The Californer - Mainly Mozart Youth Orchestra Hosts Solo Competition

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Finalists to perform and be judged by panel of San Diego Symphony members

SAN DIEGO - Californer -- The Mainly Mozart Youth Orchestra (MMYO) is hosting the MMYO 2021-2022 Solo Competition for young musicians who play string, woodwind, brass and percussion instruments. The competition is open to all members of the Youth Orchestra, regardless of experience.

The competitors vary in age starting at 5+ in the Suzuki Strings division to middle schoolers in the Concert Band division to high schoolers in the Advanced Orchestra category. Many past competitors use this experience to carry on their musical careers in college and beyond.

The first round of competition was virtual and took place from October 16 to October 22, 2021. Instructors from the MMYO judged this round and determined who moved on to the next round based on the following factors: tone (beauty, intonation, control), technique (articulation, accuracy, rhythm), interpretation (style, breathing, expression), and general effect (stage presence).

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The top 4-5 instrumentalists from each of the 8 divisions move on to the Live round on November 6, 2021, where they will perform their submitted piece for a 3-judge panel consisting of members from the San Diego Symphony.

There will be 2 winners from each division chosen and invited to perform at the Solo Competition Winners' Recital on November 21, 2021 at St. James By The Sea Episcopal church in La Jolla, CA, which is open to the public.

"We are excited to see the artistry of our students on display this year," says MMYO Music Director Hernan Constantino. "Despite the challenges of the pandemic, we were able to perform outdoors on the Mainly Mozart stage as a group, and now excited to provide an opportunity for our young members to perform a solo recital for their family and friends."

Auditions are currently open for the MMYO 2021-2022 season with rehearsals being held every Saturday in Solana Beach, CA at the Calvary Lutheran Church, located at 424 Via De La Valle, Solana Beach, CA 92075.

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To learn more about Mainly Mozart Youth Orchestra auditions, please contact Joseph Shanks at jshanks@mainlymozart.org or visit mmyo.org.

About Mainly Mozart Youth Orchestra

The Mainly Mozart Youth Orchestra has stood for excellence in music-making and education since 1995. Featuring top instructors with decades of experience, MMYO provides its students with solo, chamber, and orchestral performance opportunities all throughout San Diego. MMYO offers unparalleled access to the Mainly Mozart All-Star Orchestra, the largest annual gathering of concertmasters and principal players from major orchestras across the country. MMYO has a core commitment to inclusion and serves as California's only youth orchestra to actively recruit and integrate students with cognitive and physical differences into core ensembles.

For more information, visit https://www.mmyo.org/