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Side by Side —Three advanced students from Sizzlin’ Strings Studio were again selected to play as a stand partner with a professional musician in the Rapides Parish Symphony Orchestra. Violinist Eden Bonner, cellist Caleb Minion and violist Jenae’ Riley were among the young string players of the area who auditioned for the opportunity to attend symphony rehearsals and play Side by Side with a professional musician under the baton of Maestro Josh Zona. The selection process is intense. This is the third year that teen members of Vernon Parish Community Orchestra have been selected to perform programs for the public (on December 6) and on the following day (Dec 7) for the fifth grade students of the Rapides Parish School District.
The Side by Side Concert will begin at 2:30 p. m. on Sunday, December 6 at the Coughlin-Saunders Performing Arts Center, 4rd Washington Street in Alexandria LA.
Side by Side —Three students from Sizzlin’ Strings Studio were selected to play in the Rapides Symphony for the Alexandria children’s concert. Violinist Eden Bonner, cellist Caleb Minion and violist Jenae’ Riley were among the young string players of the area who auditioned for the opportunity to attend symphony rehearsals and play Side by Side with a professional musician under the baton of Maestro Josh Zona. The Side by Side Concerts were Monday, January 26 at the Coughlin-Saunders Performing Arts Center in Alexandria.
“Musical Mosaic”
VPCO’s string section ended the Winter 2008 concert season with a series of concerts featuring string favorites and Christmas carols in DeRidder, Jasper, Texas and Leesville. A full house at Wooten Theater in DeRidder on December 2 heard four selections by composer Soon Hee Newhold and selections from classical composers Handel, Schubert and Mozart as well as the opening driving beat of “Momentum” by modern American composer Robert Longfield. A mosaic of light and serious music, rousing rhythms and lilting melodies, full-group, small group, duet, and quartet work comprised each concert.
Grant Blakeney performed a violin solo on “The Ludlows;” young violinist sisters Abigail and Isabelle played a duet, “Two at a Time,” and the string quartet 2 Measure Up presented “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik.” Student conductor Elizabeth Gautreaux led the orchestra in “A Knight’s Quest.” Each concert ended with audience participation in a Christmas carol sing-along.
The Jasper concert on December 9 included yet another facet of the mosaic with first violinist Ron Foshage playing accordion. Ron Yule, first violinist, champion fiddler and author, was master of ceremonies in DeRidder and Jasper; Mel Harris emceed in Leesville on December 16.
A smaller group of VPCO players entertained at a reception in the office of Dr. Jose Matthews on Thursday, December 4.
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Community Orchestra Serving West Louisiana and East Texas |
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Vernon Parish Community Orchestra |
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Spring Is “Bach” - A mixture of classical, popular, jazz and favorite selections made up the program for a concert by the full orchestra on May 1, at Leesville High School Auditorium. Caleb Minion, Evans High School student and son of Bobby and Jennifer Minion, performed a cello solo, Vivaldi’s “Allegro,” accompanied by Isaac Riley and Eden Bonner on violin, Janae’ Riley on viola, and Jean Lambkin, string bass. Whether it was the swinging rhythm of Duke Ellington’s “It Don’t Mean a Thing” or “Salute to George M. Cohan,” the calypso beat of “Cruising the Caribbean,” the catchy meter of “M to the Third Power,” or the majesty of “Academic Festival Overture” by Brahms, the program had something for everyone. The orchestra performed the first movement of Bach’s powerful “Brandenburg Concerto No. 3,” “Alla Tchaikovsky” by Meyer, Haydn’s intriguing “Farewell Symphony” and “Bacchanale” from Samson and Delilah by Saint-Saens as well as a rousing rendition of “Patriotic Bits and Pieces.” Master of ceremonies was Mel Harris.
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April Jubilee — This landmark concert provided many new experiences for the young orchestra, including playing for a trumpet soloist, playing a movement of a symphony, following a guest conductor, Patrick Neff, and playing with an 80-voice choir. The full orchestra performed at East Leesville Baptist Church on Sunday, April 29, 2007, and choir members from two Leesville churches joined the orchestra in the last two numbers. Grant Blakeney directed the choirs, and Mel Harris was master of ceremonies.
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Dr. Karen Gordy, Conductor and husband, Buster |
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Isaac and Elizabeth, honor orchestra violinists and Caleb, principal cellist at Youth Honor Orchestra |
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Caleb Minion at Youth Honor Orchestra—First chair cello |
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Karen Gordy playing with Back Porch Band at Natchitoches festival |
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String section of the orchestra warms up before the May 1 concert at Leesville High School Auditorium. |
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Snapshots |
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Photo and news clipping from Leesville Leader |
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Back Porch Band, with Dr. Karen Gordy on fiddle, played at Leesville’s Gallery One Eleven at a reception for band member and artist Dr. Bill Bryant, whose watercolor paintings were on exhibit. They played for the annual lighting of Christmas lights on the river in Natchitoches on November 22. They also performed on October 11 in Natchitoches as part of the town’s Fall Festival. Tourists and residents strolled by or sat for awhile enjoying the music. The band was on West Stage at the annual folk festival on NSU campus on July 19 where they provided Irish and British folk music for an appreciative audience.
Silver and Gold Quartet—The adult string quartet played for an outdoor wedding in Natchitoches on May 30. They played interlude and prelude music tor a Tri-Chapter Delta Kappa Gamma meeting in Silsbee on May 2 and provided the music for a February 25 meeting of Mu Theta in Newton on February 25. They provided a program of Christmas music for Mu Theta Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma in Newton on November 24 and played background music for the opening of the Oakdale Museum on Saturday, September 27.
Newton Chamber Banquet—Members of the string orchestra and the 2 Measure Up string ensemble performed at the annual banquet of Newton Chamber of Commerce at Methodist Christian Community Life Center in Newton, Saturday, February 16, 2008.
Party in the Park—Outdoor concert of string section of VPCO on the pavilion at Liberty Park in Leesville, Saturday, October 13, 2007. The string orchestra performed without a conductor, as Dr. Gordy was recovering from surgery. The Reverend Neil Early and his wife Mary were emcees.
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Eden, honor orchestra violinist |
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Cellists Elaine Kelley and Caleb Minion playing at the outdoor concert at Liberty Park in 2007 |
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Jenae’ and Eden take a break at Youth Honor Orchestra. |
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Grant and Gordy—Dr. Karen Gordy and Grant Blakeney presented a concert of classical violin and fiddle music as part of a series of free concerts supported by a grant from the Louisiana Division of the Arts in cooperation with the Louisiana State Arts Council. The Grant and Gordy Show played to a full house on |
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full house on February 9 at the Vernon Parish Library. Displaying musical virtuosity, versatility and verve, the pair played classical, fiddle, country and traditional pieces and kept the audience guessing with unusual twists. In one piece while Karen played solid classical music, Grant interjected dynamic fiddling. In a piece of “tabletop music” by Mozart, each played from the same sheet of music laid between them, the music written to be read right-side up or upside down. |
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2 Measure Up - The youth quartet from Evans provided music for a May 16 lawn party celebrating a new DeRidder home for Dr. Tony and Fort Polk nurse Sheila Noya. The quartet played for weddings in Leesville in September and October; they played a prelude of selections at Celebrations for Senator Smith and Governor Jindal at a community party in Leesville on Friday, January 18; and they provided background music for Chamber of Commerce officer induction on January 25. The teen musicians, whose music represents countless hours of dedicated practice, are Isaac Riley and Eden Bonner, violin; Jenae’ Riley, viola; and Caleb Minion, cello. |
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“From Beethoven to Broadway” —The Vernon Parish Community Orchestra Spring Concert on Sunday, May 3 at 3 o’clock at Leesville High School Auditorium featured a mix of show tunes and classical music, with performances by the string ensemble, full orchestra, and kazoos! Student string quartet 2 Measure Up performed before the concert. |
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“Musical Mosaic”
VPCO’s string section ended the Winter 2008 concert season with a series of concerts featuring string favorites and Christmas carols in DeRidder, Jasper, Texas and Leesville. A full house at Wooten Theater in DeRidder on December 2 heard four selections by composer Soon Hee Newhold and selections from classical composers Handel, Schubert and Mozart as well as the opening driving beat of “Momentum” by modern American composer Robert Longfield. A mosaic of light and serious music, rousing rhythms and lilting melodies, full-group, small group, duet, and quartet work comprised each concert.
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www.vpco.net |
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Orchestra and audience enjoyed a reception at Booker-Lewis House after the Leesville concert on November 15, 2009. |
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Dr. Gordy joined in the fun during the Christmas carol sing-along at the Jasper concert on December 6, 2009. |
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Orchestra buddies Marilyn and Connie |
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VPCO Ensembles Provide Music for Community Events Violinists from the strings section of VPCO took the place of manikins in the show window of Threads Boutique on East Texas Street at two recent Leesville events. The players at left added to the new store’s grand opening on Friday, January 15. Providing music for the event were Ann Miller, Dr. Karen Gordy, Marilyn Barry, Connie Hughes, Ron Yule, and Frances Simmons.. |
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Playing in the same venue at a February 1 fund-raiser for Robert Rose’s mayoral bid were Karen, Connie, Ron, and Marilyn. Also with the group were Elaine Kelley and Darlene Thompson |