OUR MISSION
DIRECTOR COACHES
GUEST CONDUCTORS

 

DIRECTOR
Sarah Richardson is director, small ensemble advisor and Training Orchestra Conductor of the Littleton Youth Symphony. Her love of chamber music was fostered by her first private teacher, T. Burns Westman. She performed and competed with the Oklahoma City Junior Symphony Quartet throughout middle and high school. Ms. Richardson attended The Quartet Program, a summer program dedicated to chamber music, from 1974-1977. She graduated with a BFA in Viola Performance from the State University of New York College at Purchase where she was a student of Heidi Castleman. Prior to moving to the Front Range area, Sarah performed with the Oklahoma City Symphony, the Dallas Symphony, the Dallas Opera and the Omaha Symphony. Currently she is a member of the Central City Opera Orchestra and the Hausmusik Quartet of Colorado Springs and is the principal violist of the Mercury Ensemble.  Ms. Richardson also performs with the Colorado Symphony, Inside the Orchestra and the Mercury Ensemble String Quartet. In addition to her performing schedule she maintains an extensive private studio in Highlands Ranch.

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GUEST CONDUCTORS
René Knetsch. Since receiving his masters degree in violin performance from Wichita State University in 1976, René has made his living in music, as a performing violinist, teacher, and conductor. Before moving to Denver in 1994, he was a violinist with several professional orchestras, including Oklahoma, Jacksonville, Orlando, and Birmingham. His first job after college was at Lamar University, in Beaumont, Texas, where he taught violin and viola, and conducted the university's orchestra. While living in Birmingham, Alabama in the early 90's, where he played in the Alabama Symphony, René had the opportunity to be the music director of the Red Mountain Chamber Orchestra, a community orchestra in many ways similar to the South Suburban Community Orchestra. It was this group that made him come to understand the important role that community orchestras play in providing opportunities for musical expression to many who would otherwise not have that chance.
René keeps very busy these days by doing a wide variety of things. During the summer months he is the principal 2nd violinist with the Central City Opera Orchestra . He teaches violin and is the conductor of the orchestra at Arapahoe Community College. He and his wife, Lynne, are the violinists of the Confluence String Quartet, a group which presents concerts throughout the state. Besides doing freelance work at many different venues in the area, René also maintains a private teaching studio of approximately 30 students.
When he is not busy with his musical endeavors, René spends time in his woodworking shop at home. He has been an avid woodworker since he was in high school.

Andy Holmes was born in the San Francisco area and raised in Lakewood, Colorado. He is a graduate of Bear Creek H. S. and holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Colorado. Andy has taught orchestra and beginning band in Westminster since 1984, and has also taught in Northglenn and Thornton. He is currently the Orchestra Director at Ranum High School where he was named the Westminster Elks Club Outstanding High School Teacher for 2004, and was recently appointed Music Coordinator for Adams County School District #50. He is an active Clinician and Adjudicator in Colorado. He served three years on the CHSAA Music Committee and on the Colorado All State High School Orchestra Governing Board both as Secretary and as Chairman. He currently serves as Secretary/Treasurer of the Instrumental Music Council of the CMEA. In addition to his teaching duties, he is an active String Bassist, performing with the Colorado Springs Symphony, the new Colorado Springs Philharmonic, and has been a member of the Central City Opera Orchestra since 1983. Andy has also performed with many organizations in the Denver area, including the Colorado Music Festival, Opera Colorado, the Colorado Ballet, the Denver Symphony, and the Colorado Symphony.

Guest Improv Clinician
Aaron Lande is a graduate of UNC.  He is a member of the Central City Opera Orchestra, the Colorado Ballet and is Associate Concertmaster of the Greeley Philharmonic.  He has improvised extensively with Art Lande, Michael Fitzmaurice, Thomas Blomster, Mark Miller and Peter Sommer.  He has appeared with Smokey Robinson, Manhattan Transfer, Aaron Neville, Roberta Flack and the Trans Siberian Orchestra.  Lande also plays Death Metal and Black Metal as a drummer, formerly with Followed by Silence (RIP).  He is currently a member of Cryogen.




PROGRAMS

Beginning Orchestra Students—The Littleton Youth Symphony Training Orchestra offers a preparatory orchestra opportunity for beginning orchestra students with at least one year playing experience on their instruments.  Students must be able to read music.  Music exercises reinforce musicianship skills such as beginning music theory, rhythm and scale patterns and musical terms.  Weekly practice in ear training, playing music with multiple harmonies and following a conductor develop ensemble techniques.  Finally, students have the opportunity to practice their new skills in a series of regular concerts and community service performances.

New for 2008-2009 is our Intermediate Orchestra  Applications now being accepted.  This group is geared for the student who has revious orchestral experience, but who is not yet ready for the challenges of the Symphony. The Intermediate Orchestra allows more advanced young musicians the opportunity to learn and grow in order to prepare for the advanced orchestra experience.

Middle and High School Musicians—The Littleton Youth Symphony Chamber Orchestra provides a unique opportunity for young musicians to experience both orchestral playing and chamber music performance.  The string orchestra performs three concerts each season led by talented guest conductors.  Each week students rehearse with both the string orchestra and their assigned chamber ensembles.  All participants receive string quartet coaching from qualified chamber music mentors.  String quartets perform in a series of outreach programs.  In addition both orchestras combine with The Mercury Ensemble, Denver’s only professional chamber orchestra for a side-by-side concert each spring.