Youth Orchestra

Halloween Concert Side by Side—
Thursday, October 26 & Friday, October 27 at 7:30pm
Living Hope Church, Crown Point

Fall Concert—Sunday, November 19 at 3pm
Theatre at the Center, Munster

Showcase Gala—Sunday, March 3 at 6pm
Center for Visual & Performing Arts, Munster
TICKETS

Spring Concert—Sunday, May 5 at 3pm
Location Theatre at the Center, Munster

Monday, August 14, 2023 3–8pm
Tuesday, August 15, 2023 3–8pm
Sunday, October 8, 2023 10am—Noon
Thursday, January 4, 2024 3–7pm
Monday, May 20, 2024 1–6pm
Tuesday, May 21, 2024 1–6pm

ELIGIBILITY (Including Home Schooled Students)

Play an orchestral instrument (Strings, Woodwinds, Brass, Percussion)

Take private lessons

Enroll in a curricular school/district instrumental music program (where available). If no school program is available, applicant must be taking regular private lessons.

Age/Grade
String Players: Students between 8th grade–age 22 during the academic year.

Winds, Brass, Percussion: Students between 9th grade–age 22 during the academic year.

REHEARSAL SCHEDULE

Weekly rehearsals on Sundays, 2-5 pm, from August through May held at the Center for Visual & Performing Arts (CVPA), 1040 Ridge Road, Munster, IN 46321.

AUDITION REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL INSTRUMENTS

Scales through 4 flats and sharps (major) with arpeggios:
—one or two octaves for winds and brass
—two octaves for string bass
—three octaves strongly preferred for violin, viola and cello

4 minutes of contrasting material from student's repertoire (Solo or Etude)

Excerpts for your specific instrument listed on the Youth Orchestra Web Page

Sight Reading

Failure to comply with any criteria above may result in dismissal from the audition. Auditions are approximately 15 minutes in length.

No decision will be made without Director or private teacher recommendation.

Tuition is $450 per year payable at the first rehearsal or $250 for the spring semester only. A fundraising component is required. Applications for partial scholarships are available and are due by the third Sunday in September (applications for the spring semester only are due upon acceptance into the orchestra).

Audition fee is $25.

Fill out an application form, have your director or teacher complete it, and have your custodial parent sign it.

Mail it or bring it to your audition.

SIGN UP for an Audition

Bring your music: the required selections and your solo piece.

REQUIRED MUSIC SELECTIONS

BENJAMIN NADEL, CONDUCTOR

Benjamin Nadel is a classically trained conductor, pianist, and violinist. Based in Chicago, he is the Associate Conductor and Orchestra Librarian for the Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra and New Philharmonic. He is also the Orchestra Director at North Central College. Since he began these positions, he has conducted on a wide variety of programs and has prepared hundreds of pieces across both the classical and pops repertoires. Fall of 2022 marked his first season as the conductor of the Northwest Indiana Youth Symphony Orchestra.

Nadel began his conducting studies with Dr. Glenn Block at Illinois State University while completing his undergraduate degree in Music Education. He then went on to receive his MA in Orchestral Conducting at the University of Iowa with Dr. William LaRue Jones. While pursuing his degrees, he had the opportunity both assist and conduct several operatic productions, including Candide, La bohéme, La clemenza di Tito, and Iolanthe. He also participated in several summer music festivals, one of which was Cincinnati Conservatory’s program as a part of the summer music festival in Spoleto, Italy.

From 2011–2015 Nadel spent his summers with the Midwest Institute of Opera, where he was assistant conductor to Maestro Joshua Greene of the Metropolitan Opera. While there, he had the occasion to conduct both full concert and stage productions of Don Giovanni, Così fan tutte, and Carmen. He also assisted and coached for productions of Die Zauberflöte and La Cenerentola.

Aside from his work as a professional conductor, Nadel also has a very strong connection and personal interest in music education. He believes that one of the most important aspects of being an artist is to pass along that experience and knowledge to the next generation of musicians. To that end, Nadel has worked with several high school ensembles in the Chicago area, including New Trier, Metea Valley, Glenbard West, and Stevenson High School. He has led some of these groups in side by side concerts with the New Philharmonic. He has also run conducting workshops for the Opus Chamber Music camp, as well as Illinois State University.

MARILYN STUCKERT, MANAGER

Marilyn Stuckert began her career as Youth Orchestra manager in 2013. She brings 34 years of teaching experience to this position. Mrs. Stuckert assists both students and parents as they navigate the auditions, rehearsals, and performances. She can be reached at yo@nisorchestra.org or 219/836.0525 x201.