Home

Vernon Parish Community Orchestra

Text Box: Free concerts, Ensembles, Music instruction Serving West Louisiana and East Texas

Home

Text Box: Meet the Conductor Professional Musician. Orchestra Conductor, Dr. Karen Gordy, played violin professionally while working full time as a classroom teacher in Indianapolis. Read MORE about the conductor.

Text Box: How It All Began…. Dr. Karen Gordy had support. Her husband, family, friends, civic, business and church leaders all encouraged her to start an orchestra, but it was Karen who provided the driving force to channel energy and enthusiasm for more performing arts in the West Louisiana and East Texas area, including beginning work in 2004 toward a full orchestra. Get the whole story. Click HERE.

Text Box: Members in the News: Caleb Minion is awarded 2010 VPCO Scholarship. Read more. Click here for article and photo of CR², Connie, Ron and Ron.

Text Box: To read about members of the Scoggins family involved in music and VPCO, click on: http://www.leesvilledailyleader. Click here for a Leesville Daily Leader article on VPCO plans: http://www.leesvilledailyleader

Text Box: “The Joy of Music” Percussion, brass, woodwinds, fiddling, orchestra favorites, and some surprises—it was all there in the spring concert at Leesville HS Auditorium on Sunday, March 21. Beginning players fiddled and danced, and the larger string ensemble played some rousing Cajun music. After intermission musicians changed from country attire to their usual black and white for such orchestra favorites as “Farandole,” “Sound of Music,” “Fiddler on the Roof,” and “Ol’ Man River.”

Text Box: Vernon Parish Community Orchestra comprises about fifty volunteer musicians of all ages, from middle school age up. This locally grown community orchestra flourishes with dedicated members from Louisiana and Texas providing free concerts. Orchestra members include advanced high school students, college students, music teachers, non-music community professionals, music professionals and seniors. Any persons interested in playing with the Vernon Parish Community Orchestra are invited to contact the director, Dr. Karen Gordy. Membership is by audition in order to keep balance in sound. Find out more about VPCO!

Text Box: From Beethoven to Broadway! Vernon Parish Community Orchestra presented its Spring Concert on Sunday, May 3 at Leesville High School Auditorium. Playing a mixture of show tunes, popular and classical music, performed by strings and full orchestra, the volunteer musicians offered an exciting program.

Text Box: If you would like to be a Friend of the Orchestra, contact VPCO, c/o Betsy Scoggins, 108 W Lee, Leesville, LA 71446.

Text Box: SIZZLIN’ STRINGS STUDIO Prospective students are invited to contact us and leave your name, address, phone number and email address. The student roster is currently filled, but as openings occur, students will be added. If you wish, let Dr. Gordy know your age, experience, instrument, and your goals. She looks forward to hearing from you!

Ensemble Performances

VPCO provided music for a mayoral campaign event for Robert Rose on February 1 and for the grand opening of Threads Boutique, a new store in Leesville. Playing on February 1 were Dr. Karen Gordy, Ron Yule, Darlene Thompson, Elaine Kelley, Connie Hughes, and Marilyn Barry. The January 15 group at left: Ann Miller, Karen, Marilyn, Connie, Ron, and Frances Simmons.

Text Box: “Religious Reflections” The April 25 concert in Jasper, Texas reflected melodies ranging from early 15th Century “I Hear the Voice of Jesus Calling” to contemporary sounds of 1960’s worship music in “Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God.”

www.vpco.net

VPCO Ensemble Plays At Deridder Watermelon Festival

Area violin and cello players performed at the Watermelon Festival at Beauregard Parish Fairgrounds in DeRidder, Louisiana on Saturday, June 26. Shown from L to R: Ron Yule, Dr. Karen Gordy, Dr. Darlene Thompson, Ann Miller, Pat Bean Connie Hughes, Ron Foshage, Marilyn Barry, Anne Bean, and Elaine Kelley.

Creative Fund-Raiser Involves Area Artists

Violins painted by local artists will be the attraction in a raffle to raise money for orchestra sheet music and scholarships. Leesville artist Kimberly Wallace has given her talent to further the project, hand-painting one of the raffle prizes. Currently Executive Assistant at the Vernon Parish Chamber of Commerce, Wallace is an active artist member at Gallery One Eleven in historic downtown Leesville and enjoys working with the organizers for the Semi-Annual Vernon Parish ARTWALK events. A mother of two, Kimberly and her husband have been in Leesville since 2002.

Strings in Concert

Sunday November 14, 3 pm Leesville HS Auditorium

Sunday, December 5, 2:30 pm St. Michael’s Catholic Church, Jasper TX

Tuesday, December 7, 7 pm Wooten Hall, DeRidder

VPCO Youth Instructed by Juillard Dean

Abigail, Moriah, Obadiah and Jochebed Michler with Dr. Stephen Clapp, Dean of Juilliard, after their private lesson with him at Music Workshop.

Click on this site to hear the Michlers in part of their lesson with Dr. Clapp: 106_0073.MV