ABOUT GMYS

The Green Mountain Youth Symphony provides young musicians with a stimulating, high-quality musical experience as well as instruction in orchestral technique, ensemble and musicianship.

GMYS has a program for young musicians at every level of development and offers opportunities for beginning, intermediate and advanced players in three separate orchestras – Repertory, Concert, and Senior.

Mission

The mission of the Green Mountain Youth Symphony is to create a community of young musicians from Central and Northern Vermont through the performance of great music.

History

The Green Mountain Youth Symphony was founded in 2001 as the Central Vermont Youth Orchestra, a single orchestra for local instrumental students. Eight years later, GYMS now consists of three orchestras and more than 100 participants from approximately thirty towns throughout Central and Northern Vermont. The orchestra has performed at First Night Montpelier, Farmers Night, and Montpelier's Independence Day Celebration; at the St. Johnsbury Academy, at Chandler Music Hall in Randolph, and at the Mary Granai Corrigan Auditorium in Northfield in a performance sponsored by the Paine Mountain Arts Council; in joint performances with the Vermont Philharmonic; and has been featured on WCAX TV and Vermont Notes on WCTV radio.

"We had a small dream; to establish a youth orchestra in Central Vermont. We started with the idea that if we could get a dozen or so kids together with a good conductor, we could slowly grow our program here in Montpelier. Forty-three young musicians showed up for our auditions! Within a year, we were seventy players strong! Now we can call it a dream realized!" – August Burns, Founder.

top

Conductors

ROBERT BLAIS
Robert Blais, cellist, is a well-known performer and teacher in New York and New England. He has performed with the Manhattan Chamber Orchestra and has appeared several times in Carnegie Hall with the New England Symphonic Ensemble. Mr. Blais has also performed with the Uterlinde-Johnston-Blais Trio and the New York based Pythagorean Trio. Recently, Mr. Blais performed in the Columbia University Artist Series and performed Dvorak’s Cello Concerto in B minor with the Holyoke Symphony. Mr. Blais has been a faculty member of the Music Conservatory of Westchester in White Plains, NY, the Hollis Woods Music School in Queens, NY, the Chamber Music Institute at the University of New Hampshire and the Westford Suzuki School in Westford, MA.

Mr. Blais’ students have become members of the Greater Boston Youth Orchestra, the Northeast Youth Orchestra, the New Hampshire Philharmonic Orchestra, the Vermont Philharmonic and the Montpelier Chamber Orchestra. They have won auditions to participate in the New Hampshire and Vermont All-State Music Festivals as well as the All New England Orchestra. They have also received top ratings in the New York State Music Association Competition. Mr. Blais’ more advanced students have appeared on the Rosie O’Donnell show, have performed solo at Lincoln Center, and have participated in national and international festivals.

PAUL PERLEY
Paul Perley, cellist, began his musical education at age eight, studying with Elizabeth Endress, Albert Bellson and Helene Gagne, among others. Locally he has performed as a cellist with the Vermont Philharmonic, the Bartholdy Ensemble, the Gabriel Piano Trio, and is a founding member of the Montpelier Chamber Orchestra.

Mr. Perley has composed music for theater productions, chamber music ensembles, and several youth orchestras, including the GMYS. In 1999, he founded the Green Mountain Waldorf Orchestra which he conducted until the closing of the school. He has conducted for the GMYS since 2002.

Mr. Perley maintains a private teaching studio on Berlin Pond, where he lives with his wife, Melissa and their family.

top

Board Members

P.O. Box 384wMontpelier, VT 05601-0384