2011-2012 Season Sponsors

Prelude's current season is supported in part by the Fund for Arlington and the Community Fund for the Arts of the Arlington Community Foundation. This program is also supported in part by the Virginia Commission for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts, and by Arlington County through the Arlington Commission for the Arts and the Cultural Affairs Division of the Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources.

Testimonials

“What a magical concert. I do love chamber music so much and everything was wonderful. Thank you so much for this group. It has been indescribably helpful to my son. He constantly craves more difficult music now all the time!”

A Prelude parent (December 2010)

“The Prelude Youth Orchestra program has the most creative musical training curriculum of any youth orchestra I know. Jennifer Wade has crafted something really special, developing the WHOLE musician.”

Helen Fall, Past-President
Virginia String Teachers Association (VASTA)

“I’ve liked the pieces and how the 2 hours [of rehearsal] are different. I have had a lot of fun and look forward to it every week.”

14-year-old Prelude violinist

The Orchestral Program

Prelude is an Arlington-based string orchestra for talented young musicians interested in performing challenging repertoire and building their orchestral skills. Violin, viola, cello, and double bass players from fifth through tenth grade are selected by annual audition for membership.

Features of this unique program include:

Audition feedback for all candidates, regardless of acceptance
Prelude provides written feedback to all candidates on their auditions, giving players a sense of their strengths and areas in which they could improve. This avoids the frustration felt by young players who don’t understand the basis for acceptance decisions.

Monday evening rehearsals in Arlington from October through May
Prelude rehearses from 7-9 pm at Washington-Lee High School in Arlington.

Active instruction of audition and ensemble skills
Instructional rehearsals focus on building essential skills required for playing in high-caliber ensembles. Rehearsals are divided into two distinct segments: one for teaching skills and the other for rehearsal of concert repertoire.

Coaching by professional Guest Artists during special rehearsals
Guest Artists confirmed for the 2010-2011 season are professional musicians from the IBIS Chamber Music Society, led by Joseph Scheer, concertmaster of the Boston POPS Esplanade Orchestra, and Fairfax Symphony Orchestra led by Glenn Quader, FSO’s Associate Conductor.

Performance opportunities for orchestra and chamber music
Prelude musicians perform two or more concerts during the season, showcasing many of the techniques that have been developed throughout the year.

Our program is designed to create a musically mature ensemble by actively teaching orchestral skills to our musicians and then integrating those skills into performances. We focus on building the following skills:

The ability to self-conduct
The development of a unified sound within individual sections and across the orchestra
A deeper understanding of what it means to lead and follow
Radically improved sight-reading
A heightened sensitivity to individual and ensemble intonation

A central program goal is that students who participate in this program reach a new level of pride and enjoyment in their playing, and are prepared for any higher level ensemble to which they may aspire in the future. Students in Prelude are expected to participate in their school orchestras unless there are extenuating circumstances.