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The Central Oregon Youth Orchestra is presenting its spring concert at the Tower Theatre in downtown Bend in May. The music will feature the full orchestra, wind ensemble and concert orchestra directed by Dr. Travis Allen, Debbie Harrington, Jonathan Moore and Ryan Zwahlen.
Allen is COYO’s executive director and an accomplished cellist performing with the Central Oregon Symphany, Bend Cello Collective and Dove String Quartet.
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Courtesy COVO
COYO strives to include more student musicians in its activities.
Source Weekly: Who comprises the Central Oregon Youth Orchestra?
Dr. Travis Allen: Our members are primarily middle school and high school students, although we also have a few elementary school students in both strings and winds. We currently have 75 students, primarily from Bend and Redmond, with our student population also coming from Prineville and Madras. Our students come from all kinds of backgrounds, with some having musical families, and others being the first generation to pursue music strongly. We support all our students, and everyone is welcome to participate, regardless of their economic situation.
SW: How long has the orchestra been performing?
TA: The orchestra has been in existence since 2014, but the COYO has been performing all of its concerts at the Tower since 2022.
SW: Describe the type of music the audience will hear and how the pieces were selected.
TA: The audience will hear a variety of classical music, both from traditional composers in the classical music canon and more modern composers whose musical inspiration is similar to that of movie and film music.
Primarily, our goal in choosing music is to find pieces that are challenging for the students, exciting, engaging, and fun for our audience. This spring concert will have music that does all three of these things very well. I think the audience will really enjoy the music selections our conductors have made.
SW: How long have you been with the youth orchestra and what is your background?
TA: I was brought on as the executive director of the organization in January 2020. I have a background in music performance and education, with a master’s in cello performance and a ph.d in musicology. I am the principal cellist of the Central Oregon Symphony and an instructor at COCC, teaching classes in music theory and music history.
SW: Can you share any success stories about youth performers who went onto big things after the orchestra?
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TA: Since COYO’s inception, our students have gone on to study at prestigious music institutions, such as the Eastman School of Music and the Colburn School in Los Angeles. Our current students are some of the highest-achieving young musicians in Central Oregon. Many of them audition and win places in All-State ensembles, and some also earn a place and compete in the state solo and ensemble contest. Every one of our students is dedicated to their instrument and works hard to make each performance their best.They are amazing kids.
SW: How many concerts does the orchestra perform each year?
TA: We have two main orchestras: the Concert Orchestra and the Youth Philharmonic, as well as a Wind Ensemble, which is composed entirely of wind and brass instruments. The Concert Orchestra is a strings-only ensemble, comprising mostly of middle school students, and the Youth Philharmonic is a full symphonic orchestra, which is predominantly high school students. These three larger ensembles perform twice a year at the Tower Theatre, with one winter concert in December and one spring concert in May.
We also have some chamber ensembles that perform more frequently. Our string quartet, for example, performs throughout the community, including first Fridays and as prelude performances for other arts organizations, such as the Central Oregon School of Ballet’s Nutcracker Concerts.
SW: Can you share any upcoming events or plans?
TA: We are always looking to enrich the musical experience of our students. Currently, we partner with the Central Oregon Symphony, having our students work with their professional principal musicians in workshop settings, and we also perform side by side in an annual collaborative concert. However, we are working to have more partnerships with other regional youth orchestras, with the hope that our students can connect with and be inspired by a variety of talented and motivated young musicians in the greater Pacific Northwest region.
We are also always looking to expand our offerings in our own communities so that we can better serve the youth of Central Oregon. This year debuted COYO’s Wind Ensemble to help foster and develop the skills of young wind and brass musicians in our community. The goal is to be a counterpart to our Concert Orchestra, which works with and develops the musical skills of young string players.
SW: Is there anything new you can share about the orchestra or its future?
TA: The orchestra is always looking for ways to best serve the youth in Central Oregon. Our goal is always to be as inclusive as possible and to bring in students from the wider Central Oregon community. We would love for our programs to reach a wider student audience and have dedicated musicians join our organizations from all over the area. Our organization is a great place for musicians to meet each other and be inspired by one another. It would be lovely to bring this camaraderie and experience to as many young musicians as possible.
SW: Can other youth join?
TA: We are always accepting new students and would love for more to audition. We currently hold auditions twice a year, once before our fall program starts in September and again before our spring program begins in February. I recommend that interested students check our website for updates or email us at [email protected] for more information.
Central Oregon Youth Orchestra
Wed., May 7, 7pm
Tower Theatre
Starting at $16
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