Green Mountain Youth Symphony
"the music is just the beginning ..."
Past Highlights
2016
GMYS Senior Orchestra to play at First Night North
St. Johnsbury, Vermont December 31, 2016
GMYS is excited to be included in the First Night North celebration this year! The Senior Orchestra, under the direction of Artistic Director Bob Blais, play at 4:00pm at the St. Johnsbury School on Western Avenue. Click on the link for information about purchasing a button for the evening’s festivities.
The Green Mountain Youth Symphony Third Annual Playathon
Montpelier, Vermont October 8, 2016
GMYS musicians played from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Christ Episcopal Church on State Street in Montpelier to the delight of downtown crowds. This was the third year GMYS has put on a playathon. Delicious baked goods provided by friends and families of GMYS were sold, and increased to the success of this tradition. A big thanks to our musicians who solicited pledges to support our programming.
2017
The 2nd Annual Swing Dance Fundraiser
Barre, Vermont April 29, 2017
Featuring Green Mountain Swing. This event will be held at the Old Labor Hall in Barre, VT and is a fundraiser for the Green Mountain Youth Symphony's tuition assistance program. Several musicians from the GMYS Senior Orchestra will join Green Mountain Swing band musicians on stage during the dance.
GMYS Concert Orchestra Appears at Montshire Museum of Science
Norwich, Vermont March 28, 2017
In conjunction with the museum's exhibit Making Music: The Science of Musical Instruments,
the GMYS Concert Orchestra presents a preview of their April concert program for area
homeschoolers. Conductor and Artistic Director Bob Blais will include the young audience
in the performance as well.
2018
GMYS Begins an Intro to Strings Class
Montpelier, Vermont August 2018
The Green Mountain Youth Symphony (GMYS) has partnered with Monteverdi Music School and Vermont Violins to pilot a new Intro to Strings class. This group class is for 8-12 year olds who have never played a stringed instrument, but would like to try it out. GMYS Artistic Director, Bob Blais, will teach the 9-week class in space donated by Monteverdi. Students can choose to try violin, viola, cello, or bass and will learn in a mixed-instrument group. Discounted short-term rentals are available through Vermont Violins. According to Blais, “This is a great opportunity to try out a stringed instrument without families needing to make a huge commitment up front. So kids can just try it and see if they like it. It’s an affordable way to explore playing music.”Students who would like to continue with their instrument after this introductory period will be referred to private teachers through Monteverdi, can join their school music program, will be able to work toward joining the GMYS Repertory Orchestra, and may choose to extend their instrument rentals through Vermont Violins regular rental program.
Class ran on Tuesdays, September 18th through Tuesday, November 13th.
The Green Mountain Youth Symphony Fifth Annual Playathon
Montpelier, Vermont September 29, 2018
On Saturday, September 29th, the Green Mountain Youth Symphony is holding a Playathon & Bake Sale fundraiser – 7 hours of continuous live music in downtown Montpelier at Christ Episcopal Church (64 State Street, across from the Post Office).
GMYS musicians are collecting pledges for the Playathon. The money raised will support GMYS programs and the scholarship fund. No student is turned away for inability to pay full tuition. If you would like to donate, contact your favorite GMYS musician or donate online at www.gmys-vt.org.
On Playathon Day, the music starts at 8:30am and runs until 3:30pm that afternoon. All three GMYS orchestras will hold public rehearsals during the day providing a sneak peek at the December concert program. GMYS musicians, individually and in small groups, will keep the music going between and after rehearsals. Baked goods and cider will be available for sale all day – or until they disappear! Come early for the best selection.
GMYS Musicians Join Black Violin! Onstage at the Barre Opera House
October 25, 2018
GMYS musicians from the Concert and Senior Orchestras were invited to play alongside Black Violin! for Shaker an arrangement of the familiar tune Simple Gifts.
The GMYSers were excited to play with Classically-trained violist Wil B and violinist Key Marcus who combine their classical backgrounds and their hip-hop influence to create a distinctive multi-genre sound that is often described as “classical boom.” They’ve performed at three Super Bowls and at President Obama’s inauguration. Black Violin clinched the Showtime at the Apollo 2005. They are joined on this tour by TDJ SPS and drummer Nat Stokes.
The excitement of playing for a full house with a light show will be remembered for years to come.
2019 - 2020 Season
GMYS Intro to Strings Classes restart January 2020
Montpelier, Vermont December 2019
The Green Mountain Youth Symphony (GMYS) has partnered with Monteverdi Music School for a repeat of our successful Intro to Strings class. “The classes were popular last year and several of the students went on to join our orchestras.” says GMYS Artistic Director, Bob Blais.
This group class is for 8-12 year olds who have never played a stringed instrument, but would like to try it out. Blais, will teach the 9-week class in space donated by Monteverdi. Students can choose to try violin, viola, cello, or bass and will learn in a mixed-instrument group. According to Blais, “This is a great opportunity to try out a stringed instrument without families needing to make a huge commitment up front. So kids can just try it and see if they like it. It’s an affordable way to explore playing music.”
Students who would like to continue with their instrument after this introductory period will be referred to private teachers through Monteverdi, can join their school music program, and will be able to work toward joining the GMYS Repertory Orchestra.
GMYS presents a Fall Concert!
December 15, 2019
2:00pm at the Barre Opera House showcasee all three orchestras.
The Repertory, Concert, and Senior Orchestras each performed their own musical offerings. The Repertory Orchestra under the baton of Paul Perley, Concert and Senior Orchestras under GMYS Artistic Director, Bob Blais.
The Repertory Orchestra program included several holiday season favorites, including excerpts from Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker. The Concert Orchestra program included familiar tunes from Moussorgsky and Leroy Anderson along with other less familiar pieces.
Mr. Blais and the Senior Orchestra presented Dvořák’s Symphony No. 8 in its entirety along with two concerti. Our Senior Soloists for this concert were Laila Reimanis of South Strafford playing Mozart’s Flute Concerto No. 1 in G and Kathryn Meyer of Stowe playing the Cimarosa/Benjamin Concerto for Oboe and Strings.
Our Concert Sponsor: CenterPoint Financial, Inc. of East Montpelier
The Green Mountain Youth Symphony 6th Annual Playathon
Montpelier, Vermont October 5, 2019
On Saturday, October 5th, the Green Mountain Youth Symphony held a Playathon & Bake Sale fundraiser – 7 hours of continuous live music in downtown Montpelier at Christ Episcopal Church (64 State Street, across from the Post Office).
GMYS musicians collected pledges for the Playathon. The money raised supports GMYS programs and the scholarship fund. No student is turned away for inability to pay full tuition.
On Playathon Day, the music started at 8:30am and continued until 3:30pm that afternoon. All three GMYS orchestras held public rehearsals during the day providing a sneak peek at the December concert program. GMYS musicians, individually and in small groups, kept the music going between and after rehearsals.
Baked goods and cider were available for sale all day – and disappeared quickly! Come early next year for the best selection.
2013
The Green Mountain Youth Symphony Performs on the State House Steps
Montpelier, Vermont July 3, 2013
GMYS performed Stars and Stripes Forever, El Capitan, Star Wars, Memory from Cats, Russian Sailors Dance, Children of Sanchez, Bacchanale, Superman Returns, Lord of the Rings, James Bond Meolody, and Pirates of the Caribbean to a crowded State House lawn before the fireworks show.
2012
GMYS Plays the National Anthem at a Vermont Mountaineers Game
Montpelier, Vermont July 21, 2012
A string quartet from the Green Mountain Youth Symphony performed the National Anthem at a Vermont Mountaineers NECBL game at Recreation Field in Montpelier Vermont on July 21, 2012.
The Green Mountain Youth Symphony Performs on the State House Steps
Montpelier, Vermont July 3, 2012
GMYS performed Stars and Stripes Forever, El Capitan, Memory from Cats, Russian Sailors Dance, Les Miserables, Highlights from Wicked, Children of Sanchez, Pirates of the Caribbean, and 1812 Overture to a crowded State House lawn before the fireworks show.
GMYS Artistic Director, Robert Blais, is Published in the Burlington Free Press
Burlington, Vermont May 18, 2012
The essay "Heart of Art: Learning to play with others, students and conductor grow in symphony" was published in the Arts section of The Burlington Free Press.
2011
GMYS Selected to Represent North America at The Eurochestries Festival in Quebec
Montpelier, Vermont August 21-27, 2011
The Green Mountain Youth Symphony was chosen to represent North America at The Eurochestries Festival in Quebec. The musicians will join ensembles from China, Spain, Germany, and other countries for performances in and around the city.
GMYS Week Declared in Vermont
Montpelier, Vermont August 2, 2011
Governor Shumlin proclaims August 13 - 21, 2011 Green Mountain Youth Symphony Week.