Winter Quarter music will be available via PDF download by Friday, January 5. Instructions on how to download music will be sent via email to all enrolled BYSO students.
Rehearsals will be held on Monday evenings from 6:15 – 8:30 pm. Musicians are expected to arrive and be prepared to rehearse 15 minutes prior to start time.
WINTER QUARTER 2024 DETAILS
Rehearsals
Winter Quarter Dates
Mondays from 6:15 – 8:30 pm
Rehearsals begin on Monday, January 8
Rehearsal Location
Drop Off/ Pick Up
Odle Middle School
A parking lot is available. Plan
502 143 Ave NE
on prompt drop off and pick up to avoid
Bellevue, WA 98007
congestion.
Retreat
Fall & Winter Quarters Only
Saturday, January 20
Odle Middle School
9:00am – 2:00pm
502 143 Ave NE
Bellevue, WA 98007
Winter Concert
Time & Date
Meydenbauer Theatre
Saturday, March 16 @ 7:00pm
11100 NE 6th St
∙ Arrive by: 4:55 pm
Bellevue, WA 98004
∙ Philharmonia Chamber Groups will rehearse after
Full Orchestra rehearsal.
SPRING QUARTER 2024 DETAILS
Rehearsals
Spring Quarter Dates
Mondays from 6:15 – 8:30 pm
Rehearsals begin on Monday, March 25
No Rehearsal on Monday, April 8 (Spring Break)
Rehearsal Location
Drop Off/ Pick Up
Odle Middle School
A parking lot is available. Plan
502 143 Ave NE
on prompt drop off and pick up to avoid
Bellevue, WA 98007
congestion.
Saturday Rehearsal
Saturday Rehearsal Location
Saturday, April 20
Odle Middle School
9:00am -11:15am
502 143 Ave NE
Bellevue, WA 98007
Spring Concert
Time & Date
Benaroya Concert Hall
Saturday, May 11 @ 3:00pm
200 University St.
Call Times TBD.
Seattle, WA 98101
Student Checklist
Bring a pencil
Bring a music stand
Print your sheet music prior to first rehearsal (using link at top of this page) and bring with you to rehearsal
Arrive 15 minutes prior to the start of rehearsal to ensure you are in your chair and ready to play at the start of rehearsal
Have fun!
About
Philharmonia is an advanced orchestra in the Bellevue Youth Symphony Orchestra organization. The typical Philharmonia student has had several years of private instruction and substantial ensemble experience and is highly skilled on his or her instrument.
Philharmonia prepares high-level musicians for possible entry into Youth Symphony with challenging full orchestra pieces. Past works performed include Brahms’s AcademicFestival Overture, Tchaikovsky’s Slavonic March in Bb Minor, and Mozart’s Symphony No. 35.
Recent Philharmonia Performances
Conductor: Joseph Kempisty
Joseph Kempisty holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from The Ohio State University and a Master of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies degree from the University of Washington. He has taught elementary, middle, and high school orchestras in the Midwest as well as in the Bellevue School District, where he was also a school administrator for fourteen years. Learn more.
Thank you for a great first rehearsal on Monday! Reminder that there is no rehearsal on Monday, January 15. Seating auditions will occur near the beginning of our Saturday, January 20 retreat at Odle Middle School. The retreat is from 9am to 2pm.
Seating audition spots are listed below. Three important details for everyone to read first:
For instruments with more than one part, you should play the first part for your instrument.
For the Tchaikovsky, Trumpets should play the Tromba 1 part. Reminder that the ‘… in B’ designation on the part means it is in Bb.
Armstrong Tribute: I found a reference recording of the exact medley we are playing, and I included time marks in the seating audition spots below – so you know where to listen. This will be especially helpful for those of you that are new or not as experienced with Swing rhythms – and likely helpful even for those that are experienced! Click here to hear this reference recording.
Tchaikovsky measure marks for reference and to double check your numbering:
Lo stesso tempo = measure 84
Piu Mosso = m. 187
Andante molto maestoso = m. 213
Allegro risoluto = m. 220
Flute
Armstrong Tribute: m. 88 – 116 (reference recording start at 2:10)
Tchaikovsky: m. 153 – 187
Tchaikovsky: m. 187 – 213
Tchaikovsky: start m. 220, take the 2nd ending and play those 6 measures (stop at the rest measure)
Oboe
Armstrong Tribute: m. 88 – 116 (reference recording start at 2:10)
Tchaikovsky: m. 153 – 187
Tchaikovsky: m. 187 – 213
Tchaikovsky: start m. 220, take the 2nd ending and play those 6 measures (stop at the rest measure)
Clarinet
Armstrong Tribute: m. 64 – 88 (reference recording start at 1:40)
Armstrong Tribute: m. 88 – 116 (reference recording start at 2:10)
Tchaikovsky: m. 153 – 187
Tchaikovsky: m. 187 – 213
Horn
Armstrong Tribute: m. 64 – 88 (reference recording start at 1:40)
Armstrong Tribute: m. 88 – 116 (reference recording start at 2:10)
Tchaikovsky: m. 153 – 187
Tchaikovsky: m. 187 – 213
Trumpet
Armstrong Tribute: m. 64 – 88 (reference recording start at 1:40)
Armstrong Tribute: m. 88 – 116 (reference recording start at 2:10)
Tchaikovsky: m. 153 – 187
Tchaikovsky: m. 213 – 220
Trombone
Armstrong Tribute: m. 64 – 88 (reference recording start at 1:40)
Armstrong Tribute: m. 88 – 116 (reference recording start at 2:10)
Tchaikovsky: m. 153 – 169
Tchaikovsky: m. 213 – 220
Violin
Armstrong Tribute: m. 88 – 116 (reference recording start at 2:10)
Tchaikovsky: m. 148 – 187
Tchaikovsky: m. 187 – 213
Tchaikovsky: last 13 measures of piece
Viola
Armstrong Tribute: m. 88 – 116 (reference recording start at 2:10)
Tchaikovsky: m. 5 – 21
Tchaikovsky: m. 148 – 169
Tchaikovsky: m. 187 – 213
Cello
Armstrong Tribute: m. 88 – 116 (reference recording start at 2:10)
Tchaikovsky: m. 13 – 50
Tchaikovsky: m. 148 – 187
Tchaikovsky: m. 187 – 213
Bass
Armstrong Tribute: m. 64 – 88 (reference recording start at 1:40)
Armstrong Tribute: m. 88 – 116 (reference recording start at 2:10)
Tchaikovsky: m. 148 – 187
Tchaikovsky: m. 187 – 213
January 2, 2024
Happy New Year, Philharmonia musicians! I am looking forward to seeing and hearing you all on Monday, January 8th!
Prior to the first rehearsal, please print out all your instrument parts from both PDF files. For example, Violins should print the entire ‘Violin’ file for both pieces which includes Violin 1 and Violin 2, Trombones should print Part 1, 2, and 3, etc. (Note for Trumpets: You will find ‘Tromba’ and ‘Piston’ parts for the Tchaikovsky – please print them all.)
The link to the parts will be posted on our webpage, and an email will be sent out from our BYSO office to families after 5pm on January 4 with directions and password.
Seating auditions for this concert will take place at our Saturday, January 20th retreat. The retreat is from 9am to 2pm at Odle Middle School, and the seating auditions will occur at the start of that retreat. Seating audition spots will be posted on this BYSO Philharmonia webpage next week.
The pieces for our March concert will include Tchaikovsky’s Slavonic March (Op. 31 – using the original, professional version) and an orchestral tribute to Louis Armstrong which includes several pieces for which he was well-known. Be sure to check below for video examples.
Also, be sure to check this webpage for details on dates, times, and locations for all BYSO rehearsals, concerts, and other events.
See you soon!
Video links to our March 2024 Concert pieces
Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s Slavonic March, Op. 31 (also called March Slav or Marche Slave), performed by the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra (New Zealand). Conducted by Xian Zhang, Chinese-American conductor and music director of the New Jersey Symphony.
American composer Ted Ricketts arranged an orchestral medley of four famous Louis Armstrong classics which are frequently heard today. The tribute medley includes the four pieces in the videos below.
When The Saints Go Marching In:
St. Louis Blues:
What A Wonderful World:
Hello Dolly:
Video links to our November 2023 Concert pieces
Aaron Copland’s ‘Saturday Night Waltz’ from his ballet suite ‘Rodeo’ performed by the London Symphony Orchestra (1968). Aaron Copland, conductor. This video is the entire suite. Go to 11:39 for the Waltz.
Aaron Copland’s ‘Hoe-Down’ from his ballet suite ‘Rodeo’ performed by the National Youth Orchestra of the USA (2018). Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor.
John Williams’ ‘The Olympic Spirit’ performed by the Boston Pops Orchestra with the composer conducting. He wrote this for the 1988 television broadcast of the Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. This is a score reduction, so you will easily see which instruments are playing the same rhythmic parts. One change he made after the initial publication was in the final three measures. In those last three measures of this video, you will see the initial written score but you will hear the change. We will adjust our performance to match this later change.
Welcome to Philharmonia’s 2023-24 Season!
The music for our first concert will be posted on our website and linked above in the weeks ahead. Please check for email notifications so that you can print out your music before our first rehearsal on Monday, September 25th.
I am in the process of selecting repertoire for this season, and I would like to have the input of our Philharmonia musicians. If you have a piece or composer in mind, please email me the details at philharmonia@byso.org, and I will consider it.