Pilgrim lever harp. At the end of the concert lots of people said that they could HEAR my harp but because I am small and so is the lever harp, they could not SEE me!

[S M]

Wow, for 8 years old (AND being from Wales), your spelling is amazing!!

[unknown-user]

Yes! I have birthed by second oobah-long post!

[Author]

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