Georgia Magazine - July 2023 - 27

Musicians with the Emory Youth Symphony Orchestra gather for a
rehearsal before performing for an audience.
There are many opportunities for students to play in youth
symphony orchestras in Georgia.
" In addition to public and private school programs, there
is a healthy collection of prominent youth orchestra programs
in the state, particularly in the metro Atlanta region, " Bhasin
says. " And they all have unique missions and unique musiceducation,
orchestral-learning objectives and goals. They're all
a little bit different.
" I am proud to live in a city and a state where there's such a
demand for this and where we meet that demand by providing
these kinds of programs and opportunities for students. "
Membership in a youth orchestra places tremendous
demands on a young person's time, especially because most of
them also take private lessons and/or play in their school bands
or orchestras. Students have to make time for rehearsals, which
often take place on weekends or in the evenings, when most
students are able to attend.
Eighteen-year-old Jihoon " Jay " Kim of Suwanee, who plays
the cello with the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra in Atlanta,
stresses the importance of putting in the time.
" In my opinion, the basic qualification you need is to
have a student that actually practices and doesn't just play the
instrument because they're told to. They have a passion, " he
explains. " But you don't have to have a passion like you're
dedicating your life to the instrument. I think you need to at
least give some time during the day to the instrument because
when you're practicing with other people, you need to make
sure that you're keeping up with them and not lagging behind. "
Youth orchestras serve as artistic environments in which
musically inclined students acquire skills that will serve them
throughout their lives, regardless of whether they continue to
study music or take their careers in a different direction. A
youth symphony experience can be a positive force in a young
person's professional development, personal growth and
socialization.
" One thing I love about being in a youth orchestra,
especially the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra, is [that] every
student there has something to bring, " Kim says. " In a youth
orchestra, everyone is always there to enjoy playing the music
with everyone else or they're there to get better. And one thing
about the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra is everything we
play is not easy. We have to get better; we have to practice. ...
But at the same time, we have a lot of fun because in between
breaks we get to catch up on things we've done at school. "
Kim served as principal cellist for the 11-12 String
Orchestra at the 2023 Georgia Music Educators Association
(GMEA) All-State Band and Orchestra event in March. He has
played in the Emory Youth Symphony Orchestra, the Georgia
Youth Symphony Orchestra in Marietta and the Gwinnett
Symphony Youth Orchestra in Lawrenceville.
Dedication to music is just one thing that most members
of youth symphonies have in common.
" These are kids who excel in their academics, " Giel says.
" They do outreach service projects. These are the kids that you
want your kid to hang out with on a Friday or Saturday night.
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Georgia Magazine - July 2023

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