Many native Atlantans have heard of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (ASYO) that performs at Alliance Theater. With stellar performances in a grand hall, attending one of their concerts is a must, whether through a school-organized field trip or as an individual excursion. Yet, many have not heard of the youth division of this orchestra. Being one of the most competitive programs in the city of Atlanta, it is a wonder that many high schoolers do not know of the work their peers put into this program. This year, North Atlanta was able to send two students to the highly selective program – juniors Addison Allvine and Emma Lilly.
This accomplishment was not an easy feat for either girl to achieve. With exceedingly difficult compositions to learn, both had to spend hours studying and preparing to play these musical excerpts at their auditions. In addition to preparing for the looming try-out, both still had to remain focused on school, with AP exams and the ASYO auditions falling during the same time frame. However, the day of auditions eventually arrived, and both made the trek to the Atlanta Symphony Hall with the hopes of impressing the judges enough to join the prestigious orchestra. The auditions were blind, meaning that both girls performed without ever seeing the critical eyes of the panel of judges. Allvine, who arrived 45 minutes early, was allowed a brief warm-up period before being called to perform. “I was such a nervous wreck that they asked me to stop and start over, which has never happened before,” said Allvine.
Looking back on the audition, Allvine has reflected on better audition practices for next year when she has to re-audition for the orchestra. Even though she got there 45 minutes early, the judges still almost immediately called on her to present her excerpts to them, which left her with only 5 minutes of warm-up time. She has since realized the importance of a long warm-up to both mentally and physically prepare herself. Additionally, after her audition, she was informed that she could have delayed her performance to the actual start time she was initially told she would be auditioning at. Luckily, even in a slightly panicked state, her talents were able to shine through to the judges who selected her for the ASYO. “Next time I will definitely make sure to properly warm up, but I’m just glad everything worked out,” Allvine said.
Once on the ASYO, each of them has had exceptional experiences. The group meets on Saturdays from 10 in the morning to 1 in the afternoon. For both girls, it provides an opportunity to improve their musical skills with their peers. Their teacher is a big inspiration for both as a traveling musician who brings great advice to both of them. Additionally, the opportunity to perform with the orchestra is highly regarded by both girls. With every concert they are a part of comes the chance to meet members of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, who serve as an inspiration to both girls in their goals for the future. “My favorite thing about ASYO is the passion that everyone there has about making beautiful music,” Lilly said.
The ASYO is a great opportunity for all those who are musically inclined at NAHS. With highly selective annual auditions, the chance to participate in the program is a definite resume booster due to the experience gained by all members of the orchestra. While it may be difficult to be chosen to participate, the 20 selectants gain the opportunity of a lifetime to work with highly regarded musicians.
