Auditions
Auditions are held throughout the school year with the Music Director and a member of the DYO Board of Directors in attendance. For more information, or to arrange an audition, contact Mr John Beaton at:
jbeaton@dyomusic.com
(905) 579-2401
Please also complete the application form below:
DYO Member Handbook 2018-2019
The newly updated DYO Member Handbook 2017-2018 is available for download. All members and parents should read the DYO Handbook as it contains important information you should be familiar with. In addition, there are two forms in the document which need to be printed, signed and brought to the first rehearsal on September 10, 2018.
Download the DYO Handbook 2018-2019(pdf format)
Fees
The annual membership fee is to be paid in full at or before the first rehearsal. Payment can be made online or by cheque. Cheques must be made payable to the Durham Youth Orchestra. Musicians entering the orchestra in the middle of the year are charged a pro-rated amount.
2018-2019 Season: $870 (This includes the membership fee as well as 6 discounted tickets for each of 3 concerts).
Families that have 2 or more members in the DYO will pay a reduced fee.
Musicians who require a modified payment schedule or would like to request individual financial considerations should contact Rocco Lombardi, DYO President, by email at president@dyomusic.com . Each situation will require final approval by the DYO Board of Directors.
Application Form
The Durham Youth Orchestra is an extremely important part of my life – not only have I had a huge amount of fun rehearsing and performing with the group, but I have learned a lot about myself and music. Whether it’s in a classroom at Juilliard or on a concert stage in Japan, I often think of things I learned during my time with the DYO – focus and discipline as well as a love of music that I will cherish forever!
Joining the Durham Youth Orchestra was the best thing that I did while I was in high school. I always knew that I wanted to go to university to study classical music, with the dream of one day winning a position in a professional orchestra, but my high school was not able to offer the training and experience that I needed to achieve my goals. The Durham Youth Orchestra gave that to me, and much more. During my time in the DYO I had the opportunity to learn and perform many orchestral masterworks in an environment that was encouraging, fun, exciting and enriching. Under the kind and inspirational leadership of Director John Beaton and Assistant Director Paul Otway, I learned about many important aspects of playing in an orchestra, such as orchestral etiquette, performance practices, intonation, balance,… all of which is invaluable knowledge for anyone interested in pursuing a career in music. The connections I made during my time in the orchestra, both among the other musicians and with the professionals whom directed our sectionals, helped me to get introduced and acquainted with the musical community around me. I made many friends in the DYO who later became my colleagues in the Toronto Youth Wind Orchestra, the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra and the University of Toronto Symphony Orchestra. We very fortunate to have this wonderful training orchestra in our community, which greatly enriches the music education program in Durham Region. I cannot recommend it highly enough!
Each season with the DYO is full of new music, exciting challenges, and good friends. The experiences it has catered have helped me grow both as a person and as a musician. The most inspirational thing about being a part of the orchestra is experiencing the passion for music shared among the musicians and directors. My time with the orchestra has helped cultivate a deeper appreciation for the value of hard work and the joy of performing music.
Rehearsals
Full orchestra rehearsals for the 2018/2019 season will be held from September to June on Monday evenings from 6:45 to 9:00 p.m. at Sinclair Secondary School on Taunton Rd. E just west of Anderson St. in Whitby.
The first rehearsal will be held on Monday, September 10th, 2018 from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. The location is St George’s Anglican Church, Oshawa.
Additional string rehearsals, and the occasional full orchestra rehearsal, are held on Saturday afternoons at Queen Elizabeth Public School on Simcoe St. N just south Taunton Rd. E in Oshawa from 9:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
The orchestra performs best when all musicians are in attendance. Therefore, all members are expected to faithfully attend all rehearsals, masterclasses and concerts, unless prevented by a serious reasons (eg. illness or school exams). DYO member are expected to regularly include orchestra music in their daily practice routine at home to ensure that our performances are polished.
